...Propaganda as defined by Jowett and O’Donnell “is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist” (Prop, 7). In this definition, similar to others, the words “shape”, “manipulate”, and “direct” tend to spur an uneasy feeling for many. Propaganda, which “is associated with bad things or evil forces,” (Pers 33) has such a negative connotation that people who disagree with a message will publicly label it as propaganda to make the audience feel threatened by the communicator and by the message delivered by the enemy. Historically, propaganda has been known to be the cause of war and deaths. But, can propaganda ever be a good thing? It has served as an end to genocide and as a reinforcement to stay healthy. Therefore, propaganda can be ethical or unethical depending on the situation and the purpose. The role of propaganda during wartime periods has been present since we can remember and has such a powerful impact that brings out the same result of a violent war in a nonviolent manner (Prop, 231). When propaganda outcomes are viewed as similar to war it most definitely makes it an unethical form of persuasion. A specific example of that is Nazi propaganda during World War II. When Hitler took power his Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, described Hitler’s propaganda as possible to prove that a square is a circle with enough repetition...
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...have been since our beginning existence, easily convinced by our leaders, especially when they have been glorified by the whole nation. It is by this that Hitler was able to convince the majority of Germany that the Jewish, Romani, Communists, homosexuals, Jehovah's witnesses, and physically or mentally disabled people were evil, and innately inhuman. Why do you drink milk? This seemingly random question will surely pull up an immediate answer- because it’s good for you, and makes your bones strong. Why do you think this?...
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...of a country's political chaos. Of course there are many things that are unsaid and under explained in this tragic novel which, in my observation, is an oversimplification. There is also a heavy use of emotional appeal, and an underlying message. This is a flag for propaganda. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini begins in the 1970s in Kabul, Afghanistan, when the country is in a time of an ending monarchy. The main character, Amir, is the son of wealthy Afghanistan business man, and his playmate, Hassan, the son of his father's houseman, Ali. Hassan is a Hazara and Amir is a Pashtun, which makes them from different social classes. The author has undoubtedly stirred my emotions and I admit that I did cry several times. I think that this was the author's objective; this is an appeal to emotion, one of the fallacies of propaganda. Propaganda is a message or an idea that persuades the audience to change their perspectives in one way or another. There are many faces of propaganda but this to my knowledge is one that is easy to recognize. I m not saying I didn't like The Kite Runner, the author had me after the first chapter and then I couldn't put it down. However I am naïve when it comes to politics and propaganda, so at first I didn't even consider this book a form of persuasion. But as I thought about it, I came to the conclusion...
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...of a country's political chaos. Of course there are many things that are unsaid and under explained in this tragic novel which, in my observation, is an oversimplification. There is also a heavy use of emotional appeal, and an underlying message. This is a flag for propaganda. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini begins in the 1970s in Kabul, Afghanistan, when the country is in a time of an ending monarchy. The main character, Amir, is the son of wealthy Afghanistan business man, and his playmate, Hassan, the son of his father's houseman, Ali. Hassan is a Hazara and Amir is a Pashtun, which makes them from different social classes. The author has undoubtedly stirred my emotions and I admit that I did cry several times. I think that this was the author's objective; this is an appeal to emotion, one of the fallacies of propaganda. Propaganda is a message or an idea that persuades the audience to change their perspectives in one way or another. There are many faces of propaganda but this to my knowledge is one that is easy to recognize. I m not saying I didn't like The Kite Runner, the author had me after the first chapter and then I couldn't put it down. However I am naïve when it comes to politics and propaganda, so at first I didn't even consider this book a form of persuasion. But as I thought about it, I came to the conclusion...
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...the most evil leaders in the Holocaust. Adolf Eichmann was an extremely dishonorable leader in the Holocaust. Adolf Eichmann was responsible for the prosecution and murder of millions of Jews. Eichmann was also in Germany’s SS or security service.(“Adolf Eichmann”). Adolf Eichmann saw over the killing in concentration camps. He killed four million Jews and lots of other innocent people too. In the Holocaust, Adolf Eichmann “Murdered ⅓ of all European Jews.” (“Adolf Eichmann”). He was an mass murder in the Holocaust. Adolf Eichmann was a tremendously evil leader and murderer. In the Holocaust, Joseph Goebbels was also one of the most immoral leaders, but he was a propaganda mastermind too. In the Holocaust, “Hitler appointed Goebbels to be the chief of propaganda.” (“Joseph Goebbels”). Joseph Goebbels job for the Nazi party was to make Germany think that “Hitler was a brilliant and...
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...Propaganda Film Response 1. What are your feelings after watching this candid documentary? A: I had a mixture of feelings. First, as an American, I thought that the entire piece was trash and clearly had an agenda. Second, as a follow-up response, I thought that North Korean leaders must really be crazy if they truly believe in everything they say in the film. If the population believes in Propaganda, then it is no surprise that the Kim regime has such an iron grip over the people. I had an interesting feeling at the end of my initial defensive response. I thought that the entire “documentary” viewed America from the perspective of an outsider from an alien culture. It actually made sense that an outsider sees us as all-consuming, materialistic, and hedonistic creatures. We clearly have a lot of things wrong with society, and Propaganda is almost calling us out from a naïve perspective. 2. What kind of media techniques/effects did the filmmakers utilize to captivate/persuade the audience? A: They used more images and fewer words. Imagery and symbolism are very effective tools of propaganda because they invoke emotions and feelings that simple words cannot. For example, if we read that Hitler has killed 4 million Jews, we are reminded of the atrocities that he has committed. However, if we see the Nazi symbol, we immediately think of evil, World War II, even Japan and Pearl Harbor; the enemy / other that must be destroyed is what we think of. 3. How does North Korea view...
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...After viewing the anime, Budda Saiten, one can definitely argue that the film is not only a form of theatrical entertainment for viewers but also “religious propaganda.” The film Buddha Saiten is a strategic way of spreading the word of Happy Science as it applies to such a massive audience, both in and out of Japan. Happy Science is more formally known as Kofuku no Kagaku and is a new religious movement that originated in Japan. The Founder of Happy Science is Ryuho Okawa. Okawa began to write book after book and was deemed the spiritual master of Happy Science not long after its founding. Happy Science believers are deeply rooted in strong faith in the God of the Earth, El Cantare. In order to attain true happiness, also known as enlightenment, the members practice the teachings of Ryuho Okawa on a daily basis by praying, studying the teachings, self-reflecting and meditating. Above all, reciting The Dharma of the Right Mind every morning and evening, is the main pillar of this religious life. One way in which this anime serves as a form of religious propaganda is by having a clear distinction of good versus evil in the film. From the very beginning of the film we see a major difference between Mr. Arai who claims he is the real Buddha and Master Sorano who is truly the reborn Buddha. It is quite evident that Master Sorano is the true messiah and we can witness these powers of the messiah throughout much of the film. Mr. Arai, who is a member of the Sonen Group believes in...
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...victim Anne Frank. We were taught that the Nazi’s were a very malicious group of German men that were leaded by the infamous Adolf Hitler. Eventually we come to think, how can one man convince numerous amount of men, women and children that these innocent groups of people were so evil, so evil that they had to be exterminated? One word, Propaganda. "Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea." Adolf Hitler wrote these words in his book Mein Kamp. The propaganda used was all just a matter of media control, the lie that Jews were the cause of all things wrong with the German business world. Then, racial purity, as if they’re such animals for having their certain beliefs. One of the main tools of the Nazi’s was the production of films. Their effectiveness with the use of films that looked like documentaries were carefully edited and presented exactly what and only what they wanted. Having the power to do that, these films helped them raise the support for the movement by brainwashing Germans to believe that the Jews were the cause of all corruption. Nazi propaganda provided a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining power, and for the implementation of their policies, including the pursuit of total war and the extermination of millions of people in the Holocaust. There were posters that used symbolic imagery. These posters offered...
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...he was an ordinary man. This particular propaganda gave birth to the slogans like ‘Adolf Hitler is the victory’ and ‘The Fuehrer is always right’. The poster (figure.1.4) which condemned the ban on Hitler’s public speech from 1927 launched Hitler as “The man from the people, for the people! The German front soldier who risked his life in 48 battles for Germany!” The creation of the 'Führer-myth', illustrated Hitler as a charismatic superman and people’s man was one of the techniques of persuasion. It was propagated that Adolf Hitler was one of the few state leaders who did not take medals or decorations. He only wore a single medal that he earned as a soldier displaying the greatest personal bravery. When he travelled he slept in the same...
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...Propaganda is a horrible tool that evil cruel individuals tend to use to fabricate nonfactual stories or rumors about other people. The main argument that propaganda deals with is that the opposing group is trying to make another group the enemy. Propaganda makes it easier for an evil group to get rid of the competition. To make it seem more convicting leader of the propaganda would use anything to convince others that they should all band together and get rid of the group that is trying to harm them. An example of this would be the Rwandan RTLM radio Propaganda. The RTLM radio station was the route to all the genocide that was committed by the Hutu against the Tutsi. RTLM is the propaganda that caused the genocide. For instances, RTLM stated in their transcripts or broadcast that "you have to kill the Tutsis, they're cockroaches." "All those who are listening, rise so we can fight for our Rwanda. Fight with the weapons you have at your disposal: those who have arrows, with arrows, those who have spears, with spears. We must all fight. “We must all fight the Tutsis. We must finish with them, exterminate them, sweep them from the whole country. There must be no refuge for them. ‘They must be exterminated. There is no other way." As you can see clearly examine from this quote RTLM clearly had hatred towards the Tutsi. In order articles, I have read they called the Tutsi cockroaches and just like any pest needs to be eliminated. However, from reading several articles such as...
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...difference between wartime propaganda and peacetime advertising or politics? 2500 words. Introduction Propaganda is an art requiring special talent. It is not mechanical, scientific work. Influencing attitudes requires experience, area knowledge, and instinctive “judgment of what is the best argument for the audience”. No manual can guide the propagandist. He must have a good mind, genius, sensitivity and knowledge of how that audience thinks and reacts From this we can consider that propaganda is not something based solely on warfare or politics or advertising. The use of propaganda is virulent in peaceful societies not at war by virtue of bombarding the general public with advertising (Newspaper/Magazines/Radio/TV/Internet) for goods and services, political canvassing and promotional material (to channel social development and public opinion, to mold the population into following the the ideals of conflicting political ideologies). Does this contrast with the use of propaganda in wartime? The objective is obviously the same – to get the general populace to accept what the propaganda states and take appropriate action i.e. buy goods, vote for a party or support the war effort. Advertising and political propaganda continue to take place during the periods of War propaganda although the reverse is not generally true (or is reduced to recruitment advertising and maintaining armed deterrents). The method of delivery of the propaganda, in whichever age you choose...
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...Beowulf, many cultures seemed to praise bloodshed because it was an attempt to prove one’s strength and place in society. Today, most people around the world abhor that idea. Mankind has gone through several wars for many different reasons. In the last three centuries alone, we’ve had wars over land, over people, over independence, over religion, and even wars over how a country should distribute its currency (communism versus capitalism). There have been many anti-war groups over the decades, so, if we assume war is a monster, a group like the America First Committee would theoretically be an opponent to the monster , albeit an unsuccessful one. Much like a monster, countless people die in its presence. Unfortunately, just like the forces of evil in Beowulf, wars will probably exist forever, because someone always finds a new reason to wage war over something. If we were to assume that war is our world’s equivalent to Grendel, than a well-intentioned extremist is the mother. The people who wage wars are sometimes extremists who believe what they’re doing is right. To put it simply, a villain who believes that they are the hero. These people are very close minded and even insane to those who see that flaw. Many of the wars discussed in...
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...more complex. For much of the country’s long history, the national identities of Koreans and Chinese were mutually indistinguishable. Believing their civilization was founded by a Chinese’s age in China’s image, Koreans subscribed to a Confucian worldview that put their country in a position of permanent subservience to China. It was not until the late 19th century, under Japan, that Koreans took measures to establish Koreas independence, and imbue the people with a sense of national pride. The Japanese freed the peninsula from China only to take it for themselves. Opposition to Japanese rule grew from 1905 until patriots declared independence in 1919. The authorities responded with a brutal show of force. The Japanese started a colonial propaganda machine, which did not stamp out Korean pride. Instead it asserted that Koreans shared the same ancient bloodline and benevolent ruler as the Japanese. Both peoples belonged to one “imperial” race that was superior to all others. Japan and Korea were seen as one body. Koreans had languished too long under China’s shadow – now was the time to become part of a Japanese whole. It was in this period that Korean nationalists revived the legend of Jan’gun. Set down in an anthology of folktales in 1284, then largely ignored for centuries, it told how a half divine figure had inaugurated the first Korean kingdom with his seed in 2333 BC. This gave the Koreans their own pure bloodline, and a unique culture. The myths and symbols needed to form...
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...emotion cannot be perfectly recorded, myths and false perspectives are created. In his book, “The Best War Ever,” Adams explains how Americans believed World War II was a clean, glorious and courageous victory, when in reality it was not. The era became viewed as “America's golden age, a peak in the life of society when every thing worked out and the good guys definitely got a happy ending" (Adams, 2). Besides the general population's idea that the United States was saving the day by going to war, the main tool of distorting the reality of war was propaganda. The “greatness” of this war spread so quickly, “the censors hardly needed to tell the film producers that war movies should showcase American heroism and patriotism and that the enemy must be cruel, devious, and unprincipled” (Adams, 11). The impact of the media's spinning the war lead to a positive demeanor in the nation, eventually proving the propaganda to be a necessary evil. World War II, for America, was a testament to the work and reward of the American dream. The media portrayed society during the war as succesful, hard working, and finally coming out of the slumps brought on by the Great Depression. In line with the “melting pot” stereotype of America, people from all ethnicities were fighting for our country (Adams, 11). After the recession, Americans needed a common enemy to bring them together as a nation. The war provided an enemy that was portrayed as barbaric, leaving Americans with little hesitation in fighting...
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...to explain how propaganda and psychological warfare influences and manipulates people to make them support a country. I am going to show how the media works as the medium through which the governments spread their propaganda. The government manipulates masses using pamphlets, speeches, morality and priorities. This manipulation is done through the media. Media and subjects like censure are going to be discussed in this report. I will show how the Persian Gulf War can be set on as an example of the media spreading government propaganda and psychological warfare. This report also includes an analysis on propaganda and it’s denotative and connotative meanings. This report is also going to show us it’s effect and importance in our community and society. Whats Propaganda All of us, know about the horrors and the devastation that are a result of wars. Despite these horrors, we act indifferent towards war and it’s effect on the world community. Countries’ governments manage to manipulate us and make us think that their war actions against another nation, race or culture are well justified. Nations make the members of the society believe, that they are doing the right thing, and that this military action against a declared enemy is the most desirable thing to do in order to keep “the world’s stability and peace”. For this reason people say we are “meant” to help and serve our country, in it’s war against their enemy which changes into being our enemy too. Propaganda and psychological...
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