PROPAGANDA (P.8)

PROPAGANDA

It would be inappropriate to discuss persuasion without mentioning a complementary topic like propaganda and its techniques. Edward Bernays defined propaganda as “a consistent, enduring effort to create or shape events to influence the relations of a public to an enterprise, idea or group.’ Contrary to propaganda theorists, Bernays believed that propaganda can either be beneficial or harmful to the public. According to him, “we are governed, our minds are moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of…. Vast number of human being must cooperate in this manner if they live together as a smoothly functioning society.”

Propaganda can also be defined as the dissemination of information, facts, arguments, rumor, half-truths or lies to influence public opinion.

Another author says it is “the more or less systematic effort to manipulate other people’s belief, attitude or actions by means of symbols (words, banners, monuments, music, clothing, insignia, hairstyles, designs on coins and postage stamps, and so forth.”

Generally speaking, the term propaganda has a negative connotation, yet its original meaning did not. Propaganda is believed to have taken its root in the period between 1572 and 1585 when Pope Gregory XIII formed a committee, the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide with the aim of combating reformation. The committee had the objective of advocating a particular view on an important issue in church doctrine.

This was the sincere sense in which the term was used. However Lenin and Goebbel had applied the term to describe their own public opinion moulding where there was no access to free press and the alternative

viewpoint. Indeed, the modern use of the term implies lying and dishonesty. With the passage of time, propaganda has grown to become a subject of usage and interest. Around the period of world wars One and Two, communication researchers largely focused on the influence of propaganda. During this period, researchers were interested in asking how communication could be used to achieve behavioral change.

Governments believed that to attain national objectives required the coordinated cooperation of their citizens which in their estimation could be achieved through the use of propaganda. The concept has had a large number of followership with each of them having slightly different views from others. Among various propaganda theorists were George Santayana, William James, Graham Wallas, Karl Marx, etc.

3.4.1 Propaganda Techniques

As note earlier, propaganda can be used in both positive and negative ways. When used positively, it yields great dividends for the organization, but when used as a tool of deception it leaves a sour taste in the mouth in the long run. Some techniques of propaganda often used today by commercial and political organizations include:

1. Plain Folk Talk: This is an approach used by individuals to identify with low status members of the society. It is employed as a strategy for eliciting the support of this category of people to act in a desired way. I is a way of saying to them “I was like you, we have things in common.”

2. Testimonial: It is a device for gaining credibility and support for a product, service or person. It        involves using a well-known person to speak in favor of the person, service or product. It is a common approach in advertising.

3. Bandwagon: Bandwagon attempts to make the receiver of the message feel isolated for not being part of the train. It uses such rhetorical devices as “everyone is using this product or supporting this idea, why not you.”

4. Card Stacking: This involves selection of facts and data to build an overwhelming case on one side of an issue while concealing the other side.
5. Transfer: This is a technique of associating the person, product of idea with something that has a high or low credibility depending on the intention of the message. For example Glo’s blackberry is associated with top rate, very busy executives.

6. Glittering Generalities: This is a technique of associating a cause or product or idea with favorable abstractions like freedom, justice, democracy, etc.

7. Name Calling: Involves the use of terms charged with negative meanings such as selfish, mindless, etc. The goal is to discredit and make a person, or group and their cause to become socially less acceptable.