Political Persuasion

Propaganda and Persuasion
One of my favorite subjects to teach is propaganda and persuasion. My intent is to make them aware of how persuasion tactics are used to manipulate mass media audiences, but I'm fully aware that they can also apply these tactics to their own propaganda campaign.

After 25 years of working in the media as both a practitioner and educator I'm constantly amazed (perhaps revolted is a better verb) by how the media is used as a tool to distribute propaganda messages. Perhaps what's even more disturbing is that few people seem to have the ability or desire to learn how to interpret these messages. It's not rocket science, but it does take a bit of effort and the application of some basic critical thinking strategies to identify and disarm these messages.

In "Public Opinion" (1922) Walter Lippman used the phrase"bewildered herd" (1) to describe a public controlled by what he refered to as the political élite. To Lippman, the aim of democracy was not to provide for the will of the people, but rather to control the public to serve the interest of the élite.

As we enter into the presidential election seaon next year, it is in our interest to give thought to the political messages delivered by the candidates. Here are a couple of websites that provide analysis of political messages and commercials. Spend some time this campaign season checking into the claims and assertions made by those men and women who are seeking elective office. Keep in mind that they all do it, so don't exclude the person you are planning to vote for because you might find some suprising truths.
 * 1) FactCheck.org. Created by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
 * 2) PolitiFact.com. Launched by the St. Petersburg Times in August 2007, the organization won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
 * 3) Fact Check. Political fact checking by CNN.
 * 4) Politico Provides a variety of reporting on politics.
 * 5) FlackCheck.org Provides some analysis of political commercials, but unfortunately not in great detail.

 (1) "...you need something to tame the bewildered herd (so they don’t cause trouble) and that is public relations or manufactured consent…. the media, the schools, the popular culture has to divide for the political class… it has to instill the proper beliefs."