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Propaganda: Have You Been Affected By It? Would You Know If You Had?

Edward Bernays: Know who he was? He knew a lot about us and how we think. He was the father of propaganda. He studied crowd-psychology and how to manipulate the minds of the masses. After he discovered that Joseph Goebbels was using his work in Nazi Germany, he re-branded "propaganda," later renaming it: "Public Relations." Certainly everyone is familiar with that term.



Here are some of Bernays' own explanations of propaganda and how it works:

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country... Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware of the identity of their fellow members in the inner cabinet...

They govern us by their qualities of natural leadership, their ability to supply needed ideas and by their key position in the social structure. Whatever attitude one chooses toward this condition, it remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by a relatively small number of persons-a trifling fraction of our hundred and twenty million-who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind, who harness old social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide the world...

The systematic study of mass psychology revealed to students the potentialities of invisible government of society by the manipulation of motives which actuate man in the group. Trotter and Le Bon, who approached the subject in a scientific manner, and Graham Wallas, Walter Lippmann, and others who continued with searching studies of the group mind, established that the group has mental characteristics distinct from those of the individual, and is motivated by impulses and emotions which cannot be explained on the basis of what we know of individual psychology. So the question naturally arose. If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing about it?

This general principle, that men are very largely actuated by motives which they conceal from themselves, is as true of mass as of individual psychology. It is evident that the successful propagandist must understand the true motives and not be content to accept the reasons which men give for what they do... The voice of the people expresses the mind of 3 the people, and that mind is made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes and by those persons who understand the manipulation of public opinion. It is composed of inherited prejudices and symbols and clichés and verbal formulas supplied to them by the leaders. Fortunately, the sincere and gifted politician is able, by the instrument of propaganda, to mold and form the will of the people..."

--Edward Bernays, "Propaganda," 1928
http://whale.to/b/bernays_b.html


I think we as a society are keenly aware of what propaganda is and how it works, but do we fully recognize how pervasive it is, we're surrounded by propagandists of all flavors. Are you affected by it? Care to cite some examples?

Posted - April 14, 2017

Responses


  • 6477
    Interesting.... and much that has more than a grain of truth... but as with many of the early psychological discoveries it all proved not quite as black and white or simple... But it remains very interesting :)
      April 14, 2017 2:13 PM MDT
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  • 1002

    I find it fascinating and terrifying at the same time. Mostly because I see it all over the place. Especially where he talks about how the multitude of people who lack complete understanding of how the mind functions are ever at the mercy of the tiny fraction of those who do. That is so true and it is evidenced in his alternative point about herds moving on pure emotion rather than *thought. I see that everywhere.

    Thanks for taking the time to read through and respond.

    This post was edited by ForkNdaRoad at April 14, 2017 8:35 PM MDT
      April 14, 2017 2:20 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    We are all affected by it, whether we admit it or not.  We are inundated with it in our youth through TV and school, and it continues as we become adults in pretty much every aspect of our lives, even in our interpersonal relationships when people pass along "news" or try to change another's veiwpoint or shame them into conformity.  

    I have heard many (correctly) state that our schools have changed so much and become propaganda brainwashing institutions.  What most get wrong is when that happened, as the usual time frame cited is "since I was in school".  That is wrong, it has happened throughout history and long before there was a USA.  In the US, though, there was a significant occasion when it was admittedly the goal of the education system, and that dates back to the early 1900s.

    "In our dreams, we have limitless resources and the people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hands. The present education conventions fade from their minds, and unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and responsive rural folk. We shall not try to make these people or any of their children into philosophers or men of learning, or men of science. We have not to raise up from among them authors, editors, poets or men of letters. We shall not search for embryo great artists, painters, musicians nor lawyers, doctors, preachers, politicians, statesmen, of whom we have an ample supply…The task we set before ourselves is very simple as well as a very beautiful one, to train these people as we find them to a perfectly ideal life just where they are. So we will organize our children and teach them to do in a perfect way the things their fathers and mothers are doing in an imperfect way, in the homes, in the shops and on the farm." - General Education Board, Occasional Papers, No. 1 (General Education Board, New York, 1913) p. 6.


    It has become far more pervasive with technological advances.  There are TVs everywhere today, waiting rooms, bars, some gas stations have screens at the pumps, and my dentist office has one in the lobby and one at every patient chair.  I shut my TV off about eight years ago and really don't miss it, in fact I find it annoying to see them on practically everywhere I go to conduct business.  

    Personally, I now try to consciously step back from the kneejerk reaction to news and events.  To look deeper and evaluate what I am seeing or being told, and also to look beyond it to what it may be being used to distract us from.   

    Good post.  :) This post was edited by Bozette at April 14, 2017 8:37 PM MDT
      April 14, 2017 2:53 PM MDT
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  • 1002

    "...even in our interpersonal relationships when people pass along "news" or try to change another's veiwpoint or shame them into conformity."

    That is so true, painfully true. I've been on both ends of that, sometimes in the worst possible way too. Even people who are close fall victim to it. Like you, I recognize it, I actively catch myself and I've tried, still daily, to reprogram my brain out of it. I don't know if it's ever possible to truly pull back from it, like you said, we're all affected by it, whether we acknowledge it or not. And it's tough when you're surrounded by it to not give into it.

    What bothers me is that we mostly perceive propaganda as the insidious attempt of a few to corrupt the mentality of the many. And while that is true, there are more propagandists (unwittingly or otherwise) than subjects. It's that common, we've taken it up as a habit of our own and most don't even realize they're doing as this is what passes for "thought." I just don't even know where to start... I've found that the more I've studied human thought, the more evident these tactics are to me, but I've scoured even my faintest memories from my most formative age and I can't ever recall a time when it wasn't present in some form or another.

    Great post,t hanks for passing on that quote. Jeez, whopper, that one.

      April 14, 2017 3:26 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    You are correct that "we've taken it up as a habit of our own", and that is why it comes into play in our interpersonal relationships.  The internet has expanded upon that aspect exponentially, with people debating, tweeting/retweeting, posting/reposting on FB (in particular) and other sites.  Then again, though it has been a while since I studied Bernays, I believe his whole premise was that people would do exactly that, and that is why propaganda is and always has been so successful.  

    As far as what is possible...I don't know.  Since I fell down the rabbit hole and went exploring the labywrinthine warrens, I have actively made the effort to recognize it and not simply react to it in the expected manner.  It is now becoming almost habitual.   

    One think that I find immeasurably helpful is having someone who understands these things to bounce my thoughts around with, as well as to hear theirs.  
      April 14, 2017 3:51 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    Yes, he did, he understood that after several generations, it would take on a life of its own. "The Century of the Self," it was a BBC documentary on this topic, they collected multiple interviews throughout his life where he speaks quite candidly about that very thing. He admitted that years later, even he was astounded at is evolution.

    But yes, he talks about that very point in the book sourced above. He openly admitted even at the time that although multiple parties were actively using this method, they were largely unaware even of each other.
      April 14, 2017 4:53 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    Wanna linked me to a great video on Bernays, I'm not sure if it was the BBC documentary or another one.  I still have it, so when I run across it, if it isn't that one, I'll email you the link.  
      April 14, 2017 5:39 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    That would be great, please do, I'd like to hang on to it.
      April 14, 2017 6:10 PM MDT
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  • 372
    Really good stuff. (See my comment below.)
      April 14, 2017 4:16 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    Thank you, Louie.  :) This post was edited by Bozette at April 14, 2017 6:11 PM MDT
      April 14, 2017 5:40 PM MDT
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  • 6477
    LOL sorry guys but I am going to say I am not affected.. and I believe most aren''t... if they were we'd all agree on a lot of things... like how to raise kids, how to vote etc.. but we don't ... if there is a herd mentality, (and I believe there is such a thing) then we are a pretty rubbish herd... cos we have so many factions, so many different schools of thought and so many different ways to behave...  so simply put, while I believe it IS possible to influence people using propaganda.. it isn't happening in any concerted or effective way..

    Re stuff in schools etc etc.. and from our parents. .. there's not enough evidence to prove or disprove that it isn't just plain old conceived wisdom, culture and habit... that are responsible... Not sure what everyone else was taught at school but I was taught that we should question everything, find out as much as we can... and learn all the time.. Was that propaganda? I doubt it and if it were it sure didn't work for most :P

    I'd welcome being told exactly how I fall for or follow the propaganda?  

    It is a good post... and it is interesting... but as I say much of the findings and theories back then have been refined and clarified.. and some of it disproven...  take Freud for instance :P
      April 14, 2017 3:41 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    "...we'd all agree on a lot of things..."

    I disagree, with all due respect, I think that's a great oversimplification. There are competing factions of propaganda, he mentions this, there are also competing motives within those factions that differ greatly even within the group target. It is the underlying motivations that make this technique so effective. One thing I've learned in politics especially is even given drastically different motivations within the group, members speak* the exact same language, think within the confines of the same prescribed terms and react in concert when subjected to the exact same stimuli, this smacks of conditioning. I don't mean that as an insult or to belittle any particular group, but I do think it's worth further consideration.

    There is no greater evidence of the efficacy of this technique than Goebbels use of it in Nazi Germany.

    I won't try to pick your brain, that wasn't the purpose of this post. The purpose was for the reader to do that, introspection. Take from it what you wish. This post was edited by ForkNdaRoad at April 14, 2017 5:41 PM MDT
      April 14, 2017 4:34 PM MDT
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  • 6477
    LOL well I *know* you disagree .. so that's ok... with respect... I just think this buys so well into the American psyche.. as in it's something Americans are prone to... the conspiracy theory.. and when we talk oversimplification... that's what this theory is.... as I said.. most of the psychological theories of that period were....and were later updated and found that while some aspects were true... it wasnt as simple as that and there were many reasons why it wasn't quite as portrayed.

    An example would be the green movement... a common group, subject surely to propaganda... but the reality is that people within that group vary greatly and disagree fundamentally on many things, indeed I believe Greenpeace either did or nearly died because of infighting and differences - by the expressed propaganda theory everyone would believe the same things, they would, to quote you, 'speak the exact same language, think within the confines of the same prescribed terms  etc...." and the thing is they don't   so at best it's a very inefficient means of making people conform... I do believe it's possible to use propaganda and that it can be largely effective.. but I don't believe it IS used today - there are other reasons that can explain e.g. parenting, social norms, etc.

    Propaganda can be good too... public safety info.. can influence people - like the ads that were run here on using the drivers seat belt in cars... loads of ads telling us why it's important.. Sure that had an effect... but you could argue that the fact they simultaneously also made it law might have been equally responsible... it's hard to say.. maybe both... but yes, there was a shift in public opinion.. ditto the drink driving campaigns... there has been a shift in opinion via ads and media...and now it's considered unacceptable to drink and drive... but other campaigns such as not using a cell phone/mobile phone while driving, even with increased fines, seem to be struggling... so these things take years... and are only very slowly effective and perhaps need other measures to make it effective... ie increasing the fines for those caught using a mobile device while at the wheel..

    Nazi times... well ya know many Germans never did think that way..they may have been told how to think, and many perhaps did... so it can be effective.. but those were more innocent times... ditto some countries control all the media and tell the populations things that they then believe... nothing against muslims but there seems to be an element of that in those countries, getting them to believe things that are not so... but in the UK we are more questioning, more eccentric and less susceptible I think... perhaps because we are taught to question... I'd like to think the US is similar... and I think they are... just that... see below.... they have this paranoia over conspiracy theories...

    Re politics... or any other common ground.. there are other explanations than propaganda to explain commonality such as shared beliefs, values etc.. and birds of a feather flock together kind of thing.. the need to explain it by some conspiracy is unique to Americans... it's rife there and I have observed this phenomenon so many times... I do know that Americans firmly and truly believe their conspiracy theories and they are all generally of this kind.., that someone, somewhere is out to get ya, that they are controlling things, controlling people.  I do find it fascinating that Americans are more prone to believing this but I really don''t know why... 
      April 15, 2017 1:48 AM MDT
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  • 372
    Fork and Bozette - Thank you for easily the most stimulating thread I've ever seen on this site. I can't add much to what you've already written except to suggest that advertising is arguably the most pernicious example of the ideas you've exposed. It is subtle and insidious and its purveyors are very smart people. They know that humans are essentially herd animals and easily led.

    As daydream notes, there are always exceptions.

    Suggested reading - The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard. Hannah Arendt on Totalitarianism. These are probably not new to you two, but may be to others reading here.



    (Added later - I didn't mean to suggest advertising is worse than Goebbel's style of propaganda. Just giving an example). This post was edited by Louie at April 14, 2017 9:20 PM MDT
      April 14, 2017 4:15 PM MDT
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  • 1002

    Funny you would single out advertising, when Bernays came to America, that was what he did... he applied this technique to advertising / marketing.

    One of his most well-known--and simultaneously his least-known--success in the advertising / marketing arena was the notion that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/nov/28/breakfast-health-america-kellog-food-lifestyle

    Now days those familiar with the above refer to it as a 'wives-tale, hardly--this was a highly effective campaign to introduce a false concept to an entire population. And it worked! So well in fact that I can recall hearing this from 3 generations in my family. My great grandfather ate this meal, almost religiously, for most of his adult life. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that little nugget of information. Crazy.

    Nor did I intend to suggest that all forms of propaganda are comparable to what Goebbels did, but I do think it's noteworthy as an example. Of course that into the extreme. Nevertheless, it bears noting that this was obviously a very important tool to them and I think we could all agree that they were rather successful in their application of it. That was truly my only suggestion with that fact, thanks for clarifying.



      April 14, 2017 5:07 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    The one that always stands out to me, for effectiveness, even if not the longevity, of his breakfast campaign is his "torches of freedom" campaign...which incidentally premiered in a 1929 Easter Sunday Parade.
      April 14, 2017 5:55 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    Oh, now that you mention it, I remember that one well. I did not remember that it premiered on Easter. Or perhaps I did, lol. Thanks for pointing that out!
      April 14, 2017 6:13 PM MDT
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  • Everyone is influenced and affected by propaganda.  There's no way around it if you expose yourself to any kind of media.  Nor is propaganda always the underhanded and nefarious thing that most people imagine the word meaning either.
      April 14, 2017 4:33 PM MDT
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  • 3191
    Propaganda is not always bad, or "nefarious", to use your term.  It can be, and often is, either good or neutral.  It should be questioned as to the purpose of it, though.

    JMHO
      April 14, 2017 5:47 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    That's a great point, it isn't always underhanded. I suspect the vast majority of it, online especially, comes from a place of genuine concern on the part of the person introducing it. I think much of it is done unknowingly because it is so ingrained in our concept of thought / debate / discourse.
      April 14, 2017 6:05 PM MDT
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  • Dear ForkNdaRoad,
    What seems to work for me is just to assume that I am affected by propaganda, and that no I often do not recognize when it happens. That helps me keep alert for the constant discernment...

    What I try to do about it is try to make sure I have some choice in my environment; close friends, books, even music...so that the propaganda at least takes me in a direction I would want to go.

    * * *
    Bozette mentioned the schools, their motivation. Long ago I encountered Jonathan Kozol, and with his insights as a foundation I have worked to disentangle my thinking from those early years.
      April 14, 2017 9:40 PM MDT
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