Download Propaganda

Propaganda
English 12
Mr. Schellenberg
What is the best definition of
propaganda?
• A technique used to persuade you to do
something that you would not normally do.
• The manipulation of public opinion.
• Any ideas or beliefs that are propagated.
Find ways it is being used on you!
Types of Propaganda There are many techniques commonly used in the
dissemination of propaganda.
BANDWAGON:
• The basic idea behind the bandwagon approach is just that,
"getting on the bandwagon." The propagandist puts forth the
idea that everyone is doing this, or everyone supports this
person/cause, so you should, too. The bandwagon approach
appeals to the conformist in all of us - no one wants to be left
out of what is perceived to be a popular trend.
• EXAMPLE: Everyone in Canada believes that George Bush is
just trying to get a hold of oil reserves in Iraq with his “war on
terrorism.” Don’t you think so, too?
TRANSFER:
Transfer employs the use of symbols, quotes or the images of famous
people to convey a message not necessarily associated with them. In the
use of transfer, the candidate/speaker attempts to persuade us through
the indirect use of something we respect, such as a patriotic or religious
image, to promote his/her ideas. Religious and patriotic images may be
the most commonly used in this propaganda technique but they are not
alone. Sometimes even science becomes the means to transfer the
message.
EXAMPLE: The environmentalist
group PEOPLE PROMOTING PLANTS,
in its attempt to prevent a highway
from destroying the natural habitat
of thousands of plant species,
produces a television ad with a
"scientist" in a white lab coat
explaining the dramatic
consequences of altering the food
chain by destroying this habitat.
LOGICAL FALLACIES:
Applying logic, one can usually draw a conclusion from
one or more established premises. In the type of
propaganda known as the logical fallacy, however, the
premises may be accurate but the conclusion is not.
EXAMPLE:
• Premise 1: Stephen Harper supports gun control.
• Premise 2: Communist regimes have always supported gun
control.
• Conclusion: Stephen Harper is a communist.
We can see in this example that the conclusion is
created by a twisting of logic, and is therefore a fallacy.
NAME-CALLING:
Name-calling ties a person or cause to a
largely perceived negative image.
EXAMPLE: In a campaign speech to a logging
company, the Congressman referred to his
environmentally conscious opponent as a
"tree hugger."
FEAR:
• This technique is very popular among political parties
and PACs (Political Action Committees) in the U.S. The
idea is to present a dreaded circumstance and usually
follow it up with the kind of behaviour needed to avoid
that horrible event.
• EXAMPLE: The Citizens for Retired Rights present a
magazine ad showing an elderly couple living in
poverty because their social security benefits have
been drastically cut by the Republicans in Congress.
The solution? The CRR urges you to vote for
Democrats.
TESTIMONIAL:
• This is the celebrity endorsement of a philosophy, movement
or candidate. In advertising, for example, athletes are often
paid millions of dollars to promote sports shoes, equipment
and fast food. In political circles, movie stars, television stars,
rock stars and athletes lend a great deal of credibility and
power to a political cause or candidate. Just a photograph of a
movie star at a political rally can generate more interest in
that issue/candidate causing thousands, sometimes millions,
of people to become supporters.
• EXAMPLE: Bryan Adams, a famous Canadian singer, appears in
a television ad supporting Stephen Harper for Prime Minister.
Since Adams is well known and respected in this country he
will likely gain Mr. Harper many votes just by his appearance
with the candidate.
Emotional words/Images
Words and images that will make you feel
strongly about someone or something.
Ex.
A picture of a dead teenager is on the
screen and the caption states:
Smoking will kill you too!
Repetition
This advertising technique is usually used in
conjunction with others. A name or key phrase
is repeated at least four times. In terms of
products, the product name is repeated at
least four times.
Ex.
Eat at McDonalds. McDonalds has fresh
coffee. McDonalds offers hearty breakfast
sandwiches. McDonalds is now open at 6
am.
Each of the nations which participated in
World War One from 1914-18 used
propaganda posters not only as a means of
justifying involvement to their own populace,
but also as a means of procuring men, money
and resources to sustain the military
campaign.
Recruitment Posters
Recruitment
posters remained
in use for the
duration of the
war - as was
indeed the case in
most other
countries
including France,
USA, Britain,
Germany and Italy.
Recruitment
posters were
prominent in
stimulating
military
enlistment and
were necessary
as conscription
had not been a
part of Canadian
military
formation prior
to WWI.
Conservation Posters
However, wartime
posters were not solely
used to recruit men to
the military
cause. Posters
commonly urged
wartime thrift.
Victory Bonds
Posters were vocal in
seeking funds from the
general public via
subscription to various
war bond schemes
(usually with great
success).
Analyzing WWI Propaganda
1.
What is this advertisement trying to make
you do that you might not want to do?
2.
Who benefits from this advertisement?
3.
What specifically in the advertisement is
used to gain this end? Pick out specific
parts of the picture, the words and the
background used.
4.
Which advertisement technique is being
used to persuade you to do something that
you would not normally do?
5.
What emotion are they trying to evoke?
6.
How are they evoking it?
Analyzing WWI Propaganda
For each of these
images determine:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What are the creators
trying to persuade
people to do?
What emotion are they
trying to evoke?
How are they evoking
it?
What “common
beliefs” are they
drawing on to influence
their audience?
Propaganda is Used Today For
Military Reasons
BACKGROUND:
Propaganda Literature:
Desert Storm/Desert Shield
1990/1991
The United States was
invited to join with many
countries around the world
to help Kuwait in their war
with Iraq. Our troops,
along with troops from
other countries, were
stationed in nearby Saudi
Arabia, during the Gulf
War. To help win that war
quickly, the U.S. Army
created several pieces of
outstanding psychological
warfare literature. Here
are a few examples.
This image of Saddam Hussein
was designed as a wanted
poster, on light weight paper, for
airdrop distribution. What was
its purpose?
Hussein
This piece of propaganda was created to redirect the guilt, if
any, felt by Iraqi soldiers, and to encourage them to blame
everything bad on Saddam Hussein since he is a criminal.
Thus, they might not fight with as much enthusiasm or
determination.
This cartoon shows Saddam Hussein cutting off his own head with
his sword. This image shows how Iraq would suffer because of
Hussein's warlike and thoughtless actions. What else might this
imply?
Cartoon of Saddam
• Did you notice the use of the English words "oops" and "THUD"? Arabic has
words that mean the same thing, so why the use of English? Are we
laughing at Hussein? Certainly we don't expect the Iraqi soldiers to laugh
with us, but ... have you ever had someone tell you something rotten about
a person you deeply honored and respected? It probably made you mad, so
mad that you kept thinking about it. Later on, if this person you looked up
to, did something that upset you, what might come to mind?
• This cartoon uses the propaganda technique of name-calling through
pictures. It implies that Hussein is a showboat, a fool. He's such an idiot
that he cut off his own head. This is your leader. Do you really think he
has any idea of what he is doing?
• Look at the use of shadows around Hussein's feet. This is not one moment
in time; this cartoon implies that he has been a fool more than once. Look
at the body shape, especially the arms. Does he have any muscle?
• What is Hussein wearing? Is he wearing anything? Stripped down, take a
look at the real Hussein. What is important to him - his rank or his people?
Answer key
•
•
•
•
This piece of propaganda is loaded! Yet, it is deceptively simple in appearance, as
if its only purpose is to make you laugh. That is possibly why they used "oops" and
"THUD". Remember, the US air dropped this piece in huge numbers over Iraqi
troops. If an Iraqi soldier found one of these pieces on the ground and picked it up,
it would probably make him angry. He might think that this was something they
first distributed to US soldiers, to have a good laugh. He might show it to another
soldier, to share his anger. In the process, he would be helping to distribute this
incredibly well done piece of carefully designed propaganda. In fact, the US did not
first distribute this piece to themselves, but you can see why an Iraqi soldier might
think that they did.
These are only some of the secret messages hidden in this piece. Here is another:
Try putting your arms and hands in the same position that Hussein's arms and
hands are positioned in any one of these three cartoon images of Hussein. How
does it make you feel?
With all the messages packed into each piece, you can see why a good propaganda
campaign might work. Spooky, isn't it?
Take another look
Propaganda is powerful and it’s not
just used by the military.
Who else uses techniques like those
found in propaganda?
Fighting Back
Next time you see an advertisement, ask
yourself, how is this ad trying to manipulate
me? Knowledge is power! If you are aware
that someone is trying to manipulate you it
makes it less likely that it will happen! And if
you want to manipulate others, you’ve now
got the tools to do so.
Advertisement vs. Propaganda
• So, what’s the difference?
• Advertisement seeks to get you to do
something and so does propaganda
• But, propaganda tries to get you to do
something you do not want to do, something
that is not good for you, or something that is
illogical when you really think about it. “Drink
Milk” is definitely different than “You are
needed to take my place”