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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”