by Joe Martino, The Pulse:
Propaganda creates an illusion that people believe in about their country and how the world works. They then make decisions in their lives and argue with one another based on this illusion.
In high school I learned about the propaganda used during wars. I recall some of the more harmless posters used in the US that contained messages attempting to convince US citizens to buy bonds, or trade their silver in for bullets.
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These posters were used as propaganda to help the US public agree with the need for the war and all it was costing.
I also learned about propaganda used by other countries, including Russia and Germany. This propaganda though, was apparently the only kind that was bad. Why? Because it was coming from ‘the enemy,. In our own country, we are taught that only foreign governments do bad things.
This is the same sentiment no matter what country you live in.
In this piece I want to present the idea that propaganda tunes populations into an illusion of reality, but not reality itself. This has many consequences.
Every Country Uses Propaganda
This reality is rather obvious. And I’d bet that aside from wanting to gain control over mass public opinion, countries use propaganda so heavily on their citizens because if they don’t, another country will.
Using propaganda gives countries control over their citizens and aligns them under one narrative, even if it’s not factual. In a world built on dominating and competitive worldviews, the cost is too great for most countries to not use propaganda, so they do. Hence we see a race to the bottom dynamic at play here.
Arguments in favor of propaganda include the idea that when it comes to life or death, getting the public on your side is important.
But what happens when propaganda becomes the everyday tool for powerful interests to simply maintain their power? When it isn’t a question of life or death, but a question of powerful figures maintaining, and even growing, their power?
Richard Stengle is the founder of the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC). He also served in Obama’s administration as the under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
