MR. GUNNINKSURVEY LIT

Persuasion and Propaganda

Questions to Consider

Purpose: What are you trying to convince your audience to think and/or do?

Audience: Who are you trying to convince? What are their likes, dislikes, prejudices?

Style: What strategies will you use to convince the audience of your point?

Modes of Persuasion

Logos: Logical ArgumentsPathos: Emotional Reactions

Ethos: Establishing Credibility

LOGOS

Logic: To infer/deduce a conclusion from known facts

Often presented in the form of syllogismsSyllogism= two statements (premises) that

logically lead to a conclusion (think verbal proofs) All men are mortal. (Major) Socrates is a man. (Minor) Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (Conclusion)

Three types of syllogisms Categorical Disjunctive Hypothetical

PATHOS

To cause the audience to have an emotional reaction that makes them identify or sympathize with the speaker, group, or cause.

Often accomplished with language/images Tone words Sensory details

“In the blink of an eye, her husband and the father of her children was ripped out of her life by a drunk driver who thought taking a cab was too much of an ‘inconvenience.’”

ETHOS

Convinces the audience that the speaker (or whoever he/she is referencing) is worth trusting

Speaker: Mention prior accomplishments, prior relationships, credentials

“I spent 10 years as a community organizer, so I have walked with you and know what you want and need to happen in this country.”

Sources: Cite reliable organizations, experts, scholars, beloved/influential current and historical figures

“The American Academy of Pediatrics has done numerous studies that have found NO link between autism and vaccination.”

Propaganda

Information spread in order to persuade the audience to support or reject a person, organization, or cause

Often pretends to be unbiased when it is, in fact, very biased

Often uses lies or falsely represented information

Often makes bold assertions without proving them

Often abuses the three modes of persuasion

False Logic (Logos)

False Dilemma (Either/or)The Lesser of Two EvilsAssertionStraw Man

False Dilemma

Reduces a complex argument to a small number of alternatives and concluding that only one option is appropriate.

Ex 1- “You are either with us or against us.”Ex. 2- “If you are pro-choice, you must be

pro-abortion.”Ex. 3- “You can subscribe to Politics

Magazine, or you can stay uninformed.”

False Dilemma

The Lesser of Two Evils

When trying to push for an unpleasant option, offers an even worse alternative framed as the only other choice.

Ex. 1- “Senator Williams may have lied under oath, but at least he never embezzled money from his campaign like his opponent.”

Ex. 2- “Unilateral invasion of Iraq may not be ideal, but it is better than having the United States attacked by a Saddam-supported terrorist group.”

Assertion

Simply stating a debatable idea as a fact, with no qualification or explanation

Ex. 1- “The Middle East will never be at peace.”

Ex. 2- “A record number of hurricanes have been caused by global warming.”

Ex. 3- “Verizon has a superior network to AT&T.”

Assertion

Card Stacking

Propaganda that gives an unfair advantage to one point of view, while weakening another under the guise of presenting both sides

Usually honest in terms of information shared, but often misleading by obscure other important information

Ex. 1- A debate on global warming is organized by a group dedicated to eliminating carbon emissions. Invited to represent the pro-limits side is a well-known, eloquent speaker. Invited to the anti-limits side is a fringe scientist known for his exotic theories and obnoxious behavior.

Card Stacking

Straw Man

Creates an exaggerated or inaccurate version of an opponent’s views and attacks THAT instead of the real argument

Ex 1- My opponent for class president says that he think athletics are a complete waste of time, and that only academic activities should receive school funding

Ex 2- A lot of people are saying that the Stimulus was a complete failure. Well, 1 million people that have jobs because of it would disagree.

Emotional Manipulation (Pathos)

Transfer/associationPinpointing the enemyName-callingGlittering generalitiesEuphemisms

Glittering Generalities

Uses appealing, but vague words without context or definition to provoke feelings in the audience.

Ex. 1- “I stand for freedom; for a strong nation, unrivaled in the world. My opponent believes we must compromise on these ideals, but I believe they are our birthright.”

•Freedom•Liberty•Strength•Security•Prosperity•Choice•Equality•Change•Family•Life

Glittering Generalities

Name Calling

Using negative words to disparage an enemy in place of logical arguments.

“Obama is a socialist who like to pal around with terrorists.”

“Rush Limbaugh is a right-wing gasbag.”“Clearly, my opponent’s anarchist

suggestions will not help to solve the current crisis.”

Name Calling

Pinpointing the Enemy

Oversimplifies a complex problem by pointing out a single cause or a single enemy who can be blamed.

Ex. 1- “McDonald’s is to blame for the obesity epidemic in America.”

Ex. 2- “Wal-Mart is responsible for the destruction of small businesses in this country.”

Ex. 3- “Videogames are the cause of teen violence.”

Pinpointing the Enemy

Transfer/Association

Encourages the transfer of feelings and associations from one idea, symbol or person to the next

Ex. 1- “Baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie; they go together in the good ole’ USA.”

Ex. 2- “Barack Hussein Obama has a lot of ideas for this country, and I just don’t want to hear ‘em.”

Transfer/Association

False Credibility (Ethos)

Plain folk/Common manTestimonialBandwagonAd hominem

Bandwagon

Manipulates the instinct of most people to belong to the majority group and dislike being left out

Ex. 1- “Five million members and counting!”Ex. 2- “Thousands of satisfied customers

can’t be wrong.”Ex. 3- “Most scientists believe global

warming is a result of human activity.”

Bandwagon

Plain Folk

Gains the public confidence by positioning a person or product with “ordinary people” not with “them”

Propagandists will try to appear to be like “everyone else” by: Using slang phrases or intentionally making

mistakes in their speaking Extreme sentimentality (tears) Shyness or reluctance Photo opportunities going shopping with family or

chopping wood or other such “normal” activities

Plain Folk

Testimonials

Testimonials have people that we trust (even if that trust is based on recognition rather than true credibility) endorse a product or person

Athletic shoesWheatiesCelebrities endorsing causes

Testimonials

Ad Hominem

Literally means “to the man”Attacking the personal qualities of your

opponent even if they have nothing to do with his/her argument

“President Clinton wants to expand coverage for Medicaid, but this a guy who cheated on his wife with a White House intern!”

“You think I should do my homework, Mom, but you’re one to talk- you just got a ticket for speeding the other day!”

Sources

Shabo, Magedah. Techniques of Propaganda and Persuasion. 2008. Prestwick.