Propaganda

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

What IS Propaganda?• Spread of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose

of helping or injuring an institution, cause, or person

• Directly aimed at influencing the opinions of people rather than impartially providing information

• Has a negative connotation of disseminating false or misleading information

• Does not have to be untrue to qualify as propaganda, but may omit so many pertinent truths that it becomes highly misleading

Propaganda Techniques• NAME-CALLING

– Using derogatory, insulting words to describe the enemy.

– Ex: “Commie”, “Terrorist”– Often used in politics, but not in advertising.

• GLITTERING GENERALITIES– Words have an established positive connotation.– Words are linked to highly valued concepts.– Ex: Freedom Fighter vs. Terrorist

Propaganda Techniques• EUPHEMISMS

– Uses vague or mild terms when dealing with harsh or offensive situations; it makes it sound nicer.

– Examples: • “correctional facility” vs. “prison”• “passed away” vs. “died”

• TRANSFER– Makes a person view a certain item in the same

way as they view another item; links the two together.

Propaganda Techniques• TESTIMONIALS

– “I am doing it, so should you.”– A well known person is linked to a product– Celebrities are often used for this technique

• PLAIN FOLKS– “I am just like you.”– The propagandist convinces the public that

his views reflect those of the common person.

Propaganda Techniques• BANDWAGON

– “Everyone is doing it.”– Follow the crowd; join in because others are doing it.– Tries to convince the subject that one side is the winning side because

more people have joined it.

• FEAR/SCARE TACTICS– “Do it or else.”– A threat is being posed if you do not go along with what is being

said.

• SCAPEGOAT – “He did it.”– One person is being wrongfully blamed for the action of another.

What type of propaganda is

this?

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Propaganda Scavenger Hunt • In your group, search through the magazines and find

five different examples of propaganda.

• On a piece of paper complete the following for each example:

1. Write a brief description of the ad

Ex: Tiger Woods drinking Gatorade and sinking a putt.

2. What propaganda technique is being used?

3. What is the ultimate goal of the ad?

4. How is this technique successful at reaching its goal?

Propaganda and Animal Farm

1. Find two examples of blatant propaganda in Animal Farm.

2. Who was responsible for spreading the propaganda? Why was it successful?

3. What kind of propaganda was it?

4. What was the impact of the propaganda?

In a well-written paragraph with layered analysis, discuss how propaganda helped the pigs keep their power over the other animals on the farm.

Propaganda Poster Activity1. Meet in your revolutionary committees (groups of four).

2. Create a political concept based on your political system notes that you want people to get behind.

3. Each committee member chooses a different propaganda technique:

• Transfer• Scapegoat• Fear/Scare Tactics• Testimonials • Name-Calling• Euphemisms• Glittering Generalities• Plain Folks• Bandwagon

4. Make an advertisement with a slogan supporting their revolution and using the specified propaganda technique.