Propaganda theory. Chapter 8
This part of my Propaganda textbook is the last one, though given the chronology of events, it should have been the first. And maybe the only one if we were living in the world of good intentions.
Here’s the link list of the previous seven chapters:
the theory under propaganda techniques,
different approaches to content writing ,
strategy options
the tactical choices for public opinion control during crisis
Who read me from the beginning remember that I referred to one name more often than to any other - that was Dr. Goebbels, whom we used to call the father of propaganda. But he wasn’t. Not really.
In 1928 Edward Bernays, Zigmund Freud’s nephew, published his second book “Propaganda” in the United States. I will live his life and numerous campaigns that shaped more than just a couple of generations of Americans, solidified stereotypes such as the most healthy breakfast is eggs and bacon, smoking makes you look cool and independent (comes from his campaign for Lucky Strike that promoted smoking women as emancipated, independent, strong, but also sexually interesting), etc.
He was behind one of the first and most important propaganda campaigns in the USA - the mobilising support for American involvement in World War I among the population that was apathetic or openly against participation in European conflict. He sold to the public an idea of America bringing democracy in Europe and liberty, of course. The same slogan was used in all the wars since then - America was fighting for “democracy and free world”.
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.” - Bernays was sure that people should be led from chaos to order by simply trusting those “invisible” manipulators.
He didn’t mean anything cruel, and he was, unlike Goebbels, fond of his “audiences”, and didn't consider them mentally lazy, weak or dump. In his books he addressed regular readers and tried to explain why it’s ok to be manipulated, basically because it's the natural order of things in any society, not just in democratic. When he invented his campaigns he tried to change the public opinion by introducing good concepts.
With Lucky Strike, for example, he thought he’ll promote women’s rights, feminism, equality to men. The campaign was called "Torches of Freedom". Yes, American Tobacco Company earned, but the image of women in the society was changed, as well as the image of smoking women as “fallen women” lost its vibe. He used all sorts of opinion leaders: an opera singer that said that smoking makes her voice sound softer, the doctors that were sure that it was a healthy habit and kept women slim, a march of young smoking ladies, not models. Smoking and sport went fine together as well.
After two World Wars the word “propaganda” didn’t suited his purposes anymore because of the obvious awful, even terrifying, connotations, so he introduced another term - “P.R.” - “public relations”, by isolating the “bad” propaganda from its “good” part. He thought that nothing sells better than news, so he created them. Yes, by manipulating the truth, facts, most of the time - but for greater good and using only “white propaganda” tricks. That’s how press-releases became a thing and that’s how the opinion leaders, new makers and trendsetters became the most important assets of every brand.
According to Berneys there are six components in the effective PR campaign:
1. It’s enough to influence the opinion leader in the group to get the attention of the whole audience. People will automatically follow their leader.
This principle comes from the psychology of crowds: the mass intellect doesn’t think, it follows impulses and emotions. So it reacts according to the example of the leader or someone who’s recognised as a leader of the moment.
2. The secret of effective influence is a properly used language.
Paying with old cliches or manipulating trendy images, ideas, the skilled propagandist or PR-specialists, copywriter, speechwriter, can get desired emotional response from the audience, and that’s enough to control and influence public opinion, to expect the particular behaviour from the crowd.
3. Any communication tool or media can be used in propaganda.
Telephone, radio, printed press, TV, social networks, even the surfaces of the buildings, public squares — there’s no media, no space or surface that can’t be used for propaganda. That’s why good public opinion manipulators are always looking for novelties, for new forms of communication, for new platforms and learn to use them effectively.
4. Repetition of one and the same statement makes it if not a belief of the audience then at least the common line of thinking on the subject.
Like mantra it’s a form of neurolinguistic programming that helps to form concrete emotions and thoughts, that don’t need any logical proof to be used as they are - automatically. For example, if we learned to rely on scientific knowledge, any research results and statistical numbers we accept as trustworthy, while they can be completely made up. We won’t suspect it, because we used to trust the authority of the source.
5. People need things not because of their factual value, but because of the emotional and symbolic meaning they bring into their life.
That is the foundation of contemporary marketing and branding in particular. We don’t buy a bottle of mineral water, but the refreshing essense of the old European resort, where stars and rich spent their summer vacations for centuries. Or branded sneakers instead of no name, because of the particular status or image that brand made us to believe it can deliver.
6. To manipulate people’s decisions and behaviour, a new reality should be created - circumstances changing habits and traditions of the group. That process starts from the top of the group - through opinion leaders and influencers. So manipulation with their beliefs and thoughts is the priority then the rest of the group will join the process eventually.
That happens when particular garments suddenly become fashionable - “must have”. The idea is firstly introduced to the trendsetters and later they spread it and people want to look the same, be brave enough, beautiful as their icons and so on.
It works with ideology and stereotypes as well. Enough to find popular speakers that will spread the particular message of hate or, on the contrary, support of a person or a nationality, and soon they become the main subject of the discussion and campaigns in public.
This chapter is my tiny attempt to touch on the history of contemporary consumerism, the roots of the overconsumption and therefore overproduction that are tightly connected to each other - so closely that it’s impossible to tell what caused what. But the main component of their passionate relationships with us, from the Universe of target audiences, was one and the same - manipulation with our mind, emotions, decisions and habits. And there’s no bad people in all that, no invisible men, looking at us like we are their puppets, because we are all involved if not in one play then in hundreds of others.
P.S.
As you see, though my textbook wasn’t about PR theory or strategies, we ended with marketing and commercial manipulations. It doesn’t matter what the purpose is, the mechanisms and methods of manipulation with our emotions, opinions, habits are the same. It can be a campaign selling makeup travel kits or green energy promotion - good intended propaganda distorts reality as much as the ideological brutal brainwashing. Effective campaigns won’t leave a sign of such influence. Everyone involved will want to do the right thing, to be a good person, beautiful, respectful, successful, kind. To see the distortion, a person needs to wake up. Or never be involved.
To stay untouched by such manipulations we need to learn to hear ourselves, to reflect on our thoughts, feelings, changes in us, to be always attentive to the details and have a critical point of view.
It’s impossible. What a stressful and tiring life! So I choose to at least stay true to myself and my own needs and stand in the position of respect to every opinion, every person. Never spread emotional content that makes one group of people look bad by association, and when facts show just one side of the story, or are absent at all, I prefer to look for the ground under the message. It’s ok to have doubts. Worse to be sure in own absolute righteousness.
Peace - to everyone. Stay safe.
My platforms
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zakharova_kaetano
Twitter: https://twitter.com/olga_kaetano
Telegram: https://t.me/f_simulacrum
Tumblr: https://fashionistaru.tumblr.com
If you like F! Simulacrum and want to help make it even better, give me feedback, point out factual errors or typos, or send me news subjects you want to describe. My email: o.zakharova@adlifestudio.ru
Substack says you can now read my F! Simulacrum in the new Substack app for iPhone. And it will be easier and more comfortable.