Propaganda theory. Chapter 1

Today is the 6th of April, 2022. Methods and rules of propaganda, how to save your sanity in the middle of an informational shitstorm, and yesterday’s visuals.

“Ils sont partouuuut” Baptiste Picq

I must confess that I’m literally falling apart after weeks of intensive reading the news on all possible platforms. If in the beginning it was easier to distinguish fake news from documented facts, now my mental filter is clogged and the stream is so heavy I can’t  process it. But my brain is trained for years of critical thinking and production of the shit, I can’t imagine what’s going in the less prepared minds. So I decided to remind myself and you, my readers, of the theory of propaganda, so we can easier recognise the false logic and intentions behind it.

The methods that I will write about are used by any public opinion manipulator - from media to PR agents or propaganda oriented copywriters. The country doesn’t matter. The purpose can be any - from commercial to political. The article is long. And that’s just the first part. So save it as the first chapter of the textbook on copywriting or text/news analysis for later use.

The first rule of reading the news is that no officially announced information coming from the war zone can be trusted without questions. Propaganda is a weapon that is used by all sides especially at the time of the social media bloom. Journalists can’t find proof unless they work on the ground and independently from the official authorities. That means that they don’t wear “press” markers and don’t work in press tours, so they risk their lives which is quite an unpopular decision these days. Extremely rare among foreign correspondents not speaking the local languages. 

Secondly, ideas are never worth human lives. If the message leads you to the conclusion that it threatens other people's lives, property, rights or your own life, you feel the need to hurt someone directly or indirectly, it’s a 100% manipulation. The only reason to risk life is when there's an actual physical threat and you have no choice. Until you sit in safety, until you have a luxury of silence in the morning, walking, planning your days and a year, threatening someone is unreasonable.  

That’s time to ask why someone wants you to react that way. For what? Only when you understand the purpose, you learn more. Usually the level of emotions gets lower. You think, decide for yourself, recognise the shades between black and white, own your choice, your opinion, your beliefs. 

You should remember there are three types of texts with ideological agenda. Let’s call those for what they are - the lies. 

• White propaganda - the facts are facts, but interpretation delivers the wanted message (usually it’s used for social campaigns and for PR purposes). 

• Grey propaganda (the most common) - the real facts are mixed with fabricated so the new sense is formed and directed. 

• Black propaganda - the wanted emotional reaction formed on the completely made up stories or even on illusion or pure fears.