Propaganda Techniques
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SHOCK 'EM A propagandist will use the shock treatment to catch his or her audience's attention. The propagandist will make a rather outrageous, exaggerated or shocking statement as an attention getter. There is a price to pay for using this technique. The propagandist must have the necessary supporting data and sound reasons to back up any shocking opening remark. I've listed a few examples of hypothetical shocking statements that might be made by partisans of some selected issues: An Environmentalist: "The human race might not see the turn of the next century." An Educational Reformer: "America's public schools are pretty good - for a third world nation!" A Dietitian: "You may be killing your children." An Opponent of Anti-ballistic missile systems: We're more likely to die from a terrorist bombing than from a missile launched from a rogue nation." A Sociologist with a Bias Against Extreme Social Stratification: "Karl Marx might have been right. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer." A Scientist Concerned About Global Warming: "Pretty soon we'll have to visit our coastal cities from a sight seeing submarine." An Ultra-feminist: "Who are the most dangerous people in the world? They're fairly easy to spot for they usually wear pants!" A Doctor Pitted against Health Insurance Companies: "Could we win a war if our generals had to get permission to go ahead with each planned battlefield maneuver? Well doctors are facing similar circumstances today!"
One outstanding example of the shock 'em technique was provided by the antics of the evangelist Aimee Semple Mc Pherson. In the late 1920s, her illustrated sermons became famous. After receiving a traffic ticket for speeding she had an idea for a sermon. One day she called out to her congregation, "Stop! You're under arrest!" Sister Aimee, as she was called, appeared on her temple platform in a police uniform standing by a motorcycle with the sound of police siren's echoing throughout the Temple. She challenged her people to stop before they sped into hell. * *Blumhofer, Edith Aimee SemDle McPherson: Everybody's Sister William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan 1993, pg. 261 THE SHOTGUN APPROACH With this technique the propagandist throws at the audience every supporting idea for his or her cause that can be thought up. The hope is that at least some of the ideas will be accepted. The more varied and heterogeneous the audience is, the better the chances to get ideas across. If the propagandist is scared to base his or her case on just one main point, this approach is a wise one. EMPHASIZE ONE POINT With this technique the propagandist selects what he or she feels is the strongest argument supporting the position being taken on a subject. All other supporting arguments are excluded. It can be risky because if the opponent shoots down the propagandist's main idea the contest is over. Abraham Lincoln debated using this approach. He was seriously opposed to slavery and in his speeches he hammered away at the problem relentlessly. The slave holding states didn't like him one bit but the free states certainly did and elected him to the presidency.
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About the Book
Propaganda Techniques
Although initially this book was intended for use by teachers and students, I soon realized it would be useful for people in many other fields. Journalists, business people, sales people, police, counselors, advertisers, politicians, medical personnel and lawyers are just a few of the groups that would find this book useful. General readers would also find it stimulating and provocative.
The eighty-nine selected techniques explained in the book are divided into seven sections;
Faulty Logic
Diversion and Evasion
Appealing to the Emotions
Using Falsehoods and Trickery
Playing on Human Behavioral Tendencies, Mental Capacities and Processes Speaking or Writing Styles Reason or Common Sense
The exercises at the end of the book will help the reader gain practice in using the propaganda techniques. The first exercise is for simplification of a persuasive message. A complex message loses effectiveness because most people lack the stamina to wade through a great deal of information to get to the point. The exercise for simplification calls for writing a summary of the Declaration of Independence so that the document will be reduced to a few paragraphs while maintaining the perceived intent of the author.
This work should be very useful to all those trying to develop critical thinking skills.
About the Author
Henry T. Conserva has taught in public secondary schools in the San Francisco Bay Area of California for over fifty years. In his position as a debating coach, he was involved in developing critical thinking skills among his students. He thought knowledge of propaganda techniques was essential in arming his students against the many questionable arguments they often faced in their debates. He noted that many of the students became skeptical consumers as they saw through many of the advertising appeals that were aimed at them on a daily basis. His hope has always been that all students would benefit from knowing at least some of the ways used by those who wish to brainwash them.