news or propaganda

Some of his strangeness can be seen in his castle, still standing a few miles south of Big Sur, CA. Arch rival Joseph Pulitzer was almost as bad.

Media companies were much smaller back then, easier to bribe. Now, a few hundred thousand dollars is pocket change to Time Warner or Viacom.

 

Propaganda is as old as written communication itself. Go to the art museum and view the portraits of rulers like: Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, his Thomas Cromwell. or King William. Each painting is full of allusion and allegory. Even those who could not read the written word could absorb the messages. tapestries show past events in heroic form. Stain glass windows in churches.
even heraldic crests and badges have elements of propaganda.

How about movies like: The Wizard of Oz. or The African Queen with Bogey and Kate Hepburn? Dissecting the propaganda is a part of enjoying the arts.

So, Who is afraid of Propaganda?

The very last word on propaganda is by George Orwell in the book: 1984, Where his character; Winston Smith, is employed doing agitprop in The Ministry of Truth.
He views the crude agitprop of the Two Minute Hate with concern stating that although he himself is not swayed; he worries that those of a lesser intellect will be affected by propaganda.

 

It's difficult for a reporter or advertiser to hint at their personal beliefs in their reports.

So it's up to the reader to be smart enough to spot where propaganda exists.

 

Piney

Very true just think of Ramesses II account of the Battle of Kadesh – a defeat spun as a great victory.

The problem is that people need information and the willingness to question BUT often that isn’t present.

This can be because the information is not public or illegal to know as can happen in authoritarian regimes leading to an unwillingness to question out of fear of punishment.

But I have to admit that sadly many times people will disseminate or promote information and ideas that they seem to have just accepted without looking into them or even questioning them in any way, even though the information is available and in this internet age easily available.

And what’s worse they then seem to get offended if those ideas are questioned even if the criticisms seem valid.