PROPAGANDA

Essential question: What is propaganda and how does it relate to fallacious reasoning?

Propaganda: Propaganda is any rumor, idea or fact which is used to convince you to believe in something. It may be truthful or not, but it is often one-sided.

Fallacious reasoning is “False thinking Fallacious reasoning is “False thinking.” It is when people draw incorrect conclusions thinking something is fact when they haven’t actually based their opinion on complete information.

Most of Homer Simpson’s thought process would be considered fallacious reasoning.

In a democracy (demo = people / cracy = rule)it is important to be aware of “con-jobs” and to look at the facts to make your own well informed decisions. Your personal well being and financial future may be at stake.

Recently, organizations on both sides of global warming and fracking have produced massive amounts of propaganda.

Propaganda is often used in hundreds of advertisements, political appeals and in promoting or defending other social issues.

See if you recognize any of these propaganda techniques in the following slides..

Glittering generalities: Some words or phrases glitter, or sparkle, and seem to draw your attention. When an advertiser uses words or phrases which are attractive, but don’t mention specific details.

Glittering generalities are often so general that are hard to argue with. Can you think of others?

Bandwagon: “Join the group.” The propaganda technique has you believe that everyone else is doing it; you’ll be left out.

Examples of bandwagon propaganda. Can you think of others?

Testimonial: This technique is used when a famous person, or expert speaks in favor of an idea or product.

Examples of testimonial propaganda. Can you think of others?

Transference (positive): Is used when the advertiser hopes to get your feelings about one item transferred to another.

Transference (positive): If you smoke Tiparillos, you too can get the gorgeous girl.

Transference (negative): The opposite of positive is used when the advertiser hopes to get your negative feelings about one item transferred to another.

Transference (negative): Mayor Smith says he’s tough on crime.

Plain Folk: It tries to appeal to your desire to be an average person. Sometimes politicians, who are wealthy/famous, try to disassociate themselves from their “snobby past” and appeal to everyday common folk. Can you think of any examples?

Meeting the plain folk. Part of any political campaign.

Name calling: A technique that appeals to our hates and fears. The propagandist places a bad label on an individual, group, nation, race, policy or belief, hoping that by association with the “bad name” we would condemn or reject it.

Name calling: Is designed to stop your thinking process and gets you to react emotionally. OBSTRUCTIONIST ! SPENDER ! SOCIALIST ! LIBERAL ! PUPPET ! RACIST !

Card stacking: Half truths. Many other important pieces of information are selectively “dealt” out of the cards. Because of this, many people make hasty generalizations (fallacies).

Card stacking: “Four out of five dentists surveyed recommend Crud toothpaste.” Did the survey give a choice between brushing with Crud or Coke? Did they survey only dentists who they knew used Crud toothpaste? Were the dentists compensated in any way for their response?

Repetition: They repeat phrases or sentences hoping you will remember it, so it will stick in your head.

Repetition: How many of the following have stuck in your head? Call out the product the advertisers want you to remember….

Repetition: You’re gonna like the way you look. I guarantee it. I’m lovin’ it ! Where a kid can be a kid ! You’re in good hands ! Or your mattress is free! Eat fresh! Call 800-588-2300… today!

Exigency (ek suh juhn see) Urgent, needing immediate action. The ad or speaker tries to make you think you need to act “now” or else time will run out. The listener will feel that he/she doesn’t have time to stop and think about it.

No time left… Buy it on the spot. Can you think of other examples?

Try your hand at identifying some of these on the worksheet given to you. Use pg. 363 to help you understand fallacious reasoning techniques and how they are related to the propaganda techniques used in the slide presentation.