What comes to your mind when you hear the word propaganda and why should you care about it?
Basically, the goal of propaganda is to convince someone to do or think something. Have you ever seen a commercial on television and been convinced? Well, you are influenced by propaganda whether you realize or not. You are the target of propaganda!
It has different types and forms and has 7 techniques. The form of propaganda is the presentation, for example images, slogan or combination of both.
While, type is the purpose e.g. the purpose of economical propaganda is to get a consumer to purchase something and the purpose of political propaganda is to get a person to think a certain way etc...
The techniques are the methods attempt to convince people! Media has made this task so much easier, because most of us has access to it and we find it as a reliable source of information. Propaganda and advertisement go hand in hand, advertising is the art of convincing people they don't have for something they don't need. A handful of propaganda techniques are used on daily basis
In 1938, the institute of propaganda analysis identified 7 forms of propaganda, many more have been labeled and widely used since then. Each type has the ability to command attention for a product and promote its image. Some of the main types of propaganda are: bandwagon, testimonials, transfer, glittering, generalities, plain folks and repetition.
Propaganda in 21st century:
We just looked at a few types of propaganda and how it works, propaganda always has a purpose, there wouldn't be any propaganda is there is no purpose! The purpose could be from personal interest to national interest! Depending on the situation. But when we talk about propaganda in 21st century, the first thing that comes to my mind is westernization/modernization. We all are aware of these 2 terms and we take it as a part of development but have we ever thought of it as a propaganda? If not then think about it now.
America is the super power right now and wants to stay there forever. And they don't only want it but continuously working on it as well. Let's start from the first age group of 2-8-year old. Have you ever noticed that all the cartoons our kids watch are being made by the west, promoting their tradition and culture? Teaching our kids their way of living and how they treat their parents. If you ever watch cartoons you'll see that there is not a single productive thing that your kid will get from it, instead it will make him rebellious. This is stage where most of the personality building takes place and these cartoons and such content will make a kid rebellious.
Now coming to 9-16, a kid's mind is not fully developed yet and still in the learning phase, the only thing the cartoon content for this age group consists of is fight! Be it ben10 or other super heroes, they only thing you're showing is war, killing, crime, drugs and other criminal activities. Another thing that we should take note of is the toys, in the western world, the only toys the kids are allowed to play with are alphabetical cubes or puzzles but the toys they send to our countries are either guns, tanks and other destructive things, what does this do to your kid's mind? It makes them destructive and familiar with such concepts. After watching a superhero movie your kid demands for a gun toy, how is it going to impact on your child's mind? Even the video games are all about killing and fighting, after using a game in the game a kid must want to try it for real as well, just out of curiosity maybe? After handing toy guns in our kid's hands then in future they call them terrorists! If you join the dots, don't you think it is all a part of their propaganda plan?
Now coming to movies, teenage movies either consist of romance or rebelliousness, promoting 2 things that are not allowed in our culture! After watching a teenage film, all a girl wishes for is a prince charming. These movies also promote the party and drinking culture and also the use of drugs, makes the kids rebellious by showing that parents have no say once a kid turns 18! This is not how it works here in our country! But unfortunates, we have adapted their culture and the way of living so much that we have forgotten our own identity, we dress like them, talk like them, live like them, eat like them. And what is the western world getting from it? In their movies they show American as a perfect country that most of the kids of these age decide to go there to study or to settle
After adapting their culture, when we want to look like them so we go to American brands, similarly, to eat we opt for American food chains, who is getting benefit from it? Duh, the Americans! Doesn't it look like a propaganda to you?
First, they promoted their culture and life style step by step, they made us want to look like them, promoting their brands which helped their economy and export, hence improving their GDP. Similarly, showing that America is the best place to come if you want success, they're gaining workforce. And also,
they promote violence in us and then these are the people who label us as terrorists? If this is not propaganda then I don't know what is! They have an economic, cultural and religious purpose! By doing this, they are improving their economy to stay on the top. Promoting their culture among the world and showing the world that they are the super power and we are believing them!
This is some generation level propaganda and we all are victims of it, they make us do stuff and we do it and then they make money out of it! They make us feel inferiors which eventually helps them stay on the top
Next time when you think of propaganda, don't just think of it on a commercial level or national level. Try to understand the it deeply!
