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Name: ____________________ Civics Hour:____Types of Propaganda NotesFrom: is any information or images that are meant to influence your thinking or actionsName CallingNAME CALLING attempts to arouse the audience with vivid, emotionally suggestive generally NEGATIVE WORDSMakes us form a judgment to reject and condemn without examining the evidence Links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol or nameHopes that the audience will reject the person or the idea on the basis of the negative symbol Replace instead of looking at the available evidence.?Involves words or phrases that are selected because they possess a negative emotional charge. Examples:Communist, Socialist, Capitalist PigConservative or LiberalTerrorist, Muslim Extremist Environmentalist, Hippie, Tree HuggerGun Nut, Red NeckAsk ourselves the following questions: What does the name mean?Does the idea in question have a legitimate connection with the real meaning of the name?Without the name, what are the merits of the idea itself?Glittering GeneralitiesGLITTERING GENERALITIES attempt to arouse their audience with vivid, emotionally POSITIVE WORDSGlittering Generality is the opposite of Name CallingMake us approve and accept without examining the evidence.Uses deep-set ideas, cherished words and beliefs that mean different things to different peopleThe glittering words attach a positive but very general meaning The glittering words can be used in different waysExamples:Start with powerful phrases like. “We believe in…”, “We fight for…”, “We live by…”Followed by powerful word or beliefs: Civilization, Christianity, good, proper, right, democracy, patriotism, motherhood, fatherhood, science, medicine, health, and love.?When someone talks about democracy, we immediately think of our own definite ideas about democracy, the ideas we learned at home, at school, and in church. Our first and natural reaction is to assume that the speaker is using the word in our sense, and that they believe as we do on this important subject.Ask ourselves the following questions:What does the virtue word really mean?Does the idea in question have a legitimate connection with the real meaning of the word:Is an idea that does not serve my best interests being "sold" to me merely through its being given a name that I like?Leaving the virtue word out of consideration, what are the merits of the idea itself?EuphemismsEUPHEMISM make something SEEM LESS NEGATIVEAttempts to make an unpleasant thing more acceptableMakes an understatementUses bland or simple words Lessens the negative impactExamples In the 1940's, America changed the name of the War Department to the Department of Defense. Under the Reagan Administration, the MX-Missile was renamed "The Peacekeeper."During war-time, civilian casualties are referred to as "collateral damage,"After WWI "shell shock” used to describe psychological impact of battleAfter WWII, people began to use the term "combat fatigue" to characterize the same condition.After Vietnam War, people referred to "post-traumatic stress disorder": a phrase that is completely disconnected from the reality of war altogether.Ask ourselves the following questions:What words and images are being used?Do the words and images lessen the negativity?Do the words and images change the meaningTransferTRANSFER MOVES POSITIVE MEANING from one symbol or word to another PERSON OR IDEATransfers or equates the authority, sanction, and prestige of something we respect and revere to something we accept. In the Transfer device, symbols are constantly used to stir emotionsSymbols arouse a complex set of feelings that we respect used both for and against causes and ideasExample of symbolsThe cross represents the Christian Church, the action of prayingThe flag represents the nation. Cartoons like Uncle Sam represent a consensus of public opinion.A soldier, hunter, green or pure environment, smiling childrenScientist in lab coatsAsk the following questions:What symbol is being used? How does the symbol make us feel?Without the symbol, what is the speaker’s message?What is the meaning of the thing from which the propagandist is seeking to transfer authority, sanction, and prestige?Is there any legitimate connection between the proposal of the propagandist and the revered thing, person or institution?TestimonialTESTIMONIAL uses an expert or famous person to ADD POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE VALUEInvolves citing individuals who are not qualified to make judgments about a particular issueCiting a qualified source, and the testimonial technique can be used to construct a fair, well-balanced argument.Citing a qualified source can also be used in ways that are unfair and misleading.?When the testimony is provided by an admired celebrity, we are much less likely to be critical.?Examples:Tiger Woods is on the cereal box, promoting Wheaties Cher is endorsing a new line of cosmetics, and La Toya Jackson says that the Psychic Friends Network changed her life. 'The Times said,' 'John L. Lewis said..., 'The President said...', 'My doctor said...,' 'Our minister said...' Ask the following questions:Who or what is quoted in the testimonial?Why should we regard this person (or organization or publication) as having expert knowledge or trustworthy information on the subject in question?What does the idea amount to on its own merits, without the benefit of the Testimonial?Plain FolksPLAIN FOLKS makes people look like “Ordinary Americans,” not wealth or elite members of societyAttempt to convince their audience that they, and their ideas, are "of the people,” Used by advertisers and politicians alike.Uses styles of dress, actions, styles of speech, or settings and backgrounds to make people look like an ‘average joe’Example of “Plain Folks” PresidentsBill Clinton ate at McDonald's and confessed a fondness for trashy spy novels. George Bush Sr. hated broccoli, and loved to fish. Ronald Reagan was often photographed chopping wood Jimmy Carter presented himself as a humble peanut farmer from Georgia.Ask ourselves the following questions:What are they wearing?Why are they doing that?What are the propagandist's ideas worth when divorced from his or her personality?What could he or she be trying to cover up with the plain-folks approach?What are the facts?BandwagonBAND WAGON appeals to the idea of “EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT, AND YOU SHOULD TO"Since few of us want to be left behind, this technique can be quite successful. Emotion used to push and pull us to be members of a groupExamples of Band wagon groups:Nationality (American)Religion (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, other)Race (Vocation and type of employment (teachers, oil workers, farmers, miners)Activity (Hunter, Football Player, Farmer, Ask ourselves the following questions:What group are they asking me to join? What is this propagandist's program?What is the evidence for and against the program?Regardless of the fact that others are supporting this program, should I support it?Does the program serve or undermine my individual and collective interests?FearFEAR SCARES people into believing or taking actionWarns the audience that disaster will result if they do not follow a particular course of actionPlays on the audience's deep-seated fearsRedirect attention away from the merits of a particular proposal and toward steps that can be taken to reduce the fear. Examples of fear based political propaganda:“The streets of our country are in turmoil.”“The universities are filled with students rebelling”“Environmentalists will ruin the economy.”“Communists are seeking to destroy our country.”Pro-gun organization describes a lawless America where only criminals own guns, and concludes by asking readers to oppose a ban on automatic weapons Ask ourselves the following questions:Is the speaker exaggerating the fear or threat in order to obtain my support?How legitimate is the fear that the speaker is provoking?Will performing the recommended action actually reduce the supposed threat?When viewed dispassionately, what are the merits of the speaker's proposal?Bad LogicBAD LOGIC Uses logic (thinking and statements) that does not make sense, or is false, to draw a conclusion from one or more premises. Used false or incorrect logic to connect ideas or make generalizationDeliberately manipulate logic in order to promote their causeConnects ideas and people that do not “add up” or make senseAn example bad logic in the gun control debate Hillary Clinton supports gun-control legislation.Fascists of the 20th century passed gun-control lawsHillary Clinton is a fascist.An example of bad logic from the War on Terror:Muslim terrorists attacked the US on 911All Muslims believe the same thingAll Muslims are terroristsUnwarranted ExtrapolationUNWARRANTED EXTRAPOLATION makes huge predictions on the basis of a few small facts that are not logical Extrapolation = predictionsSome predictions do not make sense and have little evidence to back them upExamples:If Congress passes laws limiting availability of automatic weapons, America will ultimately result in the banning of all guns, the destruction of the Constitution, and a totalitarian police state.If the United States approves NAFTA, the giant sucking sound that we hear will be the sound of thousands of jobs and factories disappearing to Mexico.The introduction of communication tools such as the Internet will lead to a radical decentralization of government, greater political participation, and a rebirth of community.Ask the following questions:Is there enough data to support the speaker's predictions about the future?Can I think of other ways that things might turn out?If there are many different ways that things could turn out, why is the speaker painting such an extreme picture? ................
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