In his book “Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes”, sociologist and philosopher Jacques Ellul provides a detailed and insightful analysis of the propaganda machine. Published in 1965, the book is as relevant today as it was over 50 years ago.
Ellul defines propaganda as “the entire body of methods employed by an organized group to bring about the desired changes in the attitudes and behavior of another group.” He argues that propaganda is not simply a tool of governments or political parties, but is used by all sorts of organizations, including businesses, churches, and schools.
Ellul identifies four main types of propaganda:
– Economic propaganda, which is used to sell products or services;
– Political propaganda, which is used to promote a particular ideology or point of view;
– Ideological propaganda, which is used to further a particular worldview; and
– Psychoanalytical propaganda, which is used to manipulate people’s emotions.
All forms of propaganda share certain common characteristics, such as the use of symbols and slogans, the carefully selected use of information and misinformation, and the creation of an artificial reality. Propaganda also relies heavily on emotional manipulation, rather than rational argument.
Economic Propaganda: An example of this is product placements in movies and TV shows. Propaganda is also used to sell products that we do not need, such as wristwatches, handbags, and cosmetics. Often, we are not even aware that we are being subjected to propaganda. For example, when we see a celebrity endorse a product, we are more likely to buy it. Another example is advertising, which is a form of propaganda that is ubiquitous in modern society. Advertisements are designed to create a need or desire for a product or service, and they often use emotional appeals to do so. For example, a commercial for a new car might show the car driving through beautiful scenery, with the sound of the engine roaring in the background. The commercial is designed to make the viewer feel good about the car, and to create a desire to own it.
Political propaganda: This is used by governments and political parties to promote their agendas. It can take the form of speeches, news reports, and public relations campaigns. Often, political propaganda is used to stir up fear or hatred of an enemy, or to promote a particular ideology. For example, during the Cold War, the US government used propaganda to promote its ideology of capitalism and to stir up fear of communism. And the U.S.S.R used propaganda to promote its ideology of socialism and to stir up fear of capitalism. Today, political propaganda is still used to promote ideological agendas and to demonize opponents.
Ideological propaganda: This is used to further a particular worldview. It can take the form of news reports, books, movies, and websites.
Psychoanalytical propaganda: This occurs when advertisers use our emotions to sell products. They do this by showing us things that we want, such as beautiful people, or by making us feel fear or guilt. For example, a commercial might show a mother who is able to spend more time with her children because she uses a certain laundry detergent. The commercial is designed to make us feel guilty if we do not use the product, and to create a desire to use it.