Product Description

Propaganda Techniques is a book designed to illustrate several of the many ways politicians, advertising writers and countless promoters try to control our thoughts. The readers of this book will become more aware of the countless and subtle ways in which they are being manipulated every day.

Although initially this book was intended for use by teachers and students, I soon realized it would be useful for people in many other fields. Journalists, business people, sales people, police, counselors, advertisers, politicians, medical personnel and lawyers are just a few of the groups that would find this book useful. General readers would also find it stimulating and provocative.

The eighty-nine selected techniques explained in the book are divided into seven sections;

Faulty Logic
Diversion and Evasion
Appealing to the Emotions
Using Falsehoods and Trickery
Playing on Human Behavioral Tendencies, Mental Capacities and Processes Speaking or Writing Styles Reason or Common Sense

The exercises at the end of the book will help the reader gain practice in using the propaganda techniques. The first exercise is for simplification of a persuasive message. A complex message loses effectiveness because most people lack the stamina to wade through a great deal of information to get to the point. The exercise for simplification calls for writing a summary of the Declaration of Independence so that the document will be reduced to a few paragraphs while maintaining the perceived intent of the author.

This work should be very useful to all those trying to develop critical thinking skills.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #372987 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 120 pages

From the Inside Flap
SHOCK 'EM

A propagandist will use the shock treatment to catch his or her audience's attention. The propagandist will make a rather outrageous, exaggerated or shocking statement as an attention getter. There is a price to pay for using this technique. The propagandist must have the necessary supporting data and sound reasons to back up any shocking opening remark.

I've listed a few examples of hypothetical shocking statements that might be made by partisans of some selected issues:

An Environmentalist: "The human race might not see the turn of the next century."

An Educational Reformer: "America's public schools are pretty good - for a third world nation!"

A Dietitian: "You may be killing your children."

An Opponent of Anti-ballistic missile systems: We're more likely to die from a terrorist bombing than from a missile launched from a rogue nation."

A Sociologist with a Bias Against Extreme Social Stratification:

"Karl Marx might have been right. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer."

A Scientist Concerned About Global Warming: "Pretty soon we'll have to visit our coastal cities from a sight seeing submarine."

An Ultra-feminist: "Who are the most dangerous people in the world? They're fairly easy to spot for they usually wear pants!"

A Doctor Pitted against Health Insurance Companies: "Could we win a war if our generals had to get permission to go ahead with each planned battlefield maneuver? Well doctors are facing similar circumstances today!"

One outstanding example of the shock 'em technique was provided by the antics of the evangelist Aimee Semple Mc Pherson. In the late 1920s, her illustrated sermons became famous. After receiving a traffic ticket for speeding she had an idea for a sermon. One day she called out to her congregation, "Stop! You're under arrest!" Sister Aimee, as she was called, appeared on her temple platform in a police uniform standing by a motorcycle with the sound of police siren's echoing throughout the Temple. She challenged her people to stop before they sped into hell. *

*Blumhofer, Edith Aimee SemDle McPherson: Everybody's Sister William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan 1993, pg. 261

THE SHOTGUN APPROACH

With this technique the propagandist throws at the audience every supporting idea for his or her cause that can be thought up. The hope is that at least some of the ideas will be accepted. The more varied and heterogeneous the audience is, the better the chances to get ideas across. If the propagandist is scared to base his or her case on just one main point, this approach is a wise one.

EMPHASIZE ONE POINT

With this technique the propagandist selects what he or she feels is the strongest argument supporting the position being taken on a subject. All other supporting arguments are excluded. It can be risky because if the opponent shoots down the propagandist's main idea the contest is over.

Abraham Lincoln debated using this approach. He was seriously opposed to slavery and in his speeches he hammered away at the problem relentlessly. The slave holding states didn't like him one bit but the free states certainly did and elected him to the presidency.

About the Author
Henry T. Conserva has taught in public secondary schools in the San Francisco Bay Area of California for over fifty years. In his position as a debating coach, he was involved in developing critical thinking skills among his students. He thought knowledge of propaganda techniques was essential in arming his students against the many questionable arguments they often faced in their debates. He noted that many of the students became skeptical consumers as they saw through many of the advertising appeals that were aimed at them on a daily basis. His hope has always been that all students would benefit from knowing at least some of the ways used by those who wish to brainwash them.

Customer Reviews

there are better books on the subject
This is very basic and simplistic text. It could be useful, but there are much better books on the subject. This one seems rather disorganized and poorly explained. I would agree with one reviewer that this looks like a Word document turned into a book. I would add that the whole project looks like a rush job without much planning and thought. As the other reviewer I would also recommend an excellent book by Pratkanis and Aronson The Age of Propaganda. Similar price, but much better and much more sophisticated. Further, if one is interested in logical fallacies, there is this old classic by Nicholas Capaldi The Art of Deception. Finally, you could consider "Politics and Propaganda: Weapons of Mass Seduction" (this one is a bit more difficult).

Informative, but designed for high school
I have been interested in propaganda and persuasion for some time now, so when I learned about this book I was very excited. The text itself is a brief overview of 88 or so propaganda techniques. Each is described in about 3 lines, and include an example. The explanations are clear, but not in depth. The work is suitable for someone seeking an encyclopedia-style knowledge.

The formatting appears to be a Word Document that has been put straight to press, untouched.

All in all, if you're looking for a succinct crash course, this may work. If you're truly looking for information, look to Age of Propaganda.