"Are there any benefits to propaganda? When and why?"
The entire basis of propaganda is appealing to their audience by making it seem like the message is talking specifically to you. Propaganda comes in many different forms, it can be used to encourage people to smoke cigarettes, it makes you feel left out if you are the only one without the new IPhone, it can give the public a figure to direct their anger toward. We see propaganda everyday in our lives, TV commercials, billboards, or even in the daily newspaper. It is slipped under our noses into our lives without us knowing. Propaganda does have benefits in some cases though. For example, the United States used propaganda during World War II to sell war bonds, collect scrap metal and help reserve food. Propaganda was used for the good of the country and also it wasn't hurting anyone. However propaganda can be used for evil. How do you think Hitler persuaded an entire country to rally behind a despicable cause? Propaganda. He made Germany believe that their cause, what they were doing, would benefit the entire world, and they would be crowned heroes.
In the end, propaganda can be beneficial, it tries to convince us to buy a new product, vote for a candidate, or support the war effort. But in the wrong hands, propaganda can have a profound effect on a population, and the world.
I really like how you addressed both aspects of propaganda and the various examples given. You provided further insight into propaganda that I hadn't previously thought about.
ReplyDeleteYou had interesting insight in to the way propaganda was used on both sides of WWII, but it was used in the same way. America utilized propaganda the same way Hitler did, one could make the case that propaganda was simply seen as more acceptable, even good, on the side of the allies because they were on the morally correct side, but other than that the means and purpose of propaganda was similar. Food for thought.
ReplyDeleteWorld War II is always a great example to bring up when it comes to propaganda. It shows how easy it is for people to be persuaded through the different types of propaganda and you do a good job of explaining that.
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