Propaganda

Knowledge is certainty.  Opinion is probability.

There is no false knowledge.  There can be false opinion.

Accepting true opinion signifies acceptance of opinion without complete understanding.

Common truths:  Truths that may not be self-evident, but are accepted by most people.

Conventional Wisdom:  General opinions on topics that are accepted by most people.   Conventional opinion is useful when the attributes of the event are consistent with the formation of the conventional opinion.  Using conventional wisdom without reviewing the existing conditions of the event nullifies its usefulness.  Conventional wisdom applies to conventional problems.

Propaganda Techniques

1.      Techniques of Faulty Logic

a.     Simplification:   Simplifying a complex idea.  Over simplification can sacrifice content and understanding.  Aim is to appeal to a broad audience, or an audience with poor language skills.   Can identify by the use of simple words and the omission of complex words. 

b.     Concurrency:   Using a logical technique that follows the pattern that A precedes B, therefore A is the cause of B.  Example:  Democrats were in power when stock market crashed, therefore, Democrats caused the stock market crash.

c.     Generalization:   Using a few examples of specific traits, from a population, to describe the entire population.

d.     Faulty Analogy:  An analogy that compares two dissimilar items.  Death rates of Navy Seals compared to the death rate of New York City indicate the Navy Seals is a safer place to be.

e.     Condemning the Origin:  Attempts to discredit an idea by showing that it has an unappealing source.

f.      False Conversion of Propositions:  Starting with a true proposition and end up with one that does not follow.  Comparable to concurrency.

g.     What is True of the Parts is True of the Whole:  Taking a few traits of an item (positive or negative) then applying them to the whole item.  Example:  Hitler loved dogs, he was a WWI hero, and therefore he was a good person.

h.     Black and White Fallacy:   A statement that doesn’t allow for intermediate states.   Example:  Patriotic or Unpatriotic. 

i.      Using an Illicit Definition:  Using a word that has an old and accepted definition and given the word a new and often unrecognized definition.   Example:  Saying alcohol is a drug and anyone selling it is a drug dealer.  Moves the sale of alcohol from legal status to that of a crime and discounts that alcohol is legal to sell.

j.      Fallacy of Biased Sampling:  Using a sampling process that is either biased in its language or in its distribution.  Also, a questionnaire can be laced with biased knowledge without intent from the author.

k.     Appeal to Inappropriate Authority:  When alleged experts are not in a position to know or are otherwise unreliable, the propagandist is appealing to inappropriate authority.  Example:  A movie celebrity or athlete touting has more appeal to describe the taste of a beer than a brew master.

2.      Techniques of Diversion or Evasion.

a.     Use of Ambiguous Words:  Using words that are susceptible to multiple interpretations.   Words such as God, liberty, freedom, justice and truth have many different meanings.

b.     Ad Hominem:  Meaning to attach a person with words.  Usually indicates that abandonment of reason in argument and instead attacking the character of the person.

c.     Begging the Question:  The use of a question that assumes that something not yet proven is true.  Example:  Our founding fathers would have never supported gun control regulation.  There is no way to determine the merit of the question considering all of the societal changes that have occurred since there time.

d.     The Wicked Alternative:  An attempt to defend a position by attacking it’s opposite.

e.     Non-Sequitur:  A diversionary technique in which a person seems to be answering a question but, in fact, isn’t. 

f.      Accusing the Accuser:  An attempt to fend off an attack by issuing a counter accusation.  Can be closely linked with Ad Hominem.

g.     Name Calling.  Self explanatory much like Ad Hominem or Accusing the Accuser.

h.     Use of Satire:  The attacking of human vices and follies through wit.  Important note, the use of satire is a clear indication that the position is considered a complete absurdity to the person using satire.

i.      Repartee:  The exchange of quick witty replies to sharp or bitter remarks.

j.      Choose a Scapegoat:  The use of focusing blame, correctly or incorrectly, on a position.

3.      Techniques that Appeal to the Emotions.

a.     Appeal to Tradition:  Using the past or historical precedent to judge ideas.

b.     Demand for Special Consideration:  Development of a position based on hardship.

c.     Appeal to the Emotions:  Using human emotions as an appeal or crutch to establish a position.

d.     Use of Hot and Cold Words:  Using loaded words to create an emotional response.  Example:  No one would want an ex-convict living next to them.  However, one could use a colder word, such as non-conformist, to reduce the emotional response.

e.     Using Altruism:  Altruism is concern for the welfare of others as opposed to egoism and selfishness.   Telling an audience how generous and caring they are builds up their self-esteem and helps get messages across.

4.     Techniques that Involve Falsehood or Trickery.

a.     Quoting out of Context:  Distorts the meaning of what a person has said about someone or something.

b.     Use of Numbers to Impress:  Using figures to establish and support positions.  Numbers and statistics can be manipulated to shift meaning.

c.     False Dilemma:  The use of a question that has two equally balanced alternatives.  However, in reality, a wide range of alternatives may be available.

d.     Using a Minor Point to Discredit a Position or Person.  Making a mountain out of a molehill.  Reminiscent to using parts to describe the whole.

e.     Leading Question:  The use of a question, no matter how it’s answered, will incriminate the one who answers. 

f.      Seek Simple Answers:  Demanding a simple answer is the using a question to draw an immediate answer and/or emotional response.  The idea is to get a quick answer from the responder without evaluation of the position.  Example:  A politician may ask: “Do you want to stop crime?”  In an attempt to look tough on crime.

g.     Exaggeration of Consequences:  A common debate tactic that heightens the adverse ramifications if someone does not concur with the individual who is exaggerating.

h.     Double Talk:  Meaningless or contradictory speech.

i.      Manipulating Numbers:  Self Explanatory, Lies, damn lies and statistics.

j.      Big Lie:  Also referred to as factoids.  Factoids are assertions of fact with no evidence to support them. 

k.     Placement of Emphasis:  The use of a positive or negative spin can be used on most positions.   85% of American’s having indoor plumbing sounds good.  Saying 15% of American’s don’t have indoor plumbing sounds bad.

l.      Use Innuendo:   An innuendo is implying an accusation without risking refutation by actually saying it.    Example:  The Captain is sober today.  Although a true statement, it implies the Captain is an alcoholic.

m.   Appeal to Ignorance:  Saying that if something can’t be proven it is not so, then it is so.   Example:  Tobacco companies citing that cigarettes can’t be proven to cause health issues, therefore, cigarettes don’t cause health issues.

n.     Card Stacking:  Only using the good, or bad, features of a person or position.

o.     Stress High Moral Principles:  Claiming high moral principles (vague term) to support the presenter’s position.

p.     False Urgency:  Creating a false sense of urgency in an audience to inspire motivation to meet the propagandist’s desire.

q.     Praised followed by Attack:  Use of praising an opponent’s position to create a false sense of the propagandist being fair minded and magnanimous.

r.      Making a Minor Confession and Saying You Now See the Light:  Possibly saying the propagandist use to think like the opponent, but know sees things differently.  In effect, an attempt to make the opponent look backward or further behind the propagandist.

s.      Set Up a Straw Man:  A fabricated person or position that is intentionally a weak adversary.  Immigration, using a fabricated illegal immigrant with outlandish traits, and using it a basis for establishing their position.

t.      Telling them you were going to lie, but couldn’t do it:  An attempt by the propagandist to appear as if they were leveling to their audience.

u.     Potemkin Village:  Any pretentious façade designed to cover up a shabby or undesirable condition.

v.     Make ideas being support to appear as Foregone conclusions.

w.    Define Terms to Suit Goals:   Defining terms the way the propagandist wishes can eliminate things he or she opposes or supports.

5.     Techniques that Play on Human Behavioral Tendencies.

a.     Appeal to Authority:  The propagandist simply tells the audience what to do or think.  Examples include:  Drink Milk, Join the Army, and support your party.

b.     Repetition:  Driving home a message by repeating the message.

c.     Use Slogans:  A simplified and easily remembered statement designed to encourage the masses to follow the propagandist.

d.     Bandwagon:  Making people feel comfortable by indicating they are doing what others are doing, or uncomfortable by indicating they are not doing what others are doing.

e.     Plain Folks:   The propagandist portraying themselves as regular person to put the audience at ease.

f.      Transfer:  Attempts to transfer either good or bad feelings a propagandist may have to the position.   Goes with: “You are judged by the company you keep.”   Example, good looking models on the beach enjoying a product.  The aim is to transfer the good feelings of youth and attractiveness to the product.

g.     Testimonial:  Using a popular or well known person to support your position.

h.     Using a Bias:  A bias is a preference or inclination that inhibits impartial judgment.

i.      Challenge to the Ego:  Using a challenge to encourage the audience towards the propagandist’s position.

j.      Flattery:  The use of flattery appeals to people and can better prepare them to hear the propagandists message.

k.     Emphasizing Credentials:  Using good credentials give credits to the propagandist’s position.

l.      Tell Them it’s Confidential:  Privileged information appeals to people and makes them feel that they are “in the know” or “part of the crowd.”

m.   Stimulate Curiosity:  Using curiosity to motive people to the propagandist agenda or position.

n.     Structured Response:  A technique to get people to respond to his or her questions with a continual stream of like answers, either positive or negative, depending on how the propagandist wants to influence the audience.

o.     Imitate, Mimic, or Mock the Opponent:  A technique to put down an opponent.

p.     Ad Populum:  A technique where the propagandist uses whatever is current, well known at the time, or what the people want to hear.

q.     Action Involvement:  An attempt to enlist members of the audience into taking some form of action for a cause.

r.      Utopian or Dystopian Fantasies:  Painting a perfect or imperfect world, if the audience concurs with the propagandist’s position.

s.      Scarcity Sells:  Using the perception of scarcity to increase the value of the propagandist’s position.

6.     Techniques of Style

a.     Shock Them:  Use of outrageous or exaggerated language to shock the audience into attention and to prepare them for the message.

b.     Shotgun Approach:  Using all every supporting idea for the propagandist’s position to the audience.

c.     Emphasizing One Point:   Using the selected strongest argument to formulate and defend their position.

d.     Break the Ice:  Using a joke or amusing story to warm the audience up to their message.

e.     Start Cold, Get Warm and End Hot:  Help the crowd’s mood into swing with the message.

f.      Building the Message around a Proverb:  A proverb is a short, pithy saying that expresses a well known truth or fact in the minds of the audience.  Can substituted proverb for quote or cliché.

g.     Using Gestures and Props:  Self Explanatory.

h.     Making a Statement that Doesn’t Face Rebuttal:  In a debate, using the rebuttal portion to insert a strong statement or catchy slogan that does not leave time left for the other party to address.

i.      Making a Pre-Emptive Strike:  Attacking an opponent’s central position before they have to opportunity to speak.

7.     Techniques of Reason and Common Sense

a.     Using the Socratic Method:  A technique used to break apart vague definitions used by opponents.

b.     Use Metaphors and Similes:  Using figures of speech and analogies help leave main ideas in the audience’s minds.

c.     Turn a Problem into an Opportunity:  Using language against opponents who may be heckling the propagandist.

d.     Help from Giants:  Using language used by strong or well known personalities in the past and help the speaker look educated, scholarly or wise.

e.     Choose Words Wisely:  Selecting language and tailoring it to suit their target audience.

f.      Yes, But:  Using conspicuous candor to establish long range credibility.