Institute for Propaganda Analysis

Last December our issue of MindPrep addressed the topic of “They are Trying to Bend Your Mind.” Really? Could someone cause you to change your mind? Bend your mind? How?

Well, face the brutal facts. It’s been happening to us humans for a very, very long time. In fact, something changed the minds of millions of Germans about ninety years ago. It was propaganda and it was used effectively.

Propaganda is not new. It’s been used before and it’s applicable today. It’s important that we learn from the past.

From 1937 to 1942, during Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, there was a U.S. based organization focused on the general concern that increased propaganda was decreasing the U.S. public’s ability to think critically.

Volume I of Propaganda Analysis covering the period of October 1937 to October 1938. The subtitle of the report stated: “with new material to aid students and adult groups in the analysis of today’s propagandas.”

Different times – same issues.

How to Detect Propaganda

Here is the opening from a paper written in November, 1937:

“We are fooled by propaganda chiefly because we don’t recognize it when we see it. … We can more easily recognize propaganda when we see it if we are familiar with the seven propaganda common devices. These are:

The Name Calling Device
The Glittering Generalities Device
The Transfer Device
The Testimonial Device
The Plain Folks Device
The Card Stacking Device
The Band Wagon Device

The following are some quotes from the report. Remember, this was written in 1937. Are any of these devices being used today?

The Name Calling Device

“’Name Calling’ is a device to make us form a judgement without examining the evidence on which it should be based. Here the propagandist appeals to our hate and fears. He does this by giving “bad names” to those individuals, groups, nations, races, policies, practices, beliefs, and ideals which he would have us condemn and reject.”

Here are a couple of examples from the 1930s. “Al Smith is a Catholic. He must never be president.” And “Roosevelt is a Red. Defeat his program.”

But we’re smarter in 2024. We would never fall for name calling. Or would we? (Hmm, I wonder if my alma mater is “woke?”)

Glittering Generalities

“’Glittering Generalities’ is a device by which the propagandist identifies his program with virtue by the use of “virtue words.” Here he appeals to our emotions of love, generosity, and brotherhood. He uses words like truth, freedom, honor, liberty, social justice, public service, the right to work, loyalty, progress, democracy, the American way, Constitution defender.”

For example, “to some the New Deal is ‘a prophecy of social salvation’ while to others it is an omen of social disaster.’”

Might we succumb to glittering generalities today? Are all Democrats “lefties?” Are all Republicans “right wing?”

Transfer

“Transfer is a device by which the propagandist carries over the authority, sanction, and prestige of something we respect and revere to something he would have us accept.”

For example, a celebrity endorsing a product can transfer their popularity to that product, making it more attractive to consumers. The Kardashians are no longer just reality TV personalities; they’re business executives selling clothing, jewelry and other fashion items. Nice gig – TV personality to CEO.

Testimonial

“The Testimonial is a device to make us accept anything from a patent medicine to a cigarette to a program of national policy. In this device the propagandist makes use of testimonials.”

For example, a doctor might (and did) say “When I feel tired, I smoke a Camel and get the grandest lift.” Or “We believe the John Lewis plan of labor organization is splendid; C.I.O should be supported.”

Hmm, have any of you or your kids paid a lot of attention to the bevy of “influencers” inhabiting social media?

Plain Folks

“’Plain Folks’ is a device used by politicians, labor leaders, business men, and even by ministers and educators to win our confidence by appearing to be people like ourselves – ‘just plain folks among the neighbors.’”

How many of our Congress-folk or Senators are “just like us?”

Card Stacking

“’Card Stacking’ is a device in which the propagandist employs all the arts of deception to win support for himself, his group, nation, race, policy, practice, belief or ideal. He stacks the cards against the truth. He uses under-emphasis and over-emphasis to dodge issues and evade facts. He resorts to lies, censorship, and distortion. He omits facts. He offers false testimony. …. He creates a smoke-screen of clamor by raising a new issue when he wants an embarrassing matter forgotten.”

Might the electric vehicle industry be accused of stacking the cards? (Side note: I believe in the need to reduce fossil fuels use – but the hype behind EVs has been too one-sided.)

The Band Wagon

“The ‘Band Wagon’ is a device to make us follow a crowd, to accept the propagandist’s program en masse. Here his theme is ‘Everybody’s doing it.’ His techniques range from those of medicine show to dramatic spectacle. He hires a hall, fills a great stadium, marches a million men in parade. … He appeals to the desire, common to most of us, to ‘follow the crowd.’”

2024 is a big election year. What band wagon might you jump on?

Bottom Line?

These propaganda devices were designed to work on our emotions, not our brain. And when they work, they inhibit our ability to think critically.

How many of 1937’s devices are still in play in 2024? I think I see all of them. And now propagandists don’t have just the technologies of radio and newspaper. They have TV, the Internet, social media, and the emerging power of artificial intelligence.

“They” are truly out to bend our minds and they have some powerful tools.

All we have is our brains – and we’d better use them.

Institute for Propaganda Analysis