The document defines propaganda as the manipulation of public opinion through persuasively presenting new opinions. It describes common propaganda techniques such as word games like name-calling and euphemisms, false connections using transfer or testimonials, special appeals to plain folks or fear, and logical fallacies like unwarranted extrapolation. Specific examples are provided for each technique to illustrate how propaganda works to influence audiences.

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Propaganda

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What is Propaganda?
 The manipulation of public
opinion.
 An attempt to change opinions
by persuasively presenting new
ones.
 Can range from Public Service
Announcements to Political
Campaign Ads.

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Common Propaganda Techniques
 Word games
 Name-calling
 Glittering generalities
 Euphemisms
 False connections
 Transfer
 Testimonial
 Special Appeals
 Plain Folks
 Bandwagon
 Fear
 Logical Fallacies
 Bad Logic
 Unwarranted extrapolation

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Word Games: Name Calling
 Words that link a person, or
idea, to a negative symbol.
 Examples include:
 Commie
 Fascist
 Pig
 Yuppie
 Bum
 Queer
 Terrorist
 Traitor

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Word Games: Glittering Generalities
 Words used to make us
approve and accept without
examining the evidence.
 Examples include:
 Civilization
 Christianity
 Proper
 Democracy
 Patriotism
 Motherhood
 Fatherhood

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Word Games: Euphemisms
 Words used to pacify the
audience in order to make an
unpleasant reality more
palatable.
 Examples include:
 Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder
 Collateral Damage
 Certified Pre-Owned

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False Connections: Transfer
 Use the respect we hold for one
authority to sell an idea or
cause.
 This type of propaganda often
uses symbols.
 For example:
 Nazi propaganda used
science and religion to justify
anti-Semitism.

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False Connections: Testimonial
 Using the words of a celebrity
of political figure to sell an idea
or product.
 This technique can be used to
create a well-balanced
argument if the source is
qualified to make judgments
about a particular topic.
 If the source IS NOT qualified
to offer an opinion, the
testimonial becomes
propaganda.

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Special Appeals: Plain Folks
 Used to convince the general
audience the speaker is “one of
them.”
 Examples include:
 Bill Clinton ate at McDonald's
and confessed a fondness for
trashy spy novels.
 George Bush Sr. hated
broccoli, and loved to fish.
 Ronald Reagan was often
photographed chopping wood.
 Jimmy Carter presented
himself as a humble peanut
farmer from Georgia.

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Special Appeals: Bandwagon
 “Everyone else is doing it, and
so should you.”
 Appeals to people as a group,
for example:
 Catholics
 Jews
 Housewives
 Farmers

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Special Appeals: Fear
 A technique used to convince the
audience something bad will
happen if they do not follow a
particular course of action.
 Four elements of a fear appeal:
 a threat
 a specific recommendation
about how the audience should
behave
 audience perception that the
recommendation will be
effective in addressing the
threat
 audience perception that they
are capable of performing the
recommended behavior

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Logical Fallacies: Bad Logic
 Using an argument that makes huge predictions about the
future on the basis of a few small facts.
 Examples include:
 If the United States approves NAFTA, the giant sucking sound that
we hear will be the sound of thousands of jobs and factories
disappearing to Mexico.
 The introduction of communication tools such as the Internet will
lead to a radical decentralization of government, greater political
participation, and a rebirth of community.

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Logical Fallacies: Unwarranted
Extrapolation
 Logic is the process of drawing a
conclusion from one or more
premises.
 Propagandists deliberately manipulate
logic in order to promote their cause.
 Example:
 Premise 1: Hillary Clinton supports
gun-control legislation.
 Premise 2: All fascist regimes of
the twentieth century have passed
gun-control legislation.
 Conclusion: Hillary Clinton is a
fascist.

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10 Commandments of Propaganda
(1937 - Institute for Propaganda Analysis)
 Divide and conquer  Use "expert" testimonial.
 Tell the people what they want.  Always refer to the "authority"
of your sources.
 The bigger the lie, the more
people will believe it.  Stack the cards with
"information."
 Always appeal to the lowest
common denominator.  A confused people are easily
led.
 Generalize as much as
possible.  Get the "plain folks" onto the
"bandwagon."