Propaganda Techniques

Organized techniques of propaganda (a.k.a. weaponized deception) have been successfully applied in politics and war since at least World War One. 

Books on propaganda and were best sellers in the 1920's.

Propaganda is so powerful it was used to trick the educated and egailarian people of Germany into a disastrous Second World War some 20 years later after their disastrous participation in the First World War. 

Today, few people recognize the techniques of propaganda, or the fact that they are almost constantly immersed in propaganda.

 

AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.

AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.

AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.

APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.

APPEAL TO PREJUDICE: Opponents are [prejudicial statement].

APPEAL TO PRIDE: You are better than they are.

BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it so it's good.

BIG LIE: "If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."

BLIND I: Cheering actions loathed if taken by opponents.

BROKEN RECORD: Eternally repeat a lie and it eventually becomes accepted as truth.

CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, ignore massive opposing evidence.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: See Pavlov's dog.

CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular politics buries damaging facts.

CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader accepted/portrayed as religious figure.

DECEPTION: Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie (foundation of most propaganda techniques).

DICTAT: Leader said it, therefore it is true (even if obviously false).

DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information (see muddy the water).

DISTRACTION: Change the subject.

DOOR IN THE FACE: Slight reduction in massively inflated price achieves sale.

EUPHEMISM: Friendly sounding terms blunt ugly facts. "Imprisoning opponents is a kindness."

EUPHORIA: "We are winning!" (whether winning or not).

EXAGGERATION: "No one has ever been more successful than me."

FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: Since one [person type] does it, all persons of that type do it.

FALSE COMPARISON: Guns are like hammers.

FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support [dictator name] or things will go badly.

FLAG WAVING: Appeal to patriotism.

FOOT IN THE DOOR: Give a tiny gift, expect lifetime loyalty.

GASLIGHTING: Calculated deception causes targets to doubt their perceptions.

GISH GALLOP: Rapidly bombarding with complex ideas.

GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning.

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Cab driver seen as guilty as murderer.

HALF TRUTH: The sky is not blue.

INTENTIONAL VAGUENESS: Broad statement allows audience to hear what they want.

LABELING: Dividing people against themselves (left/right, liberal/conservative).

LOADED LANGUAGE: WTC attack site called "ground zero" (location of a nuclear detonation).

LOVE BOMBING: Provide new family, destroy real family.

MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Whining about reporting skews future coverage.

MISINFORMATION: Children threaten national security.

MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, flag waving).

MINIMIZATION: Enemy agents are harmless.

MUDDY THE WATER: War is peace (see deception, disinformation, gaslighting, etc.).

NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].

NON-SEQUITUR: "Some lies are so false they are true."

OBFUSCATION: Making the simple complex.

OPERANT CONDITIONING: Programmed imitation of leaders.

OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.

PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.

PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime you are committing.

QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT: "My opponent says I lie" becomes "I lie."

RATIONALIZATION: "We had to kill the dissidents to save others."

RED HERRING: Claiming compelling but unrelated "shiny object" invalidates facts.

SCAPEGOATING: Assigning blame rather than addressing facts or seeking solutions.

SLOGANS: "Bumper sticker" arguments, "Stop plate tectonics."

SMEAR: Attacking opponents' character (see labeling).

STEREOTYPING: They are [stereotyped group], therefore they all do [stereotype].

STRAW MAN: Creating a false premise then attacking it.

TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.

THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.

THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: She may be correct, but common sense ain't common.

TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack opponent's delivery.

VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" enemies.

VIRTUE WORDS: Kind incorrect words, "angelic" allies.

WHATABOUTISM: Ignore facts, charge opponent with hypocrisy.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------- October 2, 2019 version above -------------------------------------------------------------

 

Propaganda Techniques

 

The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1926, yet few people recognize them today.

 

AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.

AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.

AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.

APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.

APPEAL TO PREJUDICE: Opponents are [prejudicial statement].

APPEAL TO PRIDE: You are better than they are.

BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it so it's good.

BIG LIE: "If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."

BLIND I: Cheering actions loathed if taken by opponents.

BROKEN RECORD: Eternally repeat same thing, same way.

CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, ignore massive opposing evidence.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: See Pavlov's dog.

CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular politics buries damaging facts.

CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader accepted/portrayed as religious figure.

DECEPTION: Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie (foundation of most propaganda techniques).

DICTAT: Leader said it, therefore it is true (even if obviously false).

DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information (see muddy the water).

DISTRACTION: Change the subject.

DOOR IN THE FACE: Slight reduction in massively inflated price achieves sale.

EUPHEMISM: Friendly sounding terms blunt ugly facts. "Imprisoning opponents is a kindness."

EUPHORIA: "We are winning!" (whether winning or not).

EXAGGERATION: "No one has ever been more successful than me."

FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: Since one [person type] does it, all persons of that type do it.

FALSE COMPARISON: Guns are like hammers.

FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support [dictator name] or things will go badly.

FLAG WAVING: Appeal to patriotism.

FOOT IN THE DOOR: Give a tiny gift, expect lifetime loyalty.

GASLIGHTING: Calculated deception causes targets to doubt their perceptions.

GISH GALLOP: Rapidly bombarding with complex ideas.

GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning.

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Cab driver seen as guilty as murderer.

HALF TRUTH: The sky is not blue.

INTENTIONAL VAGUENESS: Broad statement allows audience to hear what they want.

LABELING: Dividing people against themselves (left/right, liberal/conservative).

LOADED LANGUAGE: WTC attack site called "ground zero" (location of a nuclear detonation).

LOVE BOMBING: Provide new family, destroy real family.

MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Whining about reporting skews future coverage.

MISINFORMATION: Children threaten national security.

MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, flag waving).

MINIMIZATION: Enemy agents are harmless.

MUDDY THE WATER: War is peace (see deception, disinformation, gaslighting, etc.).

NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].

NON-SEQUITUR: "Some lies are so false they are true."

OBFUSCATION: Making the simple complex.

OPERANT CONDITIONING: Programmed imitation of leaders.

OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.

PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.

PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime you are committing.

QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT: "My opponent says I lie" becomes "I lie."

RATIONALIZATION: "We had to kill the dissidents to save others."

RED HERRING: Claiming compelling but unrelated "shiny object" invalidates facts.

SCAPEGOATING: Assigning blame rather than addressing facts or seeking solutions.

SLOGANS: "Bumper sticker" arguments, "Stop plate tectonics."

SMEAR: Attacking opponents' character (see labeling).

STEREOTYPING: They are [stereotyped group], therefore they all do [stereotype].

STRAW MAN: Creating a false premise then attacking it.

TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.

THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.

THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: She may be correct, but common sense ain't common.

TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack opponent's delivery.

VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" enemies.

VIRTUE WORDS: Kind incorrect words, "angelic" allies.

WHATABOUTISM: Ignore facts, charge opponent with hypocrisy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------------ Original version follows, edited version of April 30, 2019 above  ----------------------------

Propaganda Techniques

 

The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1926, yet few people recognize them today.

 

AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.;

AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.;

AGENDA SETTING: Statements "suck all the oxygen" out of news and debate.;

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY: [Leader name] likes it, you do too.;

APPEAL TO FEAR: Be afraid, be very afraid.;

APPEAL TO PREJUDICE: Opponents are [prejudicial statement].;

APPEAL TO PRIDE: You are better than they are.;

BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it so it's good.;

BIG LIE: "If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.";

BLIND I: Cheering actions loathed if taken by opponents.;

BROKEN RECORD: Eternally repeat same thing, same way.

CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, ignore massive opposing evidence;

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: See Pavlov's dog.;

CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular politics buries damaging facts.;

CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader accepted/portrayed as religious figure.;

DECEPTION: Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie. (foundation of most propaganda techniques);

DICTAT: Leader said it, therefore it is true. (even if obviously false);

DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information. (see muddy the water);

DISTRACTION: Change the subject.

DOOR IN THE FACE: Slight reduction in massively inflated price achieves sale.;

EUPHEMISM: Friendly sounding terms blunt ugly facts. "Imprisoning opponents is a kindness.";

EUPHORIA: We are winning! (whether winning or not);

EXAGGERATION: "No one has ever been more successful than me.";

FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: Since one [person type] does it, all persons of that type do it.;

FALSE COMPARISON: Guns are like hammers.;

FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support [dictator name] or things will go badly.;

FLAG WAVING: Appeal to patriotism.;

FOOT IN THE DOOR: Give a tiny gift, expect lifetime loyalty.;

GASLIGHTING: Calculated deception causes targets to doubt their perceptions.;

GISH GALLOP: Rapidly bombarding with complex ideas.:

GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning.;

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Cab driver seen as guilty as murderer.;

HALF TRUTH: The sky is not blue.;

INTENTIONAL VAGUENESS: Broad statement allows audience to hear what they want.;

LABELING: Dividing people against themselves (left/right, liberal/conservative).;

LOADED LANGUAGE: WTC attack site called "ground zero" (location of a nuclear detonation).

LOVE BOMBING: Provide new family, destroy real family.;

MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Whining about reporting skews future coverage.;

MISINFORMATION: Children threaten national security.;

MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control. (see love bombing, flag waving);

MINIMIZATION: Enemy agents are harmless.;

MUDDY THE WATER: War is peace. (see deception, disinformation, gaslighting, etc.);

NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].;

NON-SEQUITUR: "Some lies are so false they are true.";

OBFUSCATION: Making the simple complex.;

OPERANT CONDITIONING: Programmed imitation of leaders.;

OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.;

PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.;

PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime you are committing.;

QUOTES OUT OF CONTEXT: "My opponent says I lie" becomes "I lie.";

RATIONALIZATION: "We had to kill the dissidents to save others.";

RED HERRING: Claiming compelling but unrelated "shiny object" invalidates facts.;

SCAPEGOATING: Assigning blame rather than addressing facts or seeking solutions.;

SLOGANS: "Bumper sticker" arguments, "Stop plate tectonics.";

SMEAR: Attacking opponents' character. (see labeling);

STEREOTYPING: They are [stereotyped group], therefore they all do [stereotype].;

STRAW MAN: Creating a false premise then attacking it.;

TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.;

THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.;

THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: She may be correct, but common sense ain't common.;

TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack opponent's delivery.;

VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" allies.

VIRTUE WORDS: Kind incorrect words, "angelic" allies.;

WHATABOUTISM: Ignore facts, charge opponent with hypocrisy.