Propaganda Techniques

by Groff Schroeder

 

 

The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1917. Just 20 years after the disastrous First World War, propaganda led the educated and egalitarian people of Germany into a disastrous Second World War. Even after the propaganda attack on the 2016 election, many Americans appear unfamiliar with the techniques of propaganda.

 

 

AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.

AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.

AGENDA SETTING: "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 PRIDE: You are better than they are.

BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it. Hop on-board!

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

BLACK AND WHITE: "You are with us or against us."

BLIND I: Ignoring ally actions opponents are attacked for.

BROKEN RECORD: Eternal repetition, same thing, same way.

CHERRY PICKING: Hype tiny supporting evidence, conceal massive opposing evidence

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: Politician plays popular song, gains support (see Pavlov's dog).

CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular event buries damaging facts.

CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader becomes religious figure.

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

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

DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information.

DISTRACTION: Quick, change the subject!

DIVIDE AND CONQUER: Pit opponents against themselves.

DOUBLE ENTENDRE: Miners refuse to work after death.

ECHO CHAMBER: Interweaved stovepiped media amplifies its own disinformation.

EUPHEMISM: Friendly terms blunt ugly facts. "They tortured opponents quietly."

EUPHORIA: Things are excellent! (Even when they're terrible.)

EXAGGERATION: "There has never been anything greater than this, ever."

FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: One person does it, so all people do it.

FALSE COMPARISON: Piloting is like driving 1000 cars.

FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support leader or else.

FLAG WAVING: Patriotic symbols valued over national foundations.

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

GASLIGHTING: Deception encouraging targets to doubt their own perceptions.

GISH GALLOP: Speedily discharging convoluted concepts.

GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning (aka B.S.).

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Shop keeper who talked to opponent condemned as opponent.

HALF TRUTH: The politician ran down their opponent.

HYPERBOLE: The comedian killed the audience.

CREATIVE VAGUENESS: Broad statements lets audiences hear what they want.

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

LOADED LANGUAGE: "The site" of conventional attack labeled "ground zero."

LOVE BOMBING: Destroy family, provide new family.;

MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Complaining about unfavorable reports induces favorable reports.

MISINFORMATION: Disinformation spread unintentionally (see pseudo-environment).

MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, pseudo-environment).

MINIMIZATION: "Enemy agents are harmless."

MUDDY THE WATER: Confusing distractions.

NAME CALLING: Opponent is a [dirty name].

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

OBFUSCATION: Devising the uncomplicated as knotty.

OPERANT CONDITIONING: Carrot and stick.

OPINION AS FACT: "The moon is cheese so the landings were faked."

OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.

PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.

PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime(s) you are committing.

PSEUDO-ENVIRONMENT: Propaganda manufactured interpersonal situation of meshing falsehoods.

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

RATIONALIZATION: "We killed the dissidents to save their families."

RED HERRING: Distraction with "shiny/smelly object."

SCAPEGOATING: Fixing blame, not problems.

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

SMEAR: Falsely attacking opponents' character.

SPECULATION: Predicting the future.

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

STOVEPIPING: Restricting information sources to avoid learning facts (see pseudo-environment).

STRAW MAN: Create false premise, then attack it.

TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.

THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.

THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: "Don't be silly."

TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack delivery.

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

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

WHATABOUTISM: Distract with charge of hypocrisy.

 

 

Published October 3, 2018 in the Colorado Springs Independent with the quote below.

 

"Lies bewitch us, if we want to be bewitched."

Marty Rubin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----------------------------------  Original version below, edited version of September 11, 2019 above ----------------------------------- 

 

Propaganda Techniques

by Groff Schroeder

 

The techniques of propaganda have been successfully applied in politics and war since 1917. Just 20 years after the disastrous First World War, propaganda led the educated and egalitarian people of Germany into a disastrous Second World War. Even after the propaganda attack on the 2016 election, many Americans appear unfamiliar with the techniques of propaganda.

 

 

AD HOMINEM: Personal attack.;

AD NAUSEAM: Regurgitate until accepted.;

AGENDA SETTING: "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 PRIDE: You are better than they are.;

BANDWAGON: Everybody's doing it. Hop on-board!.;

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

BLACK AND WHITE: "You are with us or against us.;"

BLIND I: Ignoring ally actions opponents are attacked for.;

BROKEN RECORD: Eternal repetition, same thing, same way.;

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

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: Politician plays popular song, gains support (see Pavlov's dog).;

CRISIS MANIPULATION: Spectacular event buries damaging facts.;

CULT OF PERSONALITY: Leader becomes religious figure.;

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

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

DISINFORMATION: Incorrect information.;

DISTRACTION: Quick, change the subject!;

DIVIDE AND CONQUER: Pit opponents against themselves.;

DOUBLE ENTENDRE: Miners refuse to work after death.;

ECHO CHAMBER: Interweaved stovepiped media amplifies its own disinformation.;

EUPHEMISM: Friendly terms blunt ugly facts. "They tortured opponents quietly.";

EUPHORIA: Things are excellent! (Even when they're terrible.);

EXAGGERATION: "There has never been anything greater than this, ever.";

FALLACY OF COMPOSITION: One person does it, so all people do it.;

FALSE COMPARISON: Piloting is like driving 1000 cars.;

FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT: Support leader or else.;

FLAG WAVING: Patriotic symbols valued over national foundations.;

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

GASLIGHTING: Deception encouraging targets to doubt their own perceptions.;

GISH GALLOP: Speedily discharging convoluted concepts.:

GLITTERING GENERALITIES: Enthralling statements with no actual meaning (aka B.S.).;

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Shop keeper who talked to opponent condemned as opponent.;

HALF TRUTH: The politician ran down their opponent.;

HYPERBOLE: The comedian killed the audience.;

CREATIVE VAGUENESS: Broad statements lets audiences hear what they want.;

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

LOADED LANGUAGE: "The site" of conventional attack labeled "ground zero.";

LOVE BOMBING: Destroy family, provide new family.;

MANIPULATING THE NEWS: Complaining about unfavorable reports induces favorable reports.;

MISINFORMATION: Disinformation spread unintentionally (see pseudo-environment).;

MILIEU CONTROL: Social environment creates control (see love bombing, pseudo-environment).;

MINIMIZATION: "Enemy agents are harmless.";

MUDDY THE WATER: Confusing distractions.;

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

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

OBFUSCATION: Devising the uncomplicated as knotty.;

OPERANT CONDITIONING: Carrot and stick.;

OPINION AS FACT: "The moon is cheese so the landings were faked.";

OVERSIMPLIFICATION: There is no alternative to war.;

PLAIN FOLKS: Join us common people.;

PROJECTION: Accusing opponent of crime(s) you are committing.;

PSEUDO-ENVIRONMENT: Propaganda manufactured interpersonal situation of meshing falsehoods.;

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

RATIONALIZATION: "We killed the dissidents to save their families.";

RED HERRING: Distraction with "shiny/smelly object.";

SCAPEGOATING: Fixing blame, not problems.;

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

SMEAR: Falsely attacking opponents' character.;

SPECULATION: Predicting the future.;

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

STOVEPIPING: Restricting information sources to avoid learning facts (see pseudo-environment).;

STRAW MAN: Create false premise, then attack it.;

TESTIMONIAL: Celebrity support.;

THIRD PARTY: Partisan plays independent.;

THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHE: "Don't be silly.";

TONE ATTACK: Ignore facts, attack delivery.;

VICE WORDS: Unkind incorrect words, "demonic" opponents.;

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

WHATABOUTISM: Distract with charge of hypocrisy.

 

 

Published October 3, 2018 in the Colorado Springs Independent with the quote below.

 

"Lies bewitch us, if we want to be bewitched."

Marty Rubin