Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by jennifer_vars
Propaganda by Edward Bernays
dark
informative
fast-paced
3.5
"That propaganda easily seduces even those whom it most horrifies is a paradox that Bernays grasped completely; and it is one that we must try at last to understand, if we want to change the world that Edward Bernays, among others, made for us".
There is so much anxiety in the world. We are inundated with information about COVID, discrimination, food shortages and now a major war in Europe. In the midst of all of this, society just expects everyone to go about life like business as usual.
The psyche can only take so much.
Well-meaning people are checking out. They feel like there is nothing they can do or their mental state doesn't allow them to follow the news on a regular basis.
It's important that we don't check out because there is something important that we can do. We can recognize and call out misinformation when we see it, from wherever it is coming from. We can be careful about what posts we like and what things we share.
There is a real war with real people losing their homes and lives in Europe, so let's not be so quick to only talk about gas prices going up.
Pay attention to the manufacturing of outrage by special interests in the US. Is it really about the social and cultural war issues or could it be something else? Don't ever think that things can't get worse. Don't ever think that an authoritarian regime like we see in Russia can't happen in America.
Both of these tragedies are fueled by influential people using their power and knowledge of human psychology and propaganda for evil means.
The author of this book was a propagandist himself, considered the father of propaganda and public relations. Interestingly enough, he argues that propaganda is not innately bad-but it must be done with integrity and virtue. In modern times, how can it be kept from abuse?
It's important to note too that it was written in 1928. It's not just the tools used that are important (newspaper, radio, television, Facebook, YouTube, etc). It's the desires, habits and emotions of humans.
Propaganda will never die out. We can try though to be cognizant when it's being used for ill purposes to spread disinformation and do our best to choose not to amplify it.
There is so much anxiety in the world. We are inundated with information about COVID, discrimination, food shortages and now a major war in Europe. In the midst of all of this, society just expects everyone to go about life like business as usual.
The psyche can only take so much.
Well-meaning people are checking out. They feel like there is nothing they can do or their mental state doesn't allow them to follow the news on a regular basis.
It's important that we don't check out because there is something important that we can do. We can recognize and call out misinformation when we see it, from wherever it is coming from. We can be careful about what posts we like and what things we share.
There is a real war with real people losing their homes and lives in Europe, so let's not be so quick to only talk about gas prices going up.
Pay attention to the manufacturing of outrage by special interests in the US. Is it really about the social and cultural war issues or could it be something else? Don't ever think that things can't get worse. Don't ever think that an authoritarian regime like we see in Russia can't happen in America.
Both of these tragedies are fueled by influential people using their power and knowledge of human psychology and propaganda for evil means.
The author of this book was a propagandist himself, considered the father of propaganda and public relations. Interestingly enough, he argues that propaganda is not innately bad-but it must be done with integrity and virtue. In modern times, how can it be kept from abuse?
It's important to note too that it was written in 1928. It's not just the tools used that are important (newspaper, radio, television, Facebook, YouTube, etc). It's the desires, habits and emotions of humans.
Propaganda will never die out. We can try though to be cognizant when it's being used for ill purposes to spread disinformation and do our best to choose not to amplify it.