This I Believe

Propaganda - Good or Bad?

I’ve always found it interesting to study propaganda posters and imagines when they have been presented in my history classes. I’m sure we can all recognize the famous American propaganda images from World War II.

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 Most would agree that these images may seem a little over the top or ridiculous; particularly the poster on the right in that it’s wildly racists. However, these type of images were produced with the goal of getting Americans into the war effort. They were used to motivate, inspire, and occasionally put fear into the hearts of a people. With images like these, along with odd social incentives, Americans really did get into the war effort. People saved rubber, children collected tin foil from abandoned cigarette packs, and women went to work. Ultimately, the goal of the images worked. The people themselves began to understand that there was an enemy that needed to be feared and combatted against.

What’s interesting to consider is that American propaganda is not unlike any other countries’ material. It may be unsavory to consider it, but our methods of manipulation to gain support are not unlike the methods used by the Nazi party and the Soviets. The supposed enemy is demonized, and hard work and dedication to the war-effort is exemplified. Transnationally, the methods seem to be identical. However, it is examples such as these that give propaganda a negative connotation, when really it is simple a forward for of rhetoric.

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 It’s a type of rhetoric that is seemingly used only in dire times. Such blatant bias is rarely displayed in times of peace, political or otherwise. To take a modern example, though it’s not on the same level as world war propaganda, we’ve all seen propaganda-esqu posts on the Internet associated with the SOPA/PIPA act, and now the ACTA proposition. Some people have even changed their profile picture to something that references SOPA’s censorship. It’s fair to say that these posts and images have the same intention of war propaganda, and they are indeed propaganda. People opposed to SOPA/PIPA and ACTA hope to gain support by developing harsh imagery usually associated with censorship so people will support their cause, and oppose the legislation. 

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It is still interesting to consider that perhaps propaganda is a “last resort” form of rhetoric to convince and indoctrinate people. Most advertisers prefer to use less noticeable methods to sell their product or idea.

Pathos: the building blocks of advertisements.

It seems to me that most advertisements nowadays have their foundations in pathos. It also seems to be pretty lazy advertising when it comes down to it. If you think of nearly any commercial, it's almost always based on an appeal to your emotions. From the Sarah McLachlan commercials, to Axe body spray commercials, advertisers are always pulling on our heartstrings.

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But how much does this type of advertising really work? The Sarah McLachlan commercials rip your heart out and show it to you, but do you really pick up the phone...? And Axe commercials are just ridiculous... So how can this highly emotional appeal really improve sales? Usually, the emotional appeal is mixed with some logical or ethical appeal.

Maybe the Sarah McLachlan commercials, and others of the like succeed in that they do insert some logic and ethic appeal. The common phrase "for only twenty cents a day..." and "to save a dog like Ralphy..." really make a person feel like they could make difference with their twenty cents a day.

Hopefully the Axe commercials aren't fooling anyone. It's interesting to really watch the commercials and see that the guy is kind of average... but just add Axe and he suddenly has five or six super hot chicks all over him. Again, hopefully no one was tricked by that. If you were, it's okay... I guess. But on some level advertisers are hoping people watch these Ads, chuckle a little and give their product a shot.

I'm sure the dynamics of advertising are highly considered and calculated before any Ad is put out, but regardless, it's pretty interesting to examine how much commercials and such go right to the heart before anything else.

Turn off the TV... I mean, if you're not watching it...

Well, tonight my roommate had the 'Jersey Shore' on simply as background noise. I usually don't mind the show, and sometimes I can't help but laugh as some of the more ridiculous things that happen. Tonight, I felt like I was in some kind of torture chamber. I couldn’t stand to listen to them "Get crazy, get wild" for another second. For some reason, I just didn’t want to ask my roommate to turn it off. We usually just rip on the things they do and it proves to be a pretty good time.

I then found myself trying to figure out how best to convince her to turn it off, without actually having to be straightforward. At first, I thought I could just comment on how detestable I found the young ladies and gentlemen; like my opinions on the content of their characters would have the resounding effect to end the offensive program. What was I thinking..? Then, I thought making snide comments about other MTV shows would certainly get the job done. If there’s another season of Teen Mom, we definitely shouldn’t support MTV? Am I right? …This also proved to be ridiculous.

So finally, after two episodes of the Shore, I finally asked “So, are you still watching this..?” The answer of course was no, and I was left feeling foolish.

This then led me to consider the dangers of overly rhetorical thought. Surely when someone’s developing an argument of any substance (hopefully one that never includes my friends at the Shore), the writer has to develop ways to convince and sway his or her audience without losing them in stylized arguments and persuasive tactics. Certainly any piece of persuasive writing or conversation will require some tactics. A writer would have to draw on an individual’s beliefs or emotions, essentially ethos, pathos, and logos, to convince him or her. But how much rhetoric is too much? What are the limits to persuasive speech, and when does a writer lose his audience entirely?  I think it would be incredibly interesting to dissect failed arguments and persuasive speeches, and truly see what doesn’t work. We all have read and can understand good persuasive methods, but perhaps we could learn from outstanding failure as well.

I have to admit, my persuasive tactics tonight were weak. Bordering on plain stupid. If anything, tonight I learned the benefits of bluntness. Luckily, the ‘Jersey Shore’ will rarely be a show anyone needs talked out of watching. Rhetoric and persuasion can be saved for something a little less… mind numbing…