Propoganda: It's Everywhere!

Q: What forms of propaganda have you encountered lately?

A: After reading Wikipedia's definition of propaganda, I'd say quite a few. Here are just several examples I noticed this week:

1. Testimonials. I've been looking on eBay for a good pair of earplugs (I live in a noisy area), and have come across many listings that feature testimonials, which are a form of propaganda. Sure, they might be from real people who are telling the truth about their experiences, but they are put up by companies to influence a person's opinion without necessarily showing all sides. And come on, how many negative testimonials are you going to see in an ad? The purpose of propaganda is to influence, not inform.

2. T.V. commercials. OK, this one is rather obvious. But I just wanted to talk a little about one commercial I saw in particular, namely the new Gap ad, which resurrects Audrey Hepburn to sell skinny black pants. Obviously, the Gap is using a classic icon to appeal to fans of the late movie star, in a form of the propaganda technique of quoting out of context. As if Audrey Hepburn would be caught dead (heh) selling herself out so shamelessly to advertise merchandise made in some poor third world country. As Lisa de Moraes of the Washington Post protests in her article, "It’s a crime and a sin what the Gap has done to her." I agree.

3. Spike Lee's documentary, When the Levees Broke. We watched parts of this film in my MCOM 105 class. It's about four hours long, but utterly riveting and heart wrenching all the way. It tells the story of the devastation or Hurricane Katrina and the government's (lack of) response through the eyes of the people of New Orleans. Again, I'd imagine that all of the facts presented in the documentary are for the most part true, but the film is only presented from one side. It uses emotional appeals to the extreme, showing bodies floating in the water and lingering on the tears of the victims. Now, before someone gets the wrong idea, I want to say that I do not think this was a malicious use of propaganda. A documentary does not need to explore all points of view, and in this case I think the perspective shown is one that needs to be seen. People should just be aware that it is a biased perspective.

4. The Kite Runner. I'm still exploring whether or not to keep this one on the list. It seems, in creating propaganda, that the key lies in the intent of the author. Was Khaled Hosseini trying to influence the opinions of the reader, or was he simply writing good fiction? So far I'm seeing hints of stereotyping, and a lot of emotional appeals. You could argue that all novels are tainted by the views of their creators, but something tells me this book has more than your average dose of persuasion...