1984 Propaganda

In the essay, “Propaganda: How Not to be Bamboozled,” and “The World of Doublespeak,” both authors discuss and explains the unusual types of propaganda and the misleading nature of doublespeak. First, Donna Woolfolk Cross describes the constructions and the specific methods propaganda presented in our day by day life, and how to avoid being tricked. Also Cross believes that it is important for People in a democratic society to be well informed about propaganda due to how people get manipulated into simply doing something except thinking. Additionally, Cross explains for us as readers the different sorts of propaganda and how we view the topics in a positive way. She highlights in her essay that propaganda is not continually negative; however, it also used in significant ways. Cross presents in her essay that there are thirteen different types of propaganda; such as Card Stacking, Name calling, and

In her essay, “Propaganda: How Not to Be Bamboozled”, author Donna Woolfolk Cross explains the different types of propaganda and how it is used in the United States. The essay was first published in Speaking of Words: A Language Reader (1977). Cross defines propaganda as “simply a means of persuasion and so it can be put to work for good causes as well as bad” (247). In her article she discusses how propaganda works and explains how propaganda is used with thirteen different devices to manipulate people’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas. She uses this essay as an informative piece, giving advice on how not to be manipulated by propaganda.

In the essay, “Propaganda: How Not to be Bamboozled,” and “The World of Doublespeak,” both authors discuss and explains the unusual types of propaganda and the misleading nature of doublespeak. First, Donna Woolfolk Cross describes the constructions and the specific methods propaganda presented in our day by day life, and how to avoid being tricked. Also Cross believes that it is important for people in a democratic society to be well informed about propaganda due to how people get manipulated into simply doing something except thinking. Additionally, Cross explains for us as readers the different sorts of propaganda and how we view the topics in a positive way. She highlights in her essay that propaganda is not continually negative; however, it also used in significant ways. Cross presents in her essay that there are thirteen different types of propaganda; such as Card Stacking, Name calling, and Glittering

When was the last time you were exposed to propaganda? If you think it was more than a day ago, you are probably unaware of what propaganda really is. According to Donna Woolfolk Cross in “Propaganda: How not to be Bamboozled,” propaganda is “simply a means of persuasion” (149). She further notes that we are subjected daily to propaganda in one form or another as advertisers, politicians, and even our friends attempt to persuade us to use their product, vote for them, or adopt their point of view. Propaganda is usually considered in a negative sense. However, when viewing propaganda as mere persuasion, one can readily appreicate that it is

No matter how beneficial or hurtful a leader is, propaganda is crucial for them to gain and maintain their power. These leaders use pathos, name-calling, and bandwagon propaganda just as Napoleon does in George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

Propaganda is a way of showing “tough love” and giving the citizens a false image in a dystopian society. This is the “bullet” in the party’s gun when it come to mind control. Brain washing opposes the citizens personal beliefs and forces them have more faith in the party. The main type of propaganda portrayed in the book is used to alter the truth: The party calls this action “doublethink.” This action is shown in the party's central theme, “War is peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength”(Orwell 4). The slogan assures the citizens that they are already living a life that they are craving to

Propaganda is used as a powerful tool in order to persuade and manipulate the general public into believing in another’s opinion. This device is mainly used by the government to promote warfare, political figures, and specific ideals. However, propaganda is not always used for positive feedback. This form of advertisement can enlist fear, suppress, and brainwash the population. In the novel 1984, propaganda is used in this manner of negativity. A few examples of this form of publicity is the language of Newspeak, the Party’s slogan, and the two-minute hate.

Rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, is a conventional tool employed in propaganda to manipulate the public. In Propaganda by Edward Bernays, modern propaganda is defined as “a consistent, enduring effort to create or shape events to influence the relations of the public to an enterprise, idea or group.” Manipulation is a quintessential quality in modern democracy—allowing the “executive arm of the invisible government” to control the public. For example, Hitler united a mass of people by reworking current movements and providing them with a sole leader and ideology—often using Nazi propaganda to foster a sense of community. Similarly, Bernays asserts that propaganda is often distributed by a select leader or utilized by the intelligent

“Big Brother is Watching You” (Orwell 2), is the most prominent example of propaganda in 1984. The slogan, which is plastered and over Oceania, gives off a threatening and dark tone. The slogan threatens Party members into doing as they are told and to keep themselves in check. Another popular propaganda slogan is, “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength” (Orwell 4). Throughout the novel, the citizens think that Oceania is constantly at war with other nations. Winston later learns that this is not true. This idea is instilled to spark patriotism

Woolfolk-Cross explains how name-calling, glittering generalities, plain-folk appeal, argumentum ad populum, argumentum ad hominem, transfer, bandwagon, faulty cause and effect, false analogy, begging the question, false dilemma, card-stacking, and testimonial are all types of propaganda (Woolfolk-Cross 210-218). Labeling people or ideas with a bad name automatically turns people off so they do not examine the subject well. Glittering generalities on the other hand stirs your emotions so you will not examine the subject well. According to Cross, the only way not to be bamboozled is to ask questions and challenge propaganda. If you are informed, then you will be able to know when propaganda is being

Propaganda is the most accessible and one of the most powerful forms of manipulation a government can use. In 1984 the Party plasters propaganda everywhere denouncing apposing countries and saying their three slogans, including the phrase “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (Orwell 6). This shows the relevance of Orwell’s predictions because world powers nowadays use lots of pro-country, anti-opposition, to keep their citizens ignorant and to remain in power. For example, as shown in the article “Keeping Kim: How North Korea’s Regime Stays in Power” there are many tactics used by Kim Jong Un to keep his dictatorship. One of those tactics is “propaganda against the United States” (Bryman and Lind). This is almost a direct reflection of the Party’s use of propaganda in our current time.

Propaganda has been used throughout history to promote and publicize a certain political cause or point of view. Propaganda gained its use by the German Nazi Party in the years leading up to and during Adolf Hitler’s leadership of Germany. It was a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining his corruption of power. The pervasive use of propaganda by the Nazis is largely responsible for the word “propaganda” itself acquiring its present negative reputation. In Nazi Germany posters of Jewish people with exaggerated features would be hung on buildings to make them appear like rats. These posters created an image in people’s minds that the Jewish people were not in fact humans and would lead to their oppression. The use of propaganda

"Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea." ( Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, 1926).

In the wide spectrum of politics, there are many manipulative tools that can be used to persuade an audience. In communist countries, such as Russia, government leaders use propaganda to convince their citizens to believe their actions are right. Just like in Animal Farm by George Orwell, Squealer consistently spreads propaganda to the other animals throughout the book. Similarly, Frank Luntz, a pollster and political consultant, often spreads his opinionated thoughts to the public. Using propaganda as a tool to influence the masses is not justifiable because it causes the masses to only hear one sided information and is often misunderstood.

The fact that wars give rise to intensive propaganda campaigns has made many people suppose that propaganda is something new. The truth is, it is not. The battle with persuasion for power and men’s minds is as old as human history (Casey, 1994d)