Classic propaganda

Most of us know it when we think we can feel it, see it, or smell it.

The technique is most classical in human history. Basically a main tenet is that if you say white is black long enough, then enough people will both believe it, and repeat it as their truth.

Now propaganda is close to marketing, but still different. Marketing tends to focus on telling humans how some product can satisfy their needs. Propaganda tends to focus on just what is going on, i.e., the truth.

Many know how to use propaganda. The famous quote attributed to former President Harry Truman comes to mind: “They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin's.” He was referring to the Marines, by the way.

Having been a Marine Recruiter, I also know the old time phrase “don’t trust me…my lips are moving”. Just whether I was using marketing or propaganda techniques is always up for grabs. But to me I was using “marketing techniques”. And trying to get someone to vote with their feet and life is a tough sell anytime.

A tougher situation is arguing and debating what is going on in the USA today. My report where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee is that the amount of misinformation people consume in their own way reflects somewhat that propaganda techniques are working, or so I “smelled”. For example, I am still hearing that Gore was the “legally” elected President in 2000. I was incredulous, and my source said this without any prompting. In fact, it was volunteered.

Anyway, if we get to a pitch forks in the streets type of situation, be aware some of these people are propaganda influenced. In other words, they believe what they are saying and doing. It is less a morals question, in my opinion.

In the same vein, many of these same people may be both toned down and differently motivated when they go hungry, or the electricity doesn’t come on to provide lights, keep their refrigerators and freezers working, or even pump the gas for their car.

Maybe they will even consider other points of view. Two examples are “just the facts mam” from the old TV series with Jack Webb, and “the rule of law” as presently established by our USA Constitution.

After all, never ever let the truth interfere with a good story. And nothing screws up a good story like an eye witness.