This is Your Brain on Propaganda

[Q]

This is Your Brain on Propaganda

December 10, 2003

By Maureen Farrell

Last January, a group of prominent business leaders bought an advertisement in the Wall Street Journal and, in an open letter to George W. Bush, reacted to the impending war. "The candidate we supported in 2000 promised a more humble nation in our dealings with the world," they wrote. "We gave him our votes and our campaign contributions. That candidate was you. We feel betrayed. We want our money back. We want our country back."

Deeming war "the most extreme action a society can take" which "can only be unleashed after exploring every other road," these traditional conservatives chided Bush on several fronts. "You have not explored all the roads," they continued. "A billion bitter enemies will rise out of this war."

Most prescient were their warnings about postwar Iraq. "Our jaws drop when we read that you may decide we have to occupy Iraq for years, that the next ruler of Iraq may be ... an American general!" they wrote. "Is there anyone who thinks that will work? Your odds of success are infinitesimal! The world wants Saddam Hussein disarmed. But you must find a better way to do it. Why would you lead us into a situation where we are bound to fail?"

This ad was but a blip in a torrent of conservative opposition to the war -- an opposition that the mass media relentlessly painted as the province of the far left fringe. The ad was also one of many sources I sent to an acquaintance, in a rather pointless attempt to convince her that opposition to the war went beyond, as she persistently argued, the distorted rants of socialist Saddam lovers. Nevertheless, she insisted on framing conversations with "liberals think this way" and "Democrats think that way" and before long, I realized that she was clinging to a media-manufactured reality. "To me, a liberated Iraq means another place to visit with my husband when my kids go to camp in the summer," she wrote. "I will spend lots of his money on souvenirs, thus helping their economy."

It’s one thing to have sound disagreements based upon philosophical differences, varied perceptions and alternate interpretations of events, it’s another to unquestionably drink in the official story. How do otherwise intelligent people readily buy into such garbage? Is there a sea of vacant-eyed Stepford Citizens out there, just waiting to buy trinkets and knickknacks at the Baghdad Wal-mart?

- Continues: http://www.buzzflash.com/farrell/03/12/far03005.html

--------------------

- I hope that DUers and Democrats in general think twice before they quote and spread rumors manufactured by RWing Propagandists. Bush* is a product being sold by liars who want to win at any cost. Let's not help them accomplish their goals.

- This is a great article. Read it and THINK before setting your little fingers in motion.

[DeathvadeR]

1. No.. This is your brain on propaganda!!!!!!

<>

media-manufactured reality

[Q]

2. Good one...and that's exactly what the author is getting at...

...in the article.

- We've come to the point in America where many on the LEFT believe the Bushie propaganda...that only liberals are against this war...that the people LOVE Bush and think he's a 'great leader'...that the war in Iraq has anything to do with 9-11.

- I hope and pray that Democrats wake the hell up and stop repeating the misinformation and propaganda of the Right.

[redqueen]

4. I hear you

All this talk about staying in Iraq for years... I take it they want the right to succeed in dismantling the New Deal programs which have provided the safety net for the most vulnerable Americans for decades.

:shrug:

[Capn Sunshine]

19. many people on the left also believe

the Bushie propaganda that we need a "strong leader who will be tough on terrorism"

[jokerman93]

3. Vacant-eyed Stepford citizens...

"Is there a sea of vacant-eyed Stepford Citizens out there, just waiting to buy trinkets and knickknacks at the Baghdad Wal-mart?"

ummm...yeah. Haven't you seen them? They're everywhere.

But remember the secret they don't want you to know. There's still ALLOT more of us than there are of them.

BTW: Hollywood is doing a remake of Stepford Wives. Timely.

[Q]

8. There may be more of us...but THEY own the media...

...and use 'fascist' tactics to silence our voices.

- I've noticed more than a few Dems lately saying that we shouldn't support this or that candidate because the RWing will use their past to attack us. This is EXACTLY how they define our candidates for us and make us afraid to express our opinions and defend our principles.

- But above all...we must be aware that they use propaganda to divide us and make us suspicious of each other. At the same time they're propping up Bush* by spreading lies about his intentions and so-called 'leadership' skills. But Bush* is NOT the man portrayed by a not-so-free press.

[jokerman93]

15. Yes Indeed Q I Agree

The basic advantage of the RW is that they are using powerful NLP techniques on a Nationwide scale in order to control the discourse. (Read up on NLP first if you think I'm a tinfoiler.)

In other words, they understand that as long as they control the discourse; as long as they are able to determine the "meaning" of things, and "we" merely try to justify ourselves in reaction to the rules of discourse that they set --- then we will lose.

Take a lesson from General Clark who apparently understands that this is a war of Language. He is precise in his diction and his meaning. He does not allow anyone to control the meaning of his language. He controls the discourse.

Take a lesson from Arnold -- we'll deal with the groping after the election. Yes he did deal with it, didn't he? He dispensed with the dialogue altogether. He controls the discourse.

This is not necessarily a result of the "media". The media is apowerful delivery tool, but it's possible to stop a manipulator dead in their tracks if you know his/her techniques for controling the discourse.

on edit:
NLP = Neuro Linguistic Programming

[SeattleRob]

5. this one deserves a kick!

We need to spread the word here. Seeing so much of the Rove BS repeated as fact, it's enough to drive a man to drink!

:kick:

[bpilgrim]

6. excellent post!

thanks q :toast:

that IS the elephant in the room right now and no one knows it because it isn't reported by the CORPORATE MEDIA... yet.

but JUST LIKE the HISTORIC demonstrations around the world BEFORE the first shoot was fired - well, i take that back since we had been BOMBING them for OVER a decade - and they couldn't be IGNORED any longer.

the fatcats are petrified and they don't have a CLUE.

the 'paleo'-conservatives are not happy campers right now and they will have an impact during this campaign sooner-or-later.

:hi:

peace

[jpgray]

7. Another Q post I wholly agree with

They print the news in the most polarizing fashion--the only news our candidates get is when they have ill words for each other--and we are all too happy to buy into it because it supports our own petty biases once in a great while. Shame on all of us.

[Q]

9. Great insight.

- We can do much better than this...once we realize that it's the 'other side' trying to divide us with stories like 'Gore's betrayal'. Day after day the media repeats the Bushie mantra that being against Bush* or his policies is anti-American or anti-military.

- And indeed...shame on us if we help them destroy America by not speaking out and supporting those trying to defend the Constitution and equal justice.

[Q]

10. I call on all DUers...

...to read this and the many other articles available on the web about the 'vast' right wing propaganda machine.

- It's not a 'conspiracy theory'. The American media is complicit in the most horrible 'protecton racket' in US history...covering up the crimes of the Bush* administration and at the same time manufacturing 'consent' for their criminal policies.

- Please don't wait for the 2004 election in the hope that a Democrat wins. This propaganda/smear machine will stay in place even if a Democrat wins the White House. Call or write your representatives and demand hearings and investigations on the many scandals and outright criminal activity of the Bush* WH.

- This is no time for 'moderation'.

[Iverson]

11. well, Q ...

When the occasion arises, I teach my students logical reasoning and techniques of propaganda so that they can see through all that crap. On the other hand, I'm the evil Green menace, so it's a mixed blessing.

[redqueen]

17. Moderation, no. Reason, yes.

We can't keep looking at politics as if it's a football game. Just because our 'team' wins doesn't guarantee that the PEOPLE win.

"This propaganda/smear machine will stay in place even if a Democrat wins the White House."

That's very true. Now, ask yourself... why didn't Clinton get a bill similar to the Fairness Doctrine enacted during his two years with a mostly Democratic congress? That's what he said he'd do during the campaign... so what happened?

Could it be that most Democrats are whored out to corporate masters too?

"The American media is complicit in the most horrible 'protecton racket' in US history...covering up the crimes of the Bush* administration and at the same time manufacturing 'consent' for their criminal policies."

What strikes me is that you seem to think the media isn't covering up any Democratic crimes / betrayals. Democrats aren't saints. Many aren't far from being Republicans.

We're being led down the garden path of demonization. We demonize the right, therefore we vote for any Democrat no matter how counterproductive to our interests just to keep the other side out of power. They do the same. This guarantees a lock on power by those that bribe them once we elect them.

It has to stop!

*sigh*

[Cocoa]

12. a very good article, except...

to draw conclusions from message board posts is simply useless. Right-wing columnists do this all the time, to prove such things as that antiwar people are pro-Saddam. If someone wanted to to this, they could very easily find "proof" right here at DU. And they do. But it's not true, not even close.

What she writes about public people like pundits is a different story. The fact that there are people in influential positions telling us outrageous lies and nonsense is a very good thing for us to realize and think about.

But not so with message board posts. It is a fact that message boards are packed with utter nonsense, including conspiracy theories, but it's more of a fact that there is also some very clear thinking. Maybe an analysis could be done on the ratio between the two, but anecdotal evidence like in that column doesn't mean hardly anything.

[Q]

13. A kick for the after...

...nooners.

[opihimoimoi]

14. It seems a Nation of Stepford Sheep is what we have, Oh Lordy

and Nary a cure in sight.

The Pub Masters want this to continue as they enjoy those trips to the Bahamas and drive those Hummers.

Change, ?? don't bet on it soon

Those Sheep should open their eyes.. when they do, they will know they got sold down the river.

Go ask the Californians about their wonderful Actor Gov they got... now that he is revealed to go back on his word... He is a liar and he ne is revealed.

[Dr.Phool]

16. "Great job"

I volunteer a few hours on Mondays at our local Florida Dems HQ. I got a phone call from some wing-nut radio station in Texass. They asked what I thought about the job Bush is doing.

I told them that he was an unmitigated disaster, and the country couldn't survive 4 more years of him. They said they think he's doing a great job.

I replied that proves that petrochemical pollution in Texass causes brain damage. After sputtering for a few seconds they repeated the great job line. I replied that any working person who voted for a Republican was tantamount to a chicken supporting Col. Sanders.

All they could do was keep saying "We think he's doing a great job.!"

After about 5 minutes of this nonsense, and not being able to name even 1 right thing he's done in 3 years, They hung up on me, and I was just getting started

:wtf:

musta been something I said

[Malva Zebrina]

18. good article by Maureen Farrell

I don't think it is a good idea to blindly follow anyone--to assign anyone a "leader" status that is akin to adoration of a god--it is important to be able to discern what the "right thing to do" is--but blindly following anyone, is surely to lead to as much untrue, and propaganda as that which Bush uses. That is true for both sides.

It is important to remain true to yourself--I think that it is important to know that there are people on both sides of the equation that would take advantage of their celebrity status to enhance their own egos and who would depend upon sheep to add to their own idea of who they are and how much manipulation and power they can muster by their clever use of propaganda.

I think it best to be acutely aware--know the difference between the right thing to do and the wrong thing to do. I think it best to not blindly support ANYONE--and do not ever follow like little adolescent sheep being led over the cliff of ecstatic adoration -- or else! I think it best to always interpret and inform yourself. I think it not so important to be a member of the "in crowd"--they will not be there for you on your death bed.

Always maintain your own integrity and make your own decisions is a sort of guide that I would follow, and do not be led into any action by which you are merely a tool of someone wanting to propagate themself, even if they sound as if they are indeed, a saviour on your side.

In the end, it is yourself and your own soul that is most important and the maintanence of your own abilities to make decision based on your own self and not upon another who would use you.

[reknewcomer]

20. Did Maureen Farrell vote for Bush?

I somehow doubt that she did.