Propaganda and the effect on people?

[Nikita K]

Hi guys.

So I need some help. I need to incorporate some more viewpoints into my ToK presentation, and while I have already posted the same thing in the TOK forum, I thought the topic would be relevant here as well, because I find it pretty debatable and interesting. I was hoping you guys could help me out- I just wanted to know your viewpoint on the topic of political propaganda and its consequences. I'm basically discussing the role that propaganda plays in shaping people and their outlooks.

Here are some other relevant questions you could consider:

Is all propaganda the same?

What are the ways to know propaganda?

Why does propaganda matter?

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all and any help!

[under-cover]

No, I don't think propaganda is all the same. But I think there is always that one similar motive: to change someone's views by deterring them from the whole truth, or manipulating in a particular way to sway your views.

Well, in general, I think you can spot propaganda by looking at the things that are clearly unobjective and more than often exaggerated. But, propaganda is obviously trying to make it the least obvious as possible, so it can't always be that obvious, making it more effective.

Why does propaganda matter? I think that it matters so much because we will forever be shaped at least partially by our surrounding and information that we receive from everything around us, and I believe propaganda imbalances so many of people's opinions and creates often very unpleasant views (e.g. extremely nationalistic). I hate the idea that someone else is trying to make me think a certain way only because they think their opinions are better or stronger or whatever. Also, I naturally always link the idea of propaganda to media and the whole glorification of everything on TV, especially America, which is seen like some kind of holy land to so many people (especially as a child, all my friends thought, and some still do, that America was the happiest, coolest and best place in the world, even though they'd only ever seen it on TV). I don't know, I just really hate the idea that things can be so determined by someone else just because they have the power to use propaganda on you.