Greece Understanding Propaganda (gr)

(en) provo.gr: Understanding Propaganda (gr) [machine
translation]

Propaganda is a sum of techniques by one power centre to a homogenised -through 
psychological manipulation- group in order to ensure the active participation or tolerance 
or their consent. The basic characteristics of propaganda are as follows: ---- 1. The 
intention of the State to harmonise the aims of the citizens with their own aspirations 
---- 2. Existence of dividing boundaries between the event and the public opinion. ---- 3. 
Selective dissemination of information sides. ---- 4. A public opinion which is used to 
interpret the world with stereotypes, generalised categories, bipolar representations. The 
media appear as the interim regulator between subjective perceptions and reality. ---- 5. 
A public opinion, which is unaware that its participation in the processes of democracy is 
only in phenomenical, because the ruling class controls the flow of information, depending
on its interests.

7. The emotional understood as complementation of rational concepts in order to illustrate
the reality and even compensates largely the lack of comprehensive information. The media 
attempt through a successful or unsuccessful mixing of emotion and rationality to present 
event or a piece of news in the light of the dominant ideology (ideological manipulation).

8. Citizens internalised as their own political positions, ideologies and cultures, 
presented as exemplary by the media. The human, due to limited experience, lack of 
alternatives, insufficient culture is seen as a passive recipient, unable to manage the 
collective, but remaining responsible only for his individual determination.

9. Propaganda encompasses the design concept, strategy and deep knowledge of the 
psychological - social dynamics of public opinion. The simplistic view that power groups 
can easily manage masses, has long been disproved.

10. Propaganda today understood as a kind of contract, the terms of which may at any time 
be renegotiated.

The society itself is nothing but an imaginary establishing communication relations and 
interactions. As such it was expected to be used as an authoritative tool and reproduction 
of the dominant ideology. In the light of this, propaganda can be defined as the spread of 
the value system of the power centres in such a convincing manner, that the representation 
of citizens converge with the objectives of the ruling class. The ambiguity of meanings 
and the multiple objectivity interpretation chances are reduced because of the systematic 
effort of power to conceal any alternative meanings to and highlight those that can more 
easily describe the perceptions.

ciously or unconsciously in reaction to massive emotional and collective-threatening 
experiences. The sure is that propaganda either as a silencing process or as a lie either 
as a technique fosters the abolition of human dignity, compromises ideals and rampages 
free will because:

Propaganda creates needs or exacerbate the existing ones

Dramatises latent or existent feelings

Rejuvenates by the repetition

It becomes believable when emitted by many sources, complementary between them

It is effective when delivering its messages in a seemingly neutral context.

It is most successful when the meanings are not assertive or demanding, but seem to be 
reasonably figment of thought of citizens.

Poisons critical discourse, when incorporating the counter arguments in such a way as to 
ridicule them, making public to assume that participates in a democratic debate.

Derails the correct thinking by presenting false information or omitting others. For 
example an idea is presented as much more widespread than it really is, a hypothetical 
risk as a threat, leading public to blackmailing dilemmas like "bankrupt or sell out of 
basic rights," "tolerance for immigrants or disturbance of public security", without 
exposing the real solutions.

Propaganda is relying on psychological mechanisms of change of attitudes as well as in the
theory of shapes by Jean Piaget: The information that diffuses, are easily accepted, when 
they do not conflict with those who are already organised into patterns and are therefore 
easier to assimilate. The ultimate goal is the adjustment of shapes and re-organisation of 
the information they contain as they are dynamic organisational structures. Their content 
is reasonable, but also emotional and processing is done on both levels, although most 
surveys conclude that ultimately the thymic dimension prevails.

In any case propaganda exploits the fear about diversity and the need of the individual to 
share common values with the group(s) in which “belongs”.

Related Link: http://www.provo.gr/propaganda