The meaning of propaganda has evolved to mean little more than “marketing” – promoting oneself, or a product or an ideology or movement. In marketing you are trying to convince the reader to like or buy the product or idea – by focusing on the benefits of your product and exposing the flaws in competitive products or ideas.
But I encourage you to talk to old people – anyone really – who has lived in a repressive, totalitarian country. Propaganda to them is a system of lies – an entire worldview of deception.
“The goal of Psychological warfare is to change the perception of reality… to such an extent that, despite the abundance of [contrary] information, no one is able to come to a sensible conclusion in the interest of defending themselves, their family, community and country… In a great brainwashing process, over several generations, for the subject, facts mean nothing to him. Even if he sees with his own eyes [the results] he refuses to believe them.” Yuri Bezmenov, former KGB officer, YouTube video interview, 1984. For the surprising details watch his “Warning to America” on YouTube.
I am not arguing that the KGB is brainwashing America. I do believe that the tools of psychological manipulation are more powerful than ever and that we are all subject to being manipulated in large and small ways (even the LIKE button on Facebook has been exposed, by its creator, as a very powerful psychological manipulative tool). We need wisdom to know and “live the truth” in this age where we overwhelmed with (mostly meaningless) data.
Live Not By Lies! 