The Tools of Integrated Apologetics Course 1.6.4
Analysis Of Propaganda Techniques
Dr. Johnson C. Philip, Dr. Saneesh Cherian
Chapter — 4
Analyzing/Countering Propaganda
All contrived propaganda is war — a battle to control and manipulate minds. One comes under its attack whether or not one wants to participate. This means that all persons living in present society must necessarily take precautionary steps if they are to win their share of the imposed battle. A mere awareness of the existence or circulation of propaganda is not enough preparation to emerge as a winner in this war of wits. Rather, for achieving an unambiguous victory one should be in a position to analyze propaganda. Once people analyze it, they know what is what and can escape from falling into the verbal/emotional trap.
The best thing to do in such a case is to ask appropriate leading questions. A leading question is one that leads the discussion in a planned direction in an unambiguous way. The purpose is to distill the exact meaning of what has been said by the propagandist or, for that matter, by anyone. The following are some important leading questions. With time and experience you will be able to develop more such questions so as to meet possible future needs.
1. Who are the propagandists?
2. Whom are they serving? Or, in other words, to whom is their loyalty? To you, to themselves, or to their bread-givers?
3. What’s their aim in indulging in this propaganda? Is it to benefit you or someone else?
4. To what human interests, desires, emotions or fears are they appealing?
5. What techniques of propaganda do they use?
6. Are these techniques ethical or unethical? If unethical, are they persons of integrity?
7. Are the propagandists objective, and do they present the whole truth? If not, why are they subjective and what motivates them to hide or suppress part of the truth?
8. Are you or are you not going to permit yourself to be influenced, manipulated and exploited by the tactics of the propagandists?
As you consciously pose these questions to propaganda, minor and major, a frame of reference will be created in your conscious mind and it will gradually imprint itself into your subconscious and unconscious mind. This will then automatically come into play whenever your are voluntarily or involuntarily exposed to propaganda. The more you do this analysis consciously, the more will it imprint itself on your unconscious mind, helping you to protect yourself from propaganda, even without being consciously aware of it.
Antidotes To Mind Manipulation Through Repeated Exposure To Propaganda
Unfortunately most people do not realize the awesome power of repeated exposure for either good or for bad. This is one reason why many parents ignore family prayers and related home-based instruction in Scriptural truths. This then works as a vicious circle. The lack of instruction makes children prone to indulge in evil, and this indulgence creates an aversion towards all spiritual instruction. Clearly, the most important parental activity in this field is to expose them repeatedly to spiritual matters from the earliest possible age. This will definitely serve to build a wall of resistance in their souls that will not crumble easily or quickly under exposure to evil. But at the same time you should take preventive steps also. Your children should know the difference between good and evil, and where to place the boundaries. They should also be taught the necessity to flee, even from the appearance of evil.
Television, Video and Cinema are powerful tools for inducing people to sin. So is a good amount of modern music that glorifies immorality and violence. Repeated exposure to these first desensitizes people to perversion and then the way sin is glamorized creates a strong attraction towards it. Everyone should develop a set of leading questions to analyze this kind of conditioning. These questions should constantly be refined so as to make the analysis accurate and penetrating.
Here are a few leading questions, to help you, but do not restrict yourself to these alone. Try to develop more questions of your own and that are more suited to your situation.
1–Do the TV or video programmes I watch, the music I hear, and the books/magazines
that I read contain passages that can not be narrated when I sit with my family?
2–What kind of passage is that? Descriptions of sex, sexual passions or any kind of perverted activity?
3–Books on medicine contain some intimate details of human body, while books dealing with law and crime contain description of crime. Neither of these can be read in front of a family, but still they are not wrong because their purpose is education. Do the passages under scrutiny in this question have a similar justification, or are they merely there to arouse passions?
4–What kind of passions come up in your heart when you are exposed to these audio/video/printed stories and descriptions?
5–Do they help you to become a better, cleaner and more mature person?
The above guidelines are for those people who have not yet come under the influence of manipulation by repeated exposure. If a person is already under such an influence, a different strategy has to be adopted. A blind and harsh negation from indulgence may not work on such persons now that they have already tasted the forbidden fruit and more so if the indulgent persons are rebellious young persons.
Since forbidden fruit is very tasty (stolen waters are tasty, according to Proverbs), a blind and harsh negation might even provide the "thrill" that is necessary to continue their indulgence in the abnormal.
The best prevention would be loving negation before a person gets involved in these things. But should you be called to handle the situation too late, even in that situation the best course will be an informed or admonition-based negation.
Conclusion !!
The way in which propaganda techniques influence humans is summarized in the outline below:
Human Desires And Aspirations –> Desire For Joy, Fear Of Pain –> Desire For Security, Fear Due To Insecurity –> Propaganda That Promises Joy And Security –> Promise Of Alleviation Of Pain And Insecurity –> Falling Into The Trap Of Propagandists!!
All humans have certain desires and aspirations in common. They all desire joy and security while they all fear pain and insecurity. There is nothing unusual in these things till the propagandists enter.
Propagandist exaggerate the possible joys and securities, and at the same time they highlight probable pain and insecurity. Once the audience is captivated, they promise joy and security coupled with alleviation of pain and insecurity. The web of deception is so powerful that most people fall easily into the trap. Worse, the techniques are used liberally by motivated people to attack the Bible and the Christian faith.
Analysis Of Propaganda Techniques
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