Issues
Raised in PsyWars
The first two days of
communications 202 consisted of our class watching the documentary entitled PsyWars. Psywars deals with the issue of propaganda and how it affects our
daily lives. PsyWars brought
attention to both the negative and positive connotations the word propaganda
may have at times. Additionally, this film caused me to reflect on some of my
own personal experiences with propaganda.
In order to fully
understand the concept of propaganda, it is essential to have a general idea of
what the word means. Our short discussion on the first day of class in addition
to the film, reinforced my idea that propaganda is the use of media to sway
public opinion. Propaganda does not necessarily have to be the truth. It is
often used for advertising by public relations professionals who are the people
who want the public to think kindly of a brand in order to increase business.
Propaganda has also been used in efforts to increase war support. Although propaganda
primarily surfaced during World War I, it is not just a twentieth century concept. PsyWars points out that war is
disgusting and a person needs some kind of good motive to go to it. 2,300 years
ago, the Chinese stated men who did not go into war would be dishonored.
This picture shows propaganda being used to increase support for the war.
Propaganda has been affecting
human being’s daily lives for generations. It brain washes Americans into
thinking a certain image is glamorous or the societal norm. For example, PsyWars brought attention to a 1950’s
advertisement which had a picture of a family in a car and stated, “We’re not
wealthy--we just look it”. This gives viewers the idea “Happiness is just one
purchase away”. This concept has changed very little when considering the
society in which we live in today. Advertisements claiming you will be happier
if you just buy this particular item of clothing or that beauty comes in the
form of wearing a size zero are forced down people’s throats. We are constantly
being told what will make us happy and we buy into it. This causes people to be
reckless, dangerous and lose their sense of morality to greed and an urgency to
obtain material objects. The film points this out by providing the example of
the deaths of people being trampled at black Friday events. This shows the
power of propaganda. Unfortunately, this tactic of spreading propaganda in the
form of advertisements is not perceived as negative because it conveys the
image of happiness. This idea leads to a false and temporary sense of
fulfilment. In addition to commercial propaganda, propaganda has come in the
form of deceiving the American public in regards to the war in the Middle East.
PsyWars points out there are a group
of people known as psywarriors. These people created anti Saddam Hussein
propaganda during the war on Iraq. The psywarriors staged the taking down of the
Saddam Hussein statue as well as the story of Jessica Lynch. These exaggerated
news stories have led people, myself included, to believe that propaganda
partly led to the war on Iraq. The use of propaganda affects our daily lives
because it becomes difficult to know what news stories are true and should be
believed and what stories are sensationalized and just trying to influence the
public to think in a certain way. As Randolph Bourne points out, “War is the
health of the state”. I find this disturbing.
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| This picture represents the way people can let obtaining material items become their top priority. |
Propaganda has at times
had a very negative connotation. PsyWar gave
the well known example of the propaganda used during World War II by the Nazis
against the Jews. False statements about Jewish people were made and caused the
public to turn against them. This played a leading role in causing the Holocaust,
where six million Jews were killed.
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| This picture represents propaganda being used in a very negative way. |
The film PsyWars has somewhat changed my view
about propaganda as well as helped me to reflect upon my experiences with
propaganda. Before watching this film, I did not consider the fact that
propaganda could still be so relevant today. It is troubling to think that all
you need to do is have control of the media in order to spread propaganda. This
film points out that the media can make people be afraid in their own minds. I
have at times found myself being pulled into the propaganda used to make
society believe certain material items will bring happiness. However, it is
important to remember the truth and not get caught up in the lies propaganda
can spread. As I grow older and want to become more educated about what is
going on in the world, I have trouble getting past the idea that we cannot
trust everything we hear.
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