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.

  From:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Unclesamwantyou.jpg

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.

This picture represents the way people can let obtaining material items become their top priority.

From:http://heidelblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/black-friday.jpg

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.

This picture represents propaganda being used in a very negative way.

From:http://wolfsonianfiulibrary.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/xc1991-1024-000.jpg

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.