The Main Purpose of Propaganda - Essay Example

? Propaganda The main purpose of propaganda can either be all about communicating the “truth” or “lies” and “deception”1. In relation to the different purpose of propaganda, this report will purposely compare and contrast the similarities and differences of ‘T’ elements used in the propaganda used by Hitler and Barak Obama’s propaganda which aims to create more jobs for the local people in America by continuously promoting his healthcare campaign2, 3, 4. (See Appendix I – “Even the Youngest Want to Take Hitler’s Picture” – First Image on page 7; Appendix II – “Jobs” – Second Image on page 9) “Total” in the context of propaganda is pertaining to the use of medium when sending out the leader’s messages across a group of audiences which aims to capture and win the support of people5. The first image which represents the Nazi propaganda under the leadership of Hitler strongly suggests that the medium used by Hitler in his propaganda has been very effective. Hitler was able to successfully win the trust and support of its people in Germany. In fact, “even the youngest want to take Hitler’s picture”6. The second image is similar with the first image in the sense that Obama also managed to use effective medium in his propaganda. This explains why Obama won in the presidential election in the United States. “Time” is all about being able to disseminate the message across the target audiences at the right moment of time7. Hitler’s and Obama’s timing was both made at the right moment. For instance, to win the support of the majority of the Americans for his presidential campaign back in 2008, Obama’s propaganda is to create more jobs and make healthcare accessible to all8, 9. The timing of Obama’s propaganda was just right since majority of the people has been badly affected by the economic recession in the United States. Regardless of whether or not the leader has good or bad intentions, winning the “trust” of the people is important behind the success of propaganda10. In the absence of trust, people could eventually join their forces to trigger a civil war which aims to remove the power vested on the leader. To win the trust of the local citizens, Obama convinced the people that each one of them has the right to gain access to healthcare services11. Hitler was known for being a totalitarian12. Therefore, to win the people’s trust, he publicly announced that one of his goals is to gather the German people together so as to establish a national body strong enough to “resist destruction”13. All types of propaganda are based on either the “truth” of what most people assume to be the truth14. For example, Hitler said that “if the negative forces of destruction are to be overcome, the positive forces of preservation must be enhanced”15. Without the application of critical thinking, it is true that strengthening the positive forces is necessary to counteract the negative forces that will trigger destruction in a society. But, if one is to analyze Hitler’s statement carefully, people who are against his political agenda are considered as “the negative forces of destruction”16. Therefore, “positive forces of preservation” is actually referring to the need to remove all people who are against his political agenda17. Unfortunately, there is a hidden truth in all propagandas. Because of Hitler’s personal desire to manipulate and control the social order throughout the entire Germany, millions of people who were against his propaganda suffered and died18. On top of those who died in the battlefields, almost 6 million Jews and other less dominant races were murdered under his leadership19. Even though the political propaganda of Barak Obama was based on “a good cause”, it is clear that there is a personal interest behind the “observable truth” which is to create and offer more jobs for the local people20. It is true that each person has the right to receive health care services. However, if one is to carefully analyze the long-term effects of Obama’s propaganda, it is clear that the strategy used by Obama has a long-term adverse effect to the U.S. economy. It means that continuously giving free healthcare access to the local people could mean increasing the long-term deficits of America. “Trigger/toxic” strongly suggests that all types of propaganda “teaches us what to think”21. It means that all propaganda aims to control the mind of each person. For example, Hitler was capable of knowing the “emotional make-up of his audiences”22. Because of his ability to know what his audiences wanted to hear, he was able to easily manipulate a large group of people through the use of “powerful metaphors and imagery” in his social and political propaganda23. After few years being the leader of Germany, Hitler’s social propaganda has shifted its direction towards the use of political propaganda down to agitation propaganda. It means that Hitler ended up triggering war among its people or a small group of people24. In the case of Obama, he was controlling the mind of the people to think that each person has the right to gain access to healthcare services without even considering its long-term adverse effects to America. References Brown, D.S. (2012). Why I Voted for President Barack Hussein Obama Ii. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. Concordia. (2013a). Lesson 3: Total - Nazi Germany's Propaganda Machine. Retrieved October 19, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson3_sm/090.aspx Concordia. (2013b). Lesson 3: Total. Retrieved October 19, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson3_sm/110.aspx Concordia. (2013d). Lesson 4: Time - Goebbels on Time. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson4_sm/020.aspx Concordia. (2013e). Lesson 5: Trust - Ellul on Trust . Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson5_sm/050.aspx Concordia. (2013c). Lesson 6: Truth - Current "Truths". Retrieved October 19, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson6_sm/020.aspx Concordia. (2013f). Lesson 6: Truth - What Goebbels Has to Say. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson6_sm/010.aspx Concordia. (2013g). Lesson 7: Trigger/Toxic - Final Thoughts. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.econcordia.com/courses/propaganda/lesson7_sm/100.aspx Duncan, H.D. (2002). Communications & Social Order. NJ: Transaction Publishers. Koenigsberg, Richard A. (2007). Hitler's Ideology: Embodied Metaphor, Fantsay, and History. Information Age Publishing Inc. Marlin, Randal (2002). Propaganda and the Ethics of Persuasion. Toronto: Broadview Press. Appendix I – “Even the Youngest Want to Take Hitler’s Picture” – First Image Source: Concordia, 2013a Appendix II – “Jobs” – Second Image Source: Concordia, 2013c Read More