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Rational and Irrational Propaganda

Information is basically reason and experience furnished with facts. Propaganda addresses only feelings and passions. It requires emotional responses to an already established course of action. Propaganda, in itself, is based from irrational thinking. Always emotional and calling for an action.

Rational propaganda is used extensively in advertising. As it describes the product using facts, figures, technical descriptions, performance value, economic ideas, etc.

Pop culture artistic forms such as film and music inculcate a culture with its historical, technological, and economic successes into the public icons. 'Knowledge' of information forms an artificial ethos for all concerned. 'Progress' forward is a key evaluation in this sense.

Modern propaganda's content resembles information and is not relying too much on emotional and moralistic bombast. Facts and information are paramount in today's society. Our relation to facts and self justification are being increasing blurred. Large doses of fear usually precipitates an immediate action; a smaller dose produces a lasting support effect. A listeners critical power of thinking decreases if the message is more 'rational' and less violent.

An example: Let's say you know nothing about how a car works but you're listening to a salesman describe all its wonderful features. Since the salesman is actually using real facts to color the pitch it sounds reasonable to the listener...

...right?!



This is known as absorbing the line of reasoning. Resistance is futile!

What remains for the listener at this point is an irrational picture filled with emotional meaning, a myth. The facts, data, and reasoning are all forgotten and only the impression remains. The progress or 'vision of the future' becomes the 'reality'. Emotional pressure is of the utmost importance. Propaganda seemingly becomes honest, strict, and exact but its effect on the individual is irrational.

Pre-scripted information is still only a broad representation. All the facts, stats, explanations, analyses actually eliminate ones personal judgement. Excessive facts DO NOT enlighten, they drown. Can one remember all the data or even understand it all. A general picture is all that is needed. The more facts supplied, the more general the picture. If one is given just one fact of information usually one will retain it. If one is given 100 facts about one issue a body will form a simplistic image. The basis of choice and personal experience becomes muted when opinions are formed solely on the facts presented.