COMM 438: Propaganda with Dr.Crick

Propaganda

Technique that helps adjust to modern life

Coordinates w/machines to get more results

Disinformation

Intentional lying

Communication

shared meaning

Persuasion

change meaning

rhetoric

arguing over meaning in context

judgement

events

use of happenings to encourage a response

identity

who one is & we are...

ideas

cognitive meaning

x is y b/c z

passion

emotions

consequences

cause

automatism

1 best way or else failure is excluded

self augmentation

feedback loop

self improvement

monism

fact/value to adapt to tech we must change value

Universalism

the ethical system stating that all people should uphold certain values that society needs to function

globe (no holdouts)

Peripheral

simple ques

prejudgements

ease of action

reflex

central

intense cognitive inquiry

compare + contrast

evidence

effect

Group Mind

value a thing by its placement w/in group (Motives: competitiveness, sexuality, aggression, etc.)

Interlocking

chain of connections

indirect

ex. a company indirectly advertises to you because somewhere down the line you have a common intersection

Compensatory substitute

not socially acceptable desire -> suppress -> replacement -> acceptable

ex. perfume ad shows person transforming into a more desirable version of themselves

High Spotting

isolate 1 quality and create a dramatic event (news)

ex. a "record breaking" new product: record breaking is isolated quality

rationalization trap

1) guilt/ conflict

2) need to resolve

3) give route (benefits me)

deliberately arouses cognitive dissonance then provides rationalization

ex. Chilis 2023 ad campaign "You deserve it more than the kids"

reflex

habitual reactions

desire/attitudes

action/repetitive

myth

origins/ destiny/ heroism

Progress, Decline, Work, Freedom, Salvation, etc.

must embrace bc necessary + inevitable

change

choose 1 idea + reject the others

denial

deny that cd exists by blocking out messages

don't think about it

bolstering

accepts contradiction but appeals to surroundings

ex. I cheated because others did

modification

altering facts to show no contradiction

ex. I didn't cheat bc the test was open note

differentiation

admits contradiction but uses situational context to justify

ex. In the game, I cheated but irl I would never

transcendence

no longer appears to be contradictory from a perspective of height

for greater good

ex. cheated on citizenship test bc I want to give me kids a better life

pseudo-environment

world outside our direct experience created through symbols

guides actions that impact our lived reality

environment

immediate physical context of one's actions

fiction

symbolic creation that NEVER is equal to what it represents

ex. maps

objectivity

refers to objects that other people can experience

covert

hidden; undercover

overt

known

vertical

top/ down

one source

horizontal

side by side

dialogue

political

group ID

ideology

sociological

way of life

culture

agitation

hate/ anger against org/power

integration

support/welcomed

role in community

rational

lots of facts

irrational

straight to the wildest caricatures

news: eventful

parasitic events

spark interest in ideas

news: timely

recent + relevant to people's concerns at the moment

news: personal

happens to recognizable people/individuals

news: dramatic

plot + characters+ crisis+ resolution (story arc)

news: episodic

fragmented stories

self contained

short dramas

trends

general themes