Explaining Sharks Propaganda
Propaganda can be defined as the ability to communicate information to spread certain ideas, beliefs, and practices to shape or influence public opinion. Propaganda can be a dishonest piece of information, that many times tend to be faulty. Propaganda provides many audiences with a conceptual framework for dealing with social and political reality. The illustration I chose is named sharks and I found the illustration on Mind Over Media Propaganda Gallery. I chose this image because it is a very current image of what is happening in our culture today. The image title is called Sharks, when viewing the first image it is a big shark with the Russian flag colors against a small fish with the Ukraine flag colors. Then when looking at the second image, it still is a big shark with the Russian flag colors against different size smaller fish with the Ukrain flag colors, United States, Canada, and even France. Using sharks and fish as the main focal point in this image is portraying how sharks can be mean and are much more powerful against fish. When looking at the second image even though there is much fish against the one shark, the one shark can still be more powerful than the fish. At the same time, the fish are united and will be united and will stand up against the big shark or could be known as the bad guy. When having people come together, there is sometimes hope that the aggressor will think twice before making any bold moves. Looking closer at the image you see the crab at the bottom pinching the shark’s fin, that one act of the picture is represented by pinching the shark, it is aggravating him and making him become mean.
When viewing this image, it can give strong strong emotions, to all countries, a shark and fish are animals and concepts people can relate to and be able to understand a concept. The image has a clean meaning and concept, there are no extra details added to make it harder to understand. The image is also portraying to the viewers that even though Ukraine is feeling the destruction of this war, this is not just a war for that country. The other countries presented in the image is also feeling the repercussions of the war as well. For example, the United States is feeling the repercussions of gas prices being at an all-time high. Viewing this propaganda is not beneficial but it is not harmful. After viewing the image most people will stop and think and feel about this propaganda. Most will accept since it is affecting everything everywhere. Whether it is money-wise, family-wise.The war that is currently going on is devasting. This propaganda is portraying what is going on in our culture. Culture is a system of rules that explains how people are supposed to behave most of the time. It is a ‘way of life’ it incorporates shared values and social practices that are created by the communal mind. In this image, this image is appealing to the audience’s needs of this is a current event that is going on and the sharks are portraying how it is. The values of this image is showing the smaller fish coming together to go against the big enemy Russia.
While you can find this image online, this image would be a great form of media to see in newspapers and even social media. The target audience of this media is anyone of the age of 15 and up. While younger ages may know what is going on, to be able to put the pieces together and understand the meaning would be for ages that have a better grasp and understanding of what is going on. The format of this image could be considered a political cartoon. The genre and or technique of this propaganda can be considered a transfer. It could be considered transfer because an object (the shark and fish) is being associated with a power ( war and Putin). After viewing the image and can be hard to understand why this could be considered propaganda. It can be considered propaganda because it is hard for countries to sometimes unite and come together because of the differences and culture. The image, it is showing countries putting all that aside to come together and help Ukraine in the fight.
To conclude this image has a powerful portation of what is happening in our world today. It is an image that is easy to understand and grasp the concept of. It is showing a deep and powerful meaning. In the end, after this war, this piece of propaganda will always have a great representation of what hap[ened in 2022 to people and generations in the future.
