A New Understanding of Propaganda
Stephanie DiBenedetto
When I learned about propaganda prior to this course, it was only the concept of persuasion in times of war. Little did I know, that propaganda goes way beyond that. We learned of how propaganda is relevant throughout the media and takes to many variations and mediums. Propaganda is not only a mode of persuasion, it takes a stand as an intersection between information, entertainment, and persuasion. The motives behind why it is created can help the public understand why it is used by people in power or how it is used for people longing for power.
In this course, we saw how propaganda is relevant in almost everything we do. Every movie, TV show, book, social media post, and more that we encounter is not only there to stimulate or entertain us. This course has made me a more critical thinker when being exposed to things in the media. I question the intentions of the author and the end goal for what is being presented in front of me. I would not say it has created trust issues for everything I see but it is always in the back of my mind.
In my reflection, I highlight the new and improved understanding of propaganda as a whole. I go through the definition of propaganda and despite how propaganda takes to different forms, they all seem to follow a simple formula. Then I went into detail about how recognizing propaganda is crucial and that it can be hidden from the naked eye. This is important to the concept of being fooled by people in power trying to promote secret agendas. I also determine the difference between harmful and beneficial propaganda and how these forms affect people differently for different reasons behind them. Lastly, I talk about how important it is for propaganda to be taught within our education system. Having a good sense of media literacy is a crucial skill to possess in a world where the media consumes our lives.
This class was one of the most beneficial classes that I have taken at the University of Rhode Island and I will take what I have learned to not only help myself when being exposed to propaganda but help others realize it also.
