Leap 3: Propaganda Inquiry: A Synthesis

#knowledgeispower #learnasyougo #COM416willchangeyourlife #criticalthinking #beopenminded

Link to Essay: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f9ttlcvDJSGIiY7nf3RA_iOQW1r1pB12olcJgQWbuBQ/edit?usp=sharing

This semester COM416 has taught me a lot, I have gained a well-rounded education in many aspects concerning Propaganda. The following are the main insights that really stuck with me and shaped the way I saw propaganda this semester.

The first was the persuasive technique, this technique relies on the ability to sway the opinions of the audience, this can be done through appealing to their emotions, through the use of media, and by the language being used. People who propagate aim to trigger specific reactions from the audience, They appeal to what a certain group of people are vulnerable to and reel them in that way. This leads to my next favorite topic was Media Manipulation, this form of propaganda is often portrayed best through the media. It’s important to understand how information is being selected and how it is then presented to the public, it’s easy to pick and choose what parts of information you want the audience to know and what parts you want to keep in the shadows. Recognizing the power dynamics people use when creating this type of propaganda is extremely important so that in the future we can use our critical thinking skills, and not take this information at face value.

Critical Thinking allows for the audience to make their own choices when they come across certain propaganda, and to think about how the information they’re being fed can go beyond what is being told. Further, propagandists don’t really want you to think super critically in most cases, successful propaganda is tailored to specific audiences, these audiences are most likely willing to listen to what is being said to them, and they’ll agree with it at face value, it would be an extra step to think beyond this.

As a history buff, my favorite part of this course was the historical context, it was interesting to see how propaganda has evolved throughout history, from war advertisements to beauty advertisements, everything has changed, and so has the way we view and feed information.