The Silent But Deadly Effects of Propaganda in Modern Society

I think this meme is a perfect example of the harmful effects of propaganda in modern society. Meme propaganda is particularly harmful because it seems funny and innocent. Meme propaganda becomes harmful when we don't account for alternative messages that the depiction could be sending. These alternative messages could have damaging effects on society that may or may not have been intended or know the outcome of. I specifically chose this meme because even if the producer did intend to produce a certain effect, it can still produce a variety of outcomes since the message is so vague #silentbutdeadlypropaganda #memepropaganda2023 #protectourminds #fakenews #awareness

Sophie Tricarico

March 7th, 2023

Leap 2- COM 416

I think this piece of propaganda is particularly troubling because it can produce unintended effects beyond the control of both producers and receivers. When trying to conceptualize harmful propaganda it is important to look at what mode of propaganda is being used. Propaganda is found in advertising, education, entertainment, journalism, politics, and even activism (Hobbs, 2020). Since the form in which propaganda is conveyed is detrimental to its effectiveness, I chose to use a meme. Memes are playful online content that evokes emotion. When we share memes we communicate to others what we value and who we are. This form of propaganda gains power when it’s shared because the repetition and affirmation of these playful messages can lead to the synchronization of opinions (Hobbs, 2020). As we know, propaganda is any attempt to change the perceptions, beliefs, or values of a large group to get a desired outcome. Propaganda can be beneficial or harmful. Successful propaganda persuades an audience by eliciting emotion through their fears, hopes, dreams, or values. The propagandist who created this meme might not have intended for it to have a specific outcome yet it may alter the way the audience views relationships.

I specifically chose this meme because even if the producer did intend to produce a certain effect, it can still produce a variety of outcomes since the message is so vague. Some people may view this meme in a positive light because they could make the assumption that this man is so in love with his girlfriend that he only ever wants to spend time with her. Others may interpret the meme in a different way. Perhaps this man was talking to multiple women and now that he has a girlfriend he wants to be loyal to her, so he stopped talking to the other women and they never heard from him again. However, others may decode this meme in a negative light. Perhaps someone may think this meme is making fun of this man for being a “simp” because he spends too much time with his girlfriend and never hangs out with the boys. No matter what way this meme is interpreted, the roles of the senders and receivers can change places so that the person who reads this meme becomes an active producer by passing that information to someone else. Perhaps, a man sees this and discourages his friends from finding true love because he thinks they won’t ever see him again if he gets a girlfriend. I find this interpretation to be the most troubling because this is not true and it may prevent both a man and woman from experiencing their greatest level of happiness through partnership. This would be indirectly passing the information in the meme to someone in an altered form because the meme can be interpreted in so many different ways.

This image was most likely designed to produce a certain effect but it can provoke a variety of unanticipated responses that could be potentially harmful. For example, a man may see this meme and want to find a girlfriend because he may not have a lot of friends and according to this propaganda, if he has a girlfriend he won’t need other friends anyway. This could be dangerous because someone could end up isolating himself because they think this is normal relationship behavior. This meme could also fear monger men. A man may avoid love because he thinks hell be called a “simp” by his friends or that he’ll never see his friends again if he was to get a girlfriend. This example would not only affect the man negatively but it may also affect how women are treated. Perhaps he would lead a partner on but have no intentions of dating them because he fears he will lose his friends.

I really enjoyed creating an informative presentation on this propaganda meme for the class. When I first started the assignment I knew I wanted to focus on harmful propaganda that has multiple messages and get a better understanding of how such pieces have the potential to domino into a variety of outcomes in our society. We see this idea addressed in The Oxford Handbook of Propaganda Studies, “Propaganda can produce unintended effects beyond the control of both producers and receivers” (Auerbach& Castronovo, 2013). Propaganda can be created with or without a specific message or intent, the roles of senders and receivers can change places so that a person who reads something can become an active producer in passing that information on. Lastly, the proposition entails that a piece of propaganda may have one intended meaning but it can produce a range of unanticipated responses. After reading about proposition number ten, I wanted to take a deeper dive into the unforeseen unintended effects that propaganda can produce. When I first started writing my script I was struggling to make my presentation concise while still effectively getting my point across. That’s when I had the epiphany to actively engage my audience by using propaganda techniques to elicit an emotional response. I realized I not only wanted to demonstrate the unseen effects of propaganda, but I also wanted the audience to come to the conclusion on their own. I took a more “think for yourself” approach in my presentation, rather than an informative approach because it makes the audience feel like they are in control and that I am not trying to persuade them. I wanted my audience to take their control back which is why I had them reflect at the end of the presentation. I wanted them to think about the current and future effects of the propaganda they take in and share with others. This will allow them to better conceptualize and identify harmful contemporary propaganda.

In conclusion, in order to conceptualize harmfulness when it comes to contemporary propaganda we must look at the possible meanings and effects of each piece. I think many times people convey information without looking at the future effects that it could have on our society. For example, in class, we learned about the “simp” trend and how it portrayed men to be desperate and needy if they treat their girlfriends properly. This has been an ongoing trend for years now and a lot of people are getting affected by this meme as it has negatively contributed to hookup culture. Many men think they’ll be made fun of or they will be less of a man if they treat women properly. There are many things that make propaganda harmful or beneficial but I think if we can look at the effects and varied interpretations of the messages being sent, we will be able to better conceptualize if a piece is harmful or not.

References

Auerbach, J., & Castronovo, R. (2013). Introduction: Thirteen propositions about propaganda. The Oxford Handbook of Propaganda Studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1–16.

Hobbs, R. (2020). Mind over media: Propaganda education for a Digital age. W. W. Norton et Company.

Auerbach, J., & Castronovo, R. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Propaganda Studies. Oxford University Press.

Script:

We’re gonna talk about the harmful but deadly effects of propaganda in modern society. Let’s look at a propaganda meme that was circling around social media last year. What do you see in this meme? I see a nerdy-looking man with glasses and a loose tie around his neck and a blonde woman standing by his side. The meme reads “starts dating girlfriend… never heard from again”. When we share memes we communicate to others what we value and who we are. This form of propaganda gains power when it’s shared because the repetition and affirmation of these playful messages can lead to the synchronization of opinions.

Now let’s look at the message that the propagandist is trying to convey. Some people may view this meme in a positive light because they could make the assumption that this man is so in love with his girlfriend that he only ever wants to spend time with her. Or perhaps this man was talking to multiple women and now that he has a girlfriend he wants to be loyal to her, so he stopped talking to the other women and they never heard from him again. Perhaps someone may think this meme is making fun of this man for being a “simp” because he spends too much time with his girlfriend and never hangs out with the boys. There are multiple ways to interpret the information that the propagandist is intentionally or unintentionally trying to convey to us. Even if the producer did intend to produce a certain effect, it can still produce a variety of outcomes since the message is so vague

Now let’s look at the effects of these possible interpretations. Perhaps, a man sees this and discourages his friends from finding true love because he thinks they won’t ever see him again if he gets a girlfriend. Perhaps, a man may see this meme and want to find a girlfriend because he’s lonely. Well, according to this propaganda, if he has a girlfriend he won’t need other friends anyway. This could be dangerous because someone could end up isolating himself because they think this is normal relationship behavior. This meme could also fear monger men. A man may avoid love because he thinks he’ll be called a “simp” by his friends or that he’ll never see his friends again if he was to get a girlfriend. This example would not only affect the man negatively but it may also affect how women are treated. Perhaps he would lead a partner on but have no intentions of dating them because he fears he will lose his friends.

Now, if you all have different interpretations of this meme, what would happen if you sent it in your group chat? Now you are no longer the receiver and you are now the sender, distributor, and producer of a meme that holds multiple interpretations. Now imagine, your friend sees this and breaks up with his girlfriend because he doesn’t want the guys to think he’s a simp. Who’s to blame?

A simple picture like this can do a lot of damage even if it is not intentional because it is so vague and the message can be interpreted in multiple ways. In order to conceptualize harmfulness when it comes to contemporary propaganda we must look at the possible effects and meanings behind each piece. I think many times people convey information without looking at the future effects that it could have on our society.

Since we can only currently control ourselves, the next time you see a meme or any form of propaganda, ask yourself, what are the possible messages this piece is trying to send to society and what effect these messages might have on yourself and society.