{"id":637,"date":"2022-04-07T13:32:44","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T13:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architeles.pl\/ethics\/?p=637"},"modified":"2023-05-09T12:04:40","modified_gmt":"2023-05-09T12:04:40","slug":"state-propaganda-how-one-can-gain-or-keep-the-power-using-the-possibilities-provided-by-the-digital-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architeles.eu\/ethics\/index.php\/2022\/04\/07\/state-propaganda-how-one-can-gain-or-keep-the-power-using-the-possibilities-provided-by-the-digital-age\/","title":{"rendered":"State propaganda – how one can gain or keep the power using the possibilities provided by the digital age"},"content":{"rendered":"

Propaganda as a means of affecting people has been in societies for a while and is still pretty much alive. In fact right now it is so much easier to reach the hearts of the masses (mainly due to the progress in technology and science). Also there are numerous social and political groups which want to increase the number of their followers and convince more people to support their cause. Some of them may be harmful thus one should be able to protect themselves from propaganda and respond rationally. Possibilities to do both have been significantly amplified recently by the technologies, which is the main topic of this post.<\/span><\/p>\n

Defining propaganda<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before diving into the depths of modern propaganda and how the latest achievements in technology drastically changed its paradigm let\u2019s start from what propaganda is at its core.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many different definitions which vary in their formality, but all of them one way or another have two things in common: propaganda is aimed at groups\u2019 (most of the time) and the aim is to change the perception of a specific matter. Thus let me give the definition borrowed from <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Propaganda is a strategy of mass communication aiming at controlling people\u2019s beliefs.
\n<\/span>(some other can be check out here<\/a> and of course, Wiki<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Basically this means that someone or some group needs a target group to change their perception and understanding of the reality surrounding them and react in the way the propagandists are expecting from the target. Much more often the reaction is intended to be <\/span>emotional<\/b>, not rational. In this case it is more difficult to analyze the given arguments whether they are true, complete and fully describe the matter. But <\/span>not always<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Such a broad definition was selected not only because it is very short, but also because it does not put any borders between the different kinds of influencing people\u2019s minds and hearts in order to get a necessary response. Some actually do <\/span>perform such a split<\/span><\/a> (separating in the process public relations, persuasion, education etc.), leaving propaganda with only negative connotations, which got only worse in the 20th and 21st centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

(because of this I suspect that this is the reason why people often tend to associate propaganda only with emotional reactions)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead, I prefer to consider all such kinds of mass communication together and view them all as propaganda because of their common characteristics:<\/span><\/p>\n