Several days ago, someone here put up a thought-provoking diary on the use of "fear" as a method of manipulation. I would apologize first because I can not reference that diary for you folks. The author listed all the issues we are manipulated by via the gov't or the rethugs: fear of communism or socialism; big black men (think Ashley Todd); AIDS and Gays; our own sexuality; Peace (really scary); gun-control; God's wrath; Race-baiting; and ACORN. The list was incredibly long. If someone knows of the piece I am referring to, please send me the link.
When I read this diary entry, I suddenly had an "Aha" moment. My goal here is for someone to pick up this thread and do an in-depth article on this subject; someone like Devilstower or Jrandomposter. I have only nicked the surface. Here goes.
When I read that article, I began thinking about the one person in this country who has refined manipulation to a fine art. You guessed it; Karl Rove. His mother must have read the "Prince" to him when he was still in utero. I did some research on Rove and found that he was a student of Donald Segretti, one of Nixon's henchmen. Wayne Madsen has a book on Rove, "Exposing Karl Rove." I also went to a website on Joseph Goebbel's quotes (Hitler's propaganda minister). And the quotes are precisely the kinds of things Rove, Bush, McCain and Palin are constantly spewing out. The website www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org has an excellent piece on Goebbels. Terry Hirschberg has pulled together 78 articles on language in his book "Reflections on Language," and how it is used to influence people. "The Guru Papers," subtitled "Masks of Authoritarian Power" by Kramer and Alstad is an excellent read on manipulation and the abuse of power. Eric Hoffer's "The True Believer" is another insightful book. The references I have tossed out here are by no means a full list of what is available. If there are any grad students looking for a thesis or dissertation; here is the perfect subject matter and just think, a best seller as a book. It would rival the bible in sales.
Having been raised as a Christian Fundamentalist, I know the pressure to conform in thought, deed and action. I fortunately left the fold when I was 21. The reason the fundies are so against thinking for onesself is rather obvious. An "Individuated Human Being" is a real threat to group think (1984 anyone).
The "No Child Left Behind Act" is a another example of the right's attempt at reducing independent critical thinking skills and turning us into mindless droids. Rote memorization leaves no time for critical thinking and an informed citizenry. No wonder Bush is so anti- intellectual.
Marshall McLuhan had some very succinct thoughts on propaganda (advertizing) and the masses; "A point of view can be a very dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding." His second quote is;
"An administrator in a bureaucratic world is a man who can
feel big by merging his non-entity in an abstraction. A real
person in touch with real things inspires terror in him."
Two quotes by Goebbels:
"If you tell a lie enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it. The lie can only be maintained
only for such time as the State can shield the people from
the political, economic, and/or military consequences of the
lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use
all of its power to repress dissent for the truth is the mortal
enemy of the lie.......
"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yeild no success
unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly -
it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and
over."
And one last thought by that memorable dictator, Josef Stalin
"Those who cast the vote decide nothing. Those who count the
votes decide everything."
I would love to see a national dialogue on these issues. What if the American public knew that Goebbels is where McCain/Palin are getting their talking points. The ideas expressed here would make great ads for OBAMA.
Carpe diem, glenn