1984 Propaganda Assignment

Appeal to Emotion

1. Appeal to Fear

 

Even though this one makes me chuckle, to some it can be something frightful. The US government began printing posters such as these during the early stages of the internet to try and scare people away from illegal downloading. They hoped to, like the name says, appeal to the fear of communism and try and link that fear to online piracy. As we know now, they failed miserably but this was an excellent example of Appeal to Fear. The main goal of this, scare the people with what they generally fear and for the United States at that time, it was the communist threat. 

2. Euphoria

 

The Nazi party before and during the second world war were very good at this. Hitler and the Nazi’s would throw massive events such as the one in this picture to drum up morality and support for his party. Hitler created holidays to celebrate the Nazi image and those involved with them. The celebrations were massive and were very successful in drumming up support for the Nazi’s.  Hitler knew how to utilize this method to gain support from the masses. 

Arguments

1. Reductio Ad Hitlerum 

 

This one actually made me chuckle. As extreme as this is, this was used in the United States years and years ago to promote carpooling and saving gas for the troop. This particular one states that if you drive alone, you are riding with Hitler. Basically, if you don’t car pool, you must love Hitler. Ridiculous but Im sure a lot of the masses bought this crap. 

2. Ad hominem arguments

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZxs09eV-Vc

The United States lately is full of crap like this. This is a smear campaign against Mitt Romney after he stated in a debate that he wanted to cut funding to Pbs. This video attacks him directly not really his ideas just making fun of him for his statement. This personally made me laugh but I figured it was a perfect example. I’m starting to see a pattern here, United States and Nazi propaganda seem to reign supreme on this assignment. 

3. Black and White Fallacy

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sfNROmn7bc

Well, well, well, look what we have here. The brilliant leader that was George Bush giving a powerful speech to the US congress. Can you feel the sarcasm yet? This is a perfect example of Black and white fallacy because it is a very simple message. You are either with us, or with the terrorists. I’m not going to lie, the fact people supported this man so much saddens me. 

Authority

1. Appeal to Authority 

 

Somewhat of a ridiculous example but it does show the strategy to Appeal to Authority. As I’m sure you are well aware, this is Arnold Schwarzenegger. This poster puts him as a focal point because he is a celebrity and its attempt is to try and draw the masses in with it. This is a recruitment poster it seems and the message is very clear that he is wanting you to fight and makes fun of the male population that does not. This is Appeal to Authority. 

2. Plain folk/common man

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hFEL1-bO2M

Mitt Romney is a prime example of using this technique. During his election campaign he often dressed down to resemble the “common working man”. But in reality, Mitt is a multi-millionaire. The hope is that the masses feel a connection as if he is one of them. Needless to say, this didn’t work for him. 

Communication

1. Glittering Generalities

 

Well look at this, a flashy poster by our good friends at Gatorade. Very flashy and a catchy saying. On the surface it seems like, yes “Gatorade always wins”. But, there isn’t any real reason of facts to support it. Its catchy but it doesn’t really have anything behind it but I’m guessing some of the masses have bought it. 

2. Thought Terminating Cliche 

In “1984” the Party embedded thought terminating cliche into everyday life. It appeared on telescreens and posters. Everyone knew the words and knew them as true. It was used to stop rebellious thoughts because the slogan was all they knew. 

“the three slogans of the Party:

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (CHAPTER ONE).

 Propaganda

1. Slogan

 

Probably the best example of a slogan. Obama’s “Yes we can” slogan won him thousands of voters in the United States during his campaign. This appealed to the many americans who were tired of not being able to get the changes they desired. Obama may have his naysayers but you got to give the guy credit, he makes it hard not to vote for him. Obama has probably the most popular slogan in modern history. 

2. Repetition

No matter how many times Colonel Sanders puts this places, I will never believe it fully. Corporate america is the PERFECT example for repetition. Look at KFC, McDonalds etc. they have a saying and they put it EVERYWHERE. They hope that you make the connection of So good and KFC “chicken”. For most it works and thats why this method is effective. 

3. Imagery 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmYVs86dfQA

This is the propaganda film “Triumph of the Will”. This is a Nazi propaganda film that was played in cinema’s across germany. They hired one of hottest directors at the time to direct and put millions into the project. Thousands bought tickets to see this. It is a very flashy way method I suppose and it worked really well in Nazi Germany. 

Treatment of those in Opposition 

1. Scapegoating

In Chapter one of “1984” the author reveals Emmanuel Goldstein. He is the one that the society blames for all of its problems. He is publicly hated in the Two minutes Hate everyday. This distracts the masses from the actual problems in Oceania. 

“As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People, had flashed on to the screen… He was the primal traitor, the earliest defiler of the Party’s purity. All subsequent crimes against the Party, all treacheries, acts of sabotage, heresies, deviations, sprang directly out of his teaching.”

2. Demonizing the Enemy

 

Well look at this, this looks frightening. This is an American propaganda poster during the second world war. These posters were produced after the bombing of pearl harbour. The US government made the Japanese out to look like horrible monsters that always looked to murder. Posters like these scared hundred to thousands into service in the United States. 

3. Stereotyping

 

Once again, ANOTHER US propaganda poster. This is a poster showing the `Japanese` stereotype. It emphasized the squinted eyes, the thin mustache and the shifty appearance the japanese, or at least the look the government displayed. That and they added a stereotype that they would steal the american women as well. Stay classy America.

4. Appeal to Prejudice 

The fact that it is THIS easy to find American propaganda is somewhat unsettling. Once again, this is an american propaganda poster labelling communist and socialist as “bad” citizens. Posters such as these were everywhere during the communist scare in the cold war. The US has pumped out so many posters like this over the years this is only one of thousands of examples. Alright moving on. 

 Truth and Lie

1. Big Lie

The biggest example of the big lie is the one that the Nazi’s and Hitler fabricated about the jewish population. This is a movie poster for a propaganda film about the “evil jews”. Hitler built this big lie and would mention it every chance he got. This is for sure the best use of this method. And at the time, it was very effective. 

2. Direct Order

 

Hey, another American poster! Posters such as these were everywhere during the world wars. It basically said to fight with no other option. Essentially “we must go to war!”. There are hundreds of different examples but this one seemed the most obvious. Direct order to go to war ladies and gentlemen. 

3. Disinformation

In “1984”, the Party uses disinformation to trick the public. They delete and alter history to control the masses. After time, people do not know what to believe. Insanity is a cause of this use of propaganda.

 “Winston’s job was to rectify the original figures by making them agree with the later ones.” (chapter 4)

4. Quotes out of Context

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3a7FC0Jkv8

Alright, I’m sick of all this propaganda (especially from the States) so let’s wrap this up shall we? This is, once again, Mitt Romney in a smear campaign against Obama. He used snippets of Obama’s speeches and made Obama’s message sound horrendous. Sadly in our society, idiots believe edited crap like this and don’t bother to look it up themselves. Thanks to people like that, this method works better than it should. 

Blog post #5

Mayella’s injuries could not have been from Tom. With the bruises on her face along the right side means that she was struck by a left handed person. This proves that Tom couldn’t have hit Mayella. Because he was right handed. While Bob was left handed. Mayella was also not taken to the hospital. This was also a factor in Bob Ewell not wanting people to find out the truth. While it was brought up in the case it still made no diffrance.

Blog Post 4

A man once said that your ideals are something that may never change and your ideas can never alter. This is flawed and sadly, incorrect in our society. The best example I can think of, is the nation under Hitler. Before the Nazi take over, the Jewish population wasn’t widely hated but three important factors turned all of the non-Jewish population to begin to hate and believe they were evil. The German people started to hear the government and those in power spread the hate and after continuously being told and persuaded, the people started to believe it. If you hear something every single day regardless of your own opinion, a person will start to believe they are wrong and that what they are hearing is truth. This leads into my second point, social pressure. There may have been many who did not believe just Hitler, but were convinced when their social groups started to try and convince them that they were insane and that they were wrong. Once again, constantly hearing this would wear someone’s opinion and alter their ideas. Finally, after seeing the same for years and years, ideas will fade and be replaced by the new ones regardless of past ideals. This was the case in Nazi Germany for hundreds of thousands of people. Yes ideals and thoughts are yours and no one can truly change what you think, but they can ease your mind into changing them to what you are being told and shown without you even knowing it. 

Blog Post 3

Big brother is everywhere and Winston has completely forgotten this. The first and one of the biggest example to me, is Julia. In the beginning, Winston would envision a girl much like her in his dreams and thoughts and later, she just magically appears. Even if you ignore her, there are two bigger examples. The underground society that Winston had dreamed up in his head and hoped for, all of a sudden, this becomes reality. This is very suspicious because for the most part, it was made up in Winston’s head, a dream almost. Now what are the chances that not one, but two dreams coming true after he dreams them. The final thing that is suspicious is O’Brien suddenly becoming interested in him and offering him a spot in the “Underground Movement”. Very suspicious when all three dreams and thoughts of his come true and there is one more thought and dream Winston had that came true, the room for Winston and Julia. Not only has everything come true but there has been no response by the party to any of this. Winston has been infiltrated by Big Brother.  

Blog post 2

Everything points to Winston being entrapped. Suddenly after who knows how many years, an attractive girl he has been dreaming about has suddenly started to appear everywhere. But not only that, after he decided he wants to meet with her, it just magically happens. From an outsiders perspective this looks very suspicious. In this society, how would this be so perfectly timed and so lucky to work. Winston has been too reckless in the past and has let his mind wander too much in this society. If what has been said about the thought police is true, than it seems as though Winston has been discovered by them and they are now playing him right into a trap it seems. The girl was a thought of his before it happened and now that it has happened, I can not help but think that he is being completely entrapped.  The thought police most likely have found out about Winston. He is being entrapped. 

Blog post 1

“If there’s hope, it lies in the proles” (Orwell). The proles are the lower class citizens in Oceania. The proles live outside of constant surveillance and are not under constant threat of thought crimes. For the most part, the proles are the most free in this society. On the surface, it seems as though the proles would be perfect candidates for a revolution. But when you look deeper, it reveals that the proles would never be able to stage a revolution. The first obstacle in the proles’ way is their lack of education. The first and if not the most important step the proles would need to take is to educate themselves. But the Party censors and deprives the proles of resources and the education necessary to rebel so the proles continue along without a second thought. This lack of education is a huge hindrance to a revolution possibility but is not the only one. Another challenge the proles face is the lack of resources to have a revolution with. The proles are very poor and a stand against the party would cost them their lives. The final reason is the proles psychologically are unprepared for a revolution nor do they even have the idea to start one. The second step to a revolution is a leader that will plant the seed (idea) into the masses and the proles do not have that. Without all of these, the proles will never revolt.   

Library Research (10 Links)

GPS Cell Phone Tracking:http://www.aclu.org/government-location-tracking-cell-phones-gps-devices-and-license-plate-readers
                                                     http://www.brighthub.com/electronics/gps/articles/40464.aspx

Computer Cookies: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-computer-cookies.htm
                                        http://www.cookiecentral.com/c_virus.htm

DNA Database: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/dna-database
                                http://www.npia.police.uk/en/8934.htm

Internet Monitoring: http://rabble.ca/news/2012/02/threat-big-brother-internet-monitoring-canada
                                           http://www.internationalfreepresssociety.org/2009/07/canada-introduces-legislation-to-allow-govt-monitoring-of-the-internet/

Consumer Loyalty Programs: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31990/7-Customer-Loyalty-Programs-That-Actually-Add-Value.aspx
                                                            http://www.marketingmag.ca/uncategorized/secrets-of-canadas-top-loyalty-programs-2-25684