Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we are introduced to what propaganda is, who is responsible for creating it, and what the goals and purpose of propaganda are. You’ll learn that propaganda is not just something that happened in the past. It still happens today in many different mediums, including pictures, signs, posters, and social media posts.
It is important to realize that propaganda is not merely created by dictatorships. It is widely used by democracies, special interest groups, political campaigns, and businesses. Regardless of who creates it, the purpose of propaganda is always the same: to alter people’s behaviors and beliefs.
We’ll also explore how propaganda contains iconic elements that make its messages more persuasive, but also more dangerous. Through many current examples, you’ll encounter elements like the creation of heroes, name-calling, maximizing extremes, calls to action, and more. Recognizing these elements will help you see their persuasive power.
Finally, we’ll briefly discuss the best ways to defend against propaganda. First, by recognizing these elements, you won’t be as easily swayed by manipulation. Second, we’ll talk about how to apply critical thinking strategies to the messages you come across.
