What is Propaganda?

Noam Chomsky says that the propaganda in the states is much more covert and therefore effective than it could ever be in a totalitarian regime. Its greatest triumph is that we don't know we are being subjected to propaganda.

We watch the democratic process taking place - heated debates in which we feel we could have a voice — and think that, because we have “free” media, it would be hard for the Government to get away with anything very devious without someone calling them on it.

The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views.

That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.

This is what Karl Rove did masterfully, it is true we in America have a voice, but our voice is controlled, only allowed to go so far to the left, although it seems it has gone as far to the right as is conceivably possible in a democracy.

Chomsky says: You have to make sure that both sides in the debate accept certain assumptions — and that those assumptions are the basis of the propaganda system. As long as everyone accepts the propaganda system, the debate is permissible.

He says the vast difference between propaganda in a democracy and a totalitarian regime is in a totalitarian regime the government outlines a statement or a policy and the masses must comply. In a democracy the masses actually participate in the propaganda and to a certain extent are brainwashed into thinking a certain way. And it is the journalists and the elitists who participate the most.

If one suggests there is censorship in the Western media, Chomsky says journalists immediately reply: “No one has been exerting any pressure on me. I write what I want.” And it’s true. But if they defended positions contrary to the dominant norm, someone else would soon be writing editorials in their place. Read the full article here.

We at the Subversive Garden are fighting this idea and trying to present different ideas and ideologies that might be viewed by the masses as socialist, leftist or whatever. They are not, or if they are who cares? If you want to see a different view turn on your television, it exists all over the "idiot box" as a family member used to call it.

I find in myself I am also subjected to this, forced to choose between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John Edwards. I do not fully support their ideas whatsoever, but feel I need to make a decision as to these candidates quickly. Time is running out. But, none of the candidates advocate fully for real health care reform, i.e. a universal single payer system for all, publicly financed campaigns, real criminal justice reform, a true end to poverty, a initiative to save our planet, an end to the war in Iraq and an idea for real and lasting peace.

Watch what you think, because it might not be yours.