Mark Crispin Miller was a propagandist teaching professor at NYU until they canceled his courses during Covid. Shocking. He has a Substack as well. There are some intriguing interviews with him out there too on the topic of propaganda.
So sad in US now. So many clueless they are going nuts due to non stop propaganda. No one should be surprised it was Obama who reversed the Propaganda laws in the U.S. nor should anyone be surprised non stop MENTAL HEALTH information goes along with it.
Most Americans believe it is other countries under constant propaganda attacks. Little do they know the root cause as to what is driving them nuts here.
It's behind a paywall, but if you can get a copy of Ellul's 1957 article titled "information and propaganda" in the journal Diogenes, you'll find a nice succinct summary of the book. If you're looking for a shorter read, but still something meaty.
The introduction to the book by Kellen also has a lovely little summary of Ellul's analysis: "... modern propaganda cannot work without 'education'; he thus reverses the widespread notion that education is the best prophylactic against propaganda. ... education, or what usually goes by that word in the modern world, is the absolute prerequisite for propaganda. ... intellectuals [are] virtually the most vulnerable to all of modern propaganda, for three reasons: (1) they absorb the largest amount of secondhand, unverifiable information; (2) they feel a compelling need to have an opinion on every important question of our time, and thus easily succumb to opinions offered to them by propaganda... (3) they consider themselves capable of 'judging for themselves.' They literally need propaganda."
I find it a little peculiar that any fervent adherent of any cult should complain about modern propaganda techniques. To paraphrase one of my favorite TV movies--where do they think they got it from?
Mark Crispin Miller was a propagandist teaching professor at NYU until they canceled his courses during Covid. Shocking. He has a Substack as well. There are some intriguing interviews with him out there too on the topic of propaganda.
So sad in US now. So many clueless they are going nuts due to non stop propaganda. No one should be surprised it was Obama who reversed the Propaganda laws in the U.S. nor should anyone be surprised non stop MENTAL HEALTH information goes along with it.
Most Americans believe it is other countries under constant propaganda attacks. Little do they know the root cause as to what is driving them nuts here.
It's behind a paywall, but if you can get a copy of Ellul's 1957 article titled "information and propaganda" in the journal Diogenes, you'll find a nice succinct summary of the book. If you're looking for a shorter read, but still something meaty.
The introduction to the book by Kellen also has a lovely little summary of Ellul's analysis: "... modern propaganda cannot work without 'education'; he thus reverses the widespread notion that education is the best prophylactic against propaganda. ... education, or what usually goes by that word in the modern world, is the absolute prerequisite for propaganda. ... intellectuals [are] virtually the most vulnerable to all of modern propaganda, for three reasons: (1) they absorb the largest amount of secondhand, unverifiable information; (2) they feel a compelling need to have an opinion on every important question of our time, and thus easily succumb to opinions offered to them by propaganda... (3) they consider themselves capable of 'judging for themselves.' They literally need propaganda."
I have a well worn copy on my shelf that I bought about 40 years ago.
Maybe I should re-read it
My favorite philosophical book on a closely related topic is titled Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power by Byung-Chul Han
I have a copy of this! Haven’t read it yet.
I find it a little peculiar that any fervent adherent of any cult should complain about modern propaganda techniques. To paraphrase one of my favorite TV movies--where do they think they got it from?