My previous post ("Global Warming is Good For You") was written as a parody of typical propaganda techniques. It represents the first part of a two-part series on the subject of propaganda. This is part two, and this time I am completely serious.
I shall here address the following question, posed in my blogging class: "Should public schools be required to provide all students with a course on how to identify and analyze the motives behind propaganda?"
The word 'propaganda' comes from the name of the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide - 'Congregation for Propagating the Faith,' a missionary organization established by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. In modern times the word has been brought into the English vocabulary with a more insidious connotation, referring to manipulative communications intended to subvert the public for political or monetary gain. Because propaganda is so prevalent in our society, it is important for members of society to understand propaganda techniques and know how to defend themselves. To this end, public schools should offer a course covering techniques of propaganda and the motives behind it.
School should be about more than just learning to efficiently regurgitate facts; students should be stretching their minds and developing their own opinions. As it is, the American school system is riddled with real propaganda, depending on the views held by the teacher, the school administrators, and even the state in which the student happens to live. While school districts may have a conflict of interest in disguising their own use of propaganda, we can at least bring the topic into the open. Learning the nuts and bolts of logic will help students to recognize these problems where they occur, and then they can start to think for themselves.
Propaganda is, of course, intimately related to logic. Using my own satire as an example, look at the central section of my previous post ("Global Warming is Good For You," the part in-between the disclaimers) and see how many absurd leaps in logic and other logical fallacies you can find in this sample propaganda. While the writing in that post is deliberately bad, the same basic techniques are used in genuine propaganda. Turn on any political opinion show and chances are you'll hear the same kinds of logical fallacies. Because adding new classes to school schedules can be difficult in these financially trying times, and considering the relationship between propaganda and logic, perhaps at least some schools could incorporate teaching about propaganda into a broader logic course, thus increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
What about the political pundits who indulge in propaganda? What are they trying to achieve? Naturally, they are trying to get everyone to agree with them without thinking. Rather than having voters study the issues and make up their own minds on every candidate and every proposition, election results are decided by whichever side is LOUDEST. The same 'herd mentality' is considered a major problem in public schools, where it is referred to as 'peer pressure.' The skills that students could learn in a course covering propaganda would help bring an end to these problems, from the bottom up.
Democracy is most effective if the people are well-informed, not deceived. By teaching people to understand logic and propaganda from an early age, we can enable the next generation to make wiser decisions than the current one has, from dangers in the schoolyard to controversy in the voting booth. Rather than fighting the symptoms, target the foundations of the problem: empower young people to think for themselves.
I shall here address the following question, posed in my blogging class: "Should public schools be required to provide all students with a course on how to identify and analyze the motives behind propaganda?"
The word 'propaganda' comes from the name of the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide - 'Congregation for Propagating the Faith,' a missionary organization established by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. In modern times the word has been brought into the English vocabulary with a more insidious connotation, referring to manipulative communications intended to subvert the public for political or monetary gain. Because propaganda is so prevalent in our society, it is important for members of society to understand propaganda techniques and know how to defend themselves. To this end, public schools should offer a course covering techniques of propaganda and the motives behind it.
School should be about more than just learning to efficiently regurgitate facts; students should be stretching their minds and developing their own opinions. As it is, the American school system is riddled with real propaganda, depending on the views held by the teacher, the school administrators, and even the state in which the student happens to live. While school districts may have a conflict of interest in disguising their own use of propaganda, we can at least bring the topic into the open. Learning the nuts and bolts of logic will help students to recognize these problems where they occur, and then they can start to think for themselves.
Propaganda is, of course, intimately related to logic. Using my own satire as an example, look at the central section of my previous post ("Global Warming is Good For You," the part in-between the disclaimers) and see how many absurd leaps in logic and other logical fallacies you can find in this sample propaganda. While the writing in that post is deliberately bad, the same basic techniques are used in genuine propaganda. Turn on any political opinion show and chances are you'll hear the same kinds of logical fallacies. Because adding new classes to school schedules can be difficult in these financially trying times, and considering the relationship between propaganda and logic, perhaps at least some schools could incorporate teaching about propaganda into a broader logic course, thus increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
What about the political pundits who indulge in propaganda? What are they trying to achieve? Naturally, they are trying to get everyone to agree with them without thinking. Rather than having voters study the issues and make up their own minds on every candidate and every proposition, election results are decided by whichever side is LOUDEST. The same 'herd mentality' is considered a major problem in public schools, where it is referred to as 'peer pressure.' The skills that students could learn in a course covering propaganda would help bring an end to these problems, from the bottom up.
Democracy is most effective if the people are well-informed, not deceived. By teaching people to understand logic and propaganda from an early age, we can enable the next generation to make wiser decisions than the current one has, from dangers in the schoolyard to controversy in the voting booth. Rather than fighting the symptoms, target the foundations of the problem: empower young people to think for themselves.
I really like your point that schools should be teaching CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS and not just consider their job done if kids can "regurgitate" facts on a standardized test. Because propaganda (as you say in your 2nd to last paragraph) is an attempt to influence people's thoughts, it's important that people have the skills to wade through all the faulty logic being used to manipulate them. I particularly like your conclusion here. Good work!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I liked the conclusion, it was really strong and wrapped up the post perfectly. Your topic sentences stated your facts really well. Your thesis was very strong. I like how the flow of the entire post was. all in all, it was a great post. Good job, I'm looking forward to seeing more.
ReplyDeleteI am of course in awe because of your incredibly broad vocabulary. I VERY much like the part about regurgitating facts and testing. I cant as usual find anything wrong with this post. looking forward to reading more!
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