What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire

[jaqeboy]

More left-wing global warming nonsense from a parade of pinko commie idiots to scare us into giving up all our money to the UN agenda, so we can be herded into shires, and mass euthanasia of people can be justified, so we can 'save the whales!'. Nice.

This statement is amazing; it's so purposefully and masterfully crafted with loaded words that it almost reminds me of a propaganda poster!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda#Techniques

Study the list of propaganda techniques, then read the statement again and see how many you can identify being used. I count 15!

Cheers to you, Insurgent for ID'ing this. The only distinction I might make is, according to the Wikipedia definition, Propaganda [from modern Latin: 'Propaganda Fide', literally "propagating the faith"] is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large numbers of people.

To the extent that this is a public forum and a (large?) number of people might be viewing it, it might qualify - Otherwise, it's just bad behaviour, which is not so much regulated on a forum, as recognized by the Karma system.

You'll be glad to learn that there's a professor at UNH that teaches a course that covers propaganda (I just learned today from Dover Friends). I'll get all the details and post them here. He is available to give talks on the subject, I have heard, so we should consider setting up a venue and have him speak. We're not the only people concerned about it!

[CNHT]

Movies like 'What a Way to Go' and 'Sicko' (which error said I was right about even without having seen it) are propagandist in that they would like you to DO something (pay more taxes, abide by euthanasia or one-child policy, or agree to be moved to gov't approved living areas) while my type of propaganda, as Denis and Error have said, is simply pointing this out correctly.

My 'propaganda' hasn't asked you to DO anything, except to beware of and ignore the suggestions of these types of things and believe nothing that they imply because I believe there is an ulterior motive -- getting you to do what they want with scare tactics.

I also stated clearly that under no circumstance am I of the opinion you should pollute the land. However, no one can force you to be responsible and we can only hope people will be, in true manner of caring about others. If you seek devlopment of alternative fuels in the free market, once again, a noble endeavor.

As for UNH having a seminar to examine propaganda, that's a real hoot. LOL.   

[J’raxis 270145]

My 'propaganda' hasn't asked you to DO anything, except to beware of and ignore the suggestions of these types of things and believe nothing that they imply because I believe there is an ulterior motive -- getting you to do what they want with scare tactics.

Then your propaganda is asking people to not do what they want, and to try to resist and convince others to not do what they want, either. Honestly, if you're not trying to get someone to do or refrain from doing something, what's the point of talking about all this?

[CNHT]

My 'propaganda' hasn't asked you to DO anything, except to beware of and ignore the suggestions of these types of things and believe nothing that they imply because I believe there is an ulterior motive -- getting you to do what they want with scare tactics.

Then your propaganda is asking people to not do what they want, and to try to resist and convince others to not do what they want, either. Honestly, if you're not trying to get someone to do or refrain from doing something, what's the point of talking about all this?

So why bother doing anything at all? Is Dada's propaganda wrong when he leaflets against the IRS? (Answer: No, however, he's not trying to get you all not to pay your taxes, that's up to you) I am not holding anyone at the point of a weapon, I didn't go to the expense of making a movie, I don't hold seminars one why we are doomed, DOOOMED! I'm merely expressing my complete disgust with people when they use something like pollution, water supply or other thing to make us subject to international law... I don't want to share my laws with a country that does not respect a constitution that limits what gov't can do (supposedly)

[jaqeboy]

Then your propaganda is asking people to not do what they want, and to try to resist and convince others to not do what they want, either. Honestly, if you're not trying to get someone to do or refrain from doing something, what's the point of talking about all this?

J'raxis, read the second and following sentences in the Wikipedia listing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda:

Instead of impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. The most effective propaganda is often completely truthful, but some propaganda presents facts selectively to encourage a particular synthesis, or gives loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the cognitive narrative of the subject in the target audience.

The name-calling, etc. is chosen to "produce an emotional rather than rational response"

I've seen another good explanation of the different types of uses of communication and will have to find the link for that. It goes something like this, though: there is sincere communication, which is straight, truthful and not loaded or biassed, then there is communication that is intended to persuade, and among that category are a range of uses, including 1) advertizing, which generally benignly encouraging one to buy one product rather than others and 2) propaganda, which generally uses more manipulative techniques to achieve a usually more malevolent end, such as the ones listed in the Wikipedia article - it's to be pointed out though that these two uses of the language are on the same side of the divide, though.

Edward Bernays is the father of "public relations", as a profession, following on from knowledge garnered from psychology (he was Sigmund Freud's nephew) - see Edward Bernays and the Assassination of Democracy, a short 7 minute clip from a BBC documentary. His know-how was put to use early by the British to demonize the enemy in World War 1. There's a good video on him and the field (I forget the name of it) which I hope we get shown, either through MerrimackValley911Truth or some other organization. I believe Orwell Rolls in His Grave may cover this somewhat - I also want to get that shown somewhere locally, too.

From the page about Bernays above: "One of his biggest fans was Hitler's propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels, a fact about which Bernays bragged proudly."

[CNHT]

The name-calling, etc. is chosen to "produce an emotional rather than rational response"

You mean like 'rapacious war-mongers'?

[Lloyd Danforth]

No.........too subtle

[CNHT]

No.........too subtle

Well when compounded with 'soulless conservative' LOL

(Who by the way, gives away more free  stuff than anyone she knows...)

[jaqeboy]

I exercise my powers of persuasion all the time. Perhaps you've seen me do it.

Good, I take it you'll join us then -- we may need your skills! I'll post the final carpool meetup location here and on Merrimack Valley 811 Truth soon - we could meet at Murphy's and pick you up there. We're developing a list of questions to ask the filmmakers and crafting the questions so they can't wiggle out of anything.

Then you can work on persuading the audience members (depending, of course, on what the film actually presents). It should be a fairly intimate crowd - the hall seats 50, I think, so we'll be able to have some good, friendly conversations - maybe even go out for coffee or beer afterwards with the filmmakers and attenders to continue the discussions and networking.

[jaqeboy]

oops, typo: Merrimack Valley 911 Truth

[Insurgent]

To clarify the agenda behind this film, the film makers have been sharing their hearts about issues surrounding the film and pertinent topics of discussion on the website http://whatawaytogomovie.com/

Tim's blog is at http://whatawaytogomovie.com/category/timsblog/

Sally's is at http://whatawaytogomovie.com/category/sallys-blog/

An updated travelogue blog of the film screenings is at http://whatawaytogomovie.com/category/travelblog/

I've been reading, with keen interest the travel blogs--it sounds like the film has been met with receptive audiences. Circle discussions have gone on late in to the evening, with great ideas and expressions, and networking taking place.

The Keene screening is highly anticipated 

[jaqeboy]

I see another area showing on their tour schedule:

White River Junction/Norwich, VT & Hanover, NH Area - August 11th: Saturday night at 6:30 PM at the Norwich Public Library, 368 Main St., Norwich, VT 05055. Suggested donation $10. For more information contact Margo Baldwin at 802-295-6300, ext 102 or mbaldwin@chelseagreen.com

[David]

Wow, 4 pages of arguements, over a movie no one has seen.  I would like someone to show me a movie, without some type of pro gov't propoganda, left or right leaning. 
It would be nice to see you Jack in our neck of the woods.  You'll have to come down to one of our Tuesday meetings sometime. 

[jaqeboy]

Wow, 4 pages of arguements, over a movie no one has seen.

I know, that's kinda unusual. Hope it's not a dud, after all this controversy

  I would like someone to show me a movie, without some type of pro gov't propoganda, left or right leaning. 
It would be nice to see you Jack in our neck of the woods.  You'll have to come down to one of our Tuesday meetings sometime.

At the taproom? I've been there a couple of times, and didn't see you. Then I missed a couple due to other conflicts. Maybe there'll be some discussion of this movie at the next one. Are you going to see it? We're trying to arrange the carpooling now. Anybody got one of those Chryslers, "as big as a whale?" All these economical, environment-saving compact cars are making it so we have to take several 

[David]

I finally moved to keene shortly after the time we met at the Taproom.  I'm hanging on with the skin of my teeth, but i'm still hear.  Down here we have a tuesday 'soup and sedition'.