Propaganda

Key Questions What is propaganda? How does it work? Why does it matter that you know what propaganda is?

Definition of Propaganda Information of a misleading, biased, or false nature used to publicize and promote a particular viewpoint or cause Dissemination of such information as a political strategy

How does it work?  Appeal to emotions with simple language and media  BIASED – achieve an end goal  Transmits ONLY information geared to strengthen his or her case  IGNORES everything else  Short-cuts!  short-circuits rational thought  agitate emotions by exploiting insecurities, by capitalizing on the ambiguity of language, and by bending the rules of logic It’s a mind game!

Nazi Propaganda Machine “Common sense could not understand that it was possible to exterminate tens and hundreds of thousands of Jews." Yitzhak Zuckerman, a leader of the Jewish resistance in Warsaw

"Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.” Adolf Hitler OXO_s&feature=related

Why the Nazis Needed Propaganda  INTIMIDATE those who didn’t go along and win over the German public  Create an image of national unity and UTOPIA

 Indoctrinate YOUTH  Dynamic, forward- looking, and hopeful  MILLIONS of German young people indoctrinated in the classroom and extracurricular activities mNQEo s/europe/vaticancityandholysee/ /D ont-mention-the-Popes-Hitler-Youth-past- says-the-Vatican.html

Anti-Semitism define the enemy; create Jews as outsiders

HITLER’S IMAGE: military leader, a father figure, God- like leader redeem Germany

American WWII Propaganda

Propaganda Today: Government Use of Advertising Agencies

 Shortly after 9/11 but before the invasion of Iraq, the administration embarked on a "brand America" campaign in the Middle East. Leading advertising agencies were consulted and Charlotte Beers, a legendary Madison Avenue ad executive, was named undersecretary of state for public diplomacy.  Prior to the invasion of Iraq, a massive campaign to sell America was launched, particularly targeting young Arabs. Feel-good images of Arab Americans and the widespread use of American pop music and MTV-style videos were broadcast on Iraqi TV.

2003 – Mission Accomplished

President Bush posed for photos with pilots and crew. Then, he gave a speech declaring the war in Iraq over with the giant banner reading “Mission Accomplished” hanging over his head. The White House admitted in October, 2003, that it had helped with the 'Mission Accomplished' banner. Initially, they blamed the Navy for the hanging of the banner.

Viral Marketing as Propaganda  Rumors  Chain s with warnings  Social media (Twitter, facebook, etc)  "Leaked" information  Gossip  Urban myths  Secondhand versions of official reports

President Obama is a Muslim? ma_is_Muslim.html A chain circulating during the presidential campaign claimed that Obama took his oath of office as a U.S. Senator in 2005 while placing his hand on a Qur’an rather than a Bible. This claim is false; Obama was sworn into office using a Bible, which he owned.

“The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must provide one girl and one boy, called tributes, to participate. The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena... Over a period of several weeks, the competitors must fight to the death... “ (Collins 18) The Hunger Games: Propaganda

Hunger Control : OUTSIDE the Capitol “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy... Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there’s nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you” (Collins 19).

“To make it humiliating as well as torturous, the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity, a sporting even... The last tribute alive receives a life of ease back home, and their district will be showered with prizes, largely consisting of food,” so as the mayor says the Games are “both a time for repentance and a time for thanks” (Collins 19).

Hunger Games Control : INSIDE the Capitol The Hunger Games function as a 24 hour reality show that keeps the wealthy people inside Panem constantly entertained The audience watches and places bets on the tributes as they compete  “It was considered very anticlimatic in the Capitol, all those quiet, bloodless deaths.”  They throw giant parties in the Capitol during the Games.  Haymitch tells Katniss: “It’s all a big show. It’s all how you’re perceived” (Collins 135).

Propaganda and the Restriction of Information "Somehow it all comes back to coal at school. Besides basic reading and math, most of our instruction is coal- related. Except for the weekly lecture on the history of Panem. It's mostly a lot of blather about what we owe the Capitol. I know there must be more than they're telling us, an actual account of what happened during the rebellion " (Collins 42).

“Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as a paradise.” Adolf Hitler

Make Your Own Propaganda  In order to better understand the politics and propaganda at play in Hunger Games, you will create ONE of the following: ◦ A poster advertising the Hunger Games (think carefully of images and slogans) ◦ A poster advertising the Reaping (think carefully of images and slogans) ◦ A poster distributed from the Capitol when they first took over Panem after the Dark Days (when the districts failed, and the Capitol gained complete control. Happens before the novel began) ◦ Create a page from a history book that Katniss and Gale would read at their school