Manipulation In Propaganda

In modern society, public relations hold the power to influence individuals’ perspectives and opinions, through techniques of manipulation and spin. The origins of these strategies can be found in the 1928 text, Propaganda. Written by Edward Bernays, who is often referred to as the “father of spin”, the perspectives of individuals and influence in the book served as the foundation of the public relations industry. Propaganda downplays the role of human agency to craft public relations into an art of master manipulation, a perspective that is being continuously demonstrated in the modern public relations industry.

Throughout Propaganda, Bernays portrays individuals as obedient and oblivious, inviting those with power to manipulate the masses

. Theis art of manipulation Bernays described has and spin allowed masses to be controlled in new ways, with most not even realizing they arewere being influenced. The perspective that taken by BernaysBernays articulates in Propaganda is reflective of components of Marxist thought as both ideologies viewreflects that of Marxism ideologies, which views individuals as easily controllable for corporate profit (Gasher et al. 129). This viewpoint downplays the role of human agency, and equates individuals tobelittles humans to tools that can effectively be utilized to further a capitalistic economiesy (Gasher et al. 129). Propaganda also reflects some aspects of the teachings of Freudian thought, as Bernays was greatly influenced by the teachings of his uncle Sigmund Freud., which Bernays learned from his uncle Sigmund Freud . Freud teaches studied the power of the unconscious mind, which he believedbelieving the human subconscious to be was filled with one’s innermost passions and desires that in turn influence individuals’ actions (Gasher et al. 113).. Propaganda

The novel expresses that words can be crafted crafts words into weapons of mass control, specifically through the manipulation of the public’s emotions. Bernays explains describes public relations as the vessel through which these words can be delivered to the communitiesy, eventually resulting in partial or even complete leading to societal control. However, despite popular opinion, he portrays this as a positive relationship, as society has “voluntarily agreed to let an invisible government sift the data and high-spot the outstanding issues so that our field of choice shall be narrowed to practical proportions” (Bernays 11). As previously mentioneddiscussed earlier, Bernays did not believe that individuals benefited from freedom of choice personal choice, but rather should instead have decisions made for them by a select group of elitist leaders.. Public relations specialists make up are this “invisible government” which will created to make these choices, and any manipulation they partakemanipulation they choose to partake in is therefore exercised for the overall betterment of societyproviding society with a necessary service. Through these means, this text instructedis novel therefore told generations of future employees of public relations employees that manipulating their audience