The subject of propaganda is interesting because it illustrates how messages can convey different things to different people. The modern world is full of information of all kinds. It is natural that different groups in society will see things from different perspectives and this is a good thing. The world would be a very boring place if everyone had the same opinions about important things. Sometimes one group of people try to influence another group to change their minds. This is where the use of persuasive language comes into play. There are occasions when this persuasion becomes extreme and turns from legitimate argumentation into propaganda. This paper defines what propaganda is, illustrates this definition with some examples from the modern world, and explains how propaganda works on different audiences. A typical reference book defines propaganda as: “Propaganda: Media that have the sole purpose to persuade people to support a particular religious or political cause” (Mills: 2010, 134). This definition shows that propaganda comes in different forms, since media includes written and spoken messages, in books, newspapers, radio, television and over the internet. It can take the form of factual reporting or fictional works. An important aspect of propaganda is that it has a very clear and single purpose, which is to persuade people to think or act in a certain predetermined way. Persuasive texts are very common, but not all of them are propaganda. The difference between propaganda and persuasion is that the propaganda text presents only one side, and assumes that this is the only acceptable point of view. Opposing ideas may be mentioned, but only in order to mock them or argue against them. Any information provided is sel... ... middle of paper ... ...is clear that propaganda is more about purpose and context than the actual point of view which is being expressed. Propaganda occurs when the audience is being hoodwinked into believing something. If the purpose is solely to change people’s minds, using any techniques available and with little regard for alternative views, then a text can be described as propaganda. References Anonymous. “Breaking News: Injustice has been done.” 2011. Sharia4America website. Available at: http://shariah4america.com/Press-Releases/BREAKING-NEWS-INJUSTICE-HAS-BEEN-DONE Mills, Michael S. Concise Handbook of Literary and Rhetorical Terms. Estep Nichols: 2010. Panasonic. Video advertisement “Free Your HD” 2011. Available at: http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA11089 Welch, David. The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda. New York: Routledge, 1995.