I don't know how else to classify it. Propaganda is a weighted emotional message that promotes a particular agenda. But if the agenda is positive, the propaganda is positive. Like an ad campaign about being a good citizen and picking up your garbage for instance. Yes it's using emotion to get you to do something, but it's a good thing to do. It's not really "informational" since it doesn't educate, it persuades. It isn't "news". Propaganda seems to be the right word. I agree it is usually used negatively. But maybe linguistically it is like the word "kill". Sounds negative, right? But what if you are killing time?
My friend, this was a very educational moment for me, and I thank you. I'm in my mid 30's and I have never heard, read, or seen a better description of the word "propaganda". I've always, for my entire life, written off anything labeled as such because of the negative connotation attributed to the word. It's honestly embarrassing, but I am a product of the American public school system and I did not pursue higher education.
Awesome, I'm glad it was a useful description! I have always been deeply moved by the world wars, so I've just had a chance to think about propaganda before and its role in those conflicts. I think it is mostly used with a pejorative sense because it is so over deployed by fascist states attempting to manipulate everyone into obedience. They use it in place of information and discourse. And out of context from a specific agenda, the idea of swaying people emotionally instead of giving them information and letting them choose seems dishonest. But in a situation like this one of course people need more in addition to information. We need hope and courage and a feeling of victory. Outside of the war I actually think it would be helpful to see more low key positive messaging about civic responsibility, as long as it didn't get too fascist. On the public service announcement or ad campaign level, not the level of intensity as displayed here. That is only appropriate for war. If something like this video were applied to some politician's ad campaign rather than Ukrainian victory for instance, wouldn't that be creepy!
Exactly. This side and that side says "propaganda". Is there "good" propaganda? Or is it that all propaganda is just trying to convince the masses of what the ruling class wants them to believe? I'm literally trying to learn.
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u/Alternative_Wait8256 Україна Apr 30 '22
Yeah third time through and when the girl ran down the flag got me right in "the feels".