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from Rank's quadrant chart on
War Propaganda
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INTENSIFY OWN "GOOD"
All people claim virtue and seek justice. Persuaders often
repeat these key themes: to justify the Cause ("Our nation,
our leader, our policies, our actions are right and just"); to
bond the group together (themes of unity, loyalty, and pride); to
focus energy for action (join, work, fight). Words are used to resolve
the will, to stir the feelings, to trigger action. Basically: what to
believe, to feel, and to do. <> Rhetoric of the "Haves"
(established governments; or strong rivals, such as the USA and the USSR
during the Cold War) stresses defense / protection of what they
have. Fear is the key emotion, loss is the key threat. <> Rhetoric
of the "Have-Nots" (the poor, the dispossessed; for example,
rebels, revolutionaries, "terrorists") stresses change/
relief. Anger is the key emotion, continued deprivation is the key threat.
<> Such ideas can be expressed by direct explicit claims
(as in praise words, "glittering generalities"); or by indirect
suggestions by means of words, images, music, and other nonverbals
associated with things already liked (Home, Family,
Religion, God) by the intended audience. <> Stories (narratives
- including rumors, books, movies) present their characters as heroes,
role models, for others to imitate their virtues (loyalty, bravery, endurance)
and their actions (fighting hard, working,
DOWNPLAY OWN "BAD"
Omission is the primary way people downplay their own "bad."
Governments can suppress, conceal, hide, cover-up their "bad"
(errors, crimes, problems, weaknesses, any unfavorable information) by
means of secrecy, censorship, controls to ban the press or internal critics;
silencing, eliminating, or "disappearing" the opposition. <>
Degree of omission varies: even in peacetime, some societies are very
"closed," others relatively "open."<> Euphemisms
are common to downplay one's own "bad": "softer words"
which lessen, sweeten, minimize, understate, blur or obscure the "bad."
<> Denials ("saying it isn't so" -- a kind of
"word magic") can include both deliberate lying to others and
self-deception. Wishful thinking, alibis, and excuses are ways people
downplay their own "bad": for example, denying that something
is, or is bad, or is not that bad, or denying responsibility
("I didn't do it") or intent (I didn't mean it").
<> Confusion can mask or hide problems, often called a "smokescreen"
effect. Confusion can be accidental (carelessness, errors). But, language
also can be deliberately used to cause confusion: ambiguity, vagueness,
unfamiliar words, contradictions, circumlocutions, circular definitions;
multiple diversions (ad hominem, pointing to another wrong); in
a wider context, frequent changes or variations, or anything which can
distract, confuse, or overload the audience.
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The Seven Deadly Spins (2004), a brief book
by Mickey Z, argues that American public opinion is manipulated by both
the government and the mainstream media "to discourage collective
dissent" by tactics he calls the "Seven Deadly Spins."
In War Made Easy (2005), Norman
Solomon presents over 300 pages of examples of "How Presidents
and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death."
Spin #1: The Sleeping Giant
The U.S. minds its own business, but the sleeping giant is endlessly awakened
or has its patience tested by surprise events and unprovoked hostilities.
Spin #2: Good Wars
Once forced into war, the U.S. only does so in the name of democracy, freedom,
and justice.
Spin #3: U.S. vs. Them
Godless communists, subhuman (and superhuman) Japanese, gooks, chinks, butchers,
terrorists, evildoers, and the next Hitler --- the U.S. always opposes the
worst humanity has to offer.
Spin #4: Support the Troops
No matter what we think or how we feel, we all unite behind our troops once
the fighting starts.
Spin #5: The Devil Made U.S. Do It
During war, even the U.S. has to sometimes play a little rough.
Spin #6: Surgical Strike
We have good intentions and smart bombs; those billion-dollar weapons can
differentiate between the guilty and the innocent.
Spin #7: Only Losers Commit War Crimes
For doing what we would never do, vanquished enemies of the U.S. must be
brought to justice in war crime tribunals.
<<< Rank:
These first three themes can be described in terms of intensifying one's
own good; the last three (# 5,6,7) emphasize downplaying the bad;
# 4 associates an administration's policy or practices with "something
already liked" (country, brave troops). Solomon's list (below),
except for # 4, 7, 11, deals with positive PR spin.
Chapters of Norman Solomon's
War
Made Easy identify these themes:
1. America Is a Fair and Noble Superpower.
2. Our Leaders Will Do Everything They Can to Avoid War.
3. Our Leaders Would Never Tell Us Outright Lies.
4. This Guy Is a Modern-Day Hitler.
5. This Is about Human Rights.
6. This Is Not at All about Oil or Corporate Profits.
7. They Are the Aggressors, Not Us.
8. If This War Is Wrong, Congress Will Stop It.
9. If This War Is Wrong, the Media Will Tell Us.
10. Media Coverage Brings War into Our Living Rooms.
11. Opposing the War Means Siding with the Enemy.
12. This Is a Necessary Battle in the War on Terrorism.
15. Our Soldiers Are Heroes, Theirs Are Inhuman.
16. America Needs the Resolve to Kick the “Vietnam Syndrome.”
17. Withdrawal Would Cripple U.S. Credibility. |