media and propaganda- are you rightfully influenced ?

Propaganda is the dissemination of information to persuade the public to think in a desired way. This is intentionally done to achieve an objective. It is a technique of manipulation in which the subject does not even realises that he/she is getting influenced. There is a certain kind of aura attached with the word ‘Propaganda’. It is a common belief that propaganda is used for a fallacious purpose only. However, this assumption is not true to the core. Propaganda is originally a proficiency of influencing the public for intention not necessarily destructive. It is a very neutral word which is now moulded into something vicious.

The usage of Propaganda is gigantic. The primary reason for it is also the gullibility of the public from the fact that they are getting manipulated. The power and effect of propaganda is so strong that it impacts the person in the highest sense possible. A person or organisation executing the propaganda should be shrewd enough to impact the minds of the people while being unaware that they are getting trapped.

From Political Parties to Advertising companies, the diction of propaganda is extensive. Different organisations use the technique of propaganda to influence the public to buy a certain product by telling how it is better from the other one. However, derogating is not the way they go about. They never speak ill of the other product or party, though they give all the good reasons as to why this product is superior from the other. Same applies in the field of politics. Audience is influenced in such a way that they don’t even realise the fact.

There are various medium of effective propaganda, some of them may include Radio, Television, Internet, Newspaper, Animations etc. These help in order to execute the message even more imperatively. People listen to the speech made by various leaders heedless of the fact that they are getting swayed.

One cannot avoid all the mediums just reach to a conclusion that is not influenced. But there are other methods through which an individual can protect oneself from propaganda. Some of them may include:

• Trusting only on reliable sources of information
• Understanding the various techniques of propaganda
• Self – decision making

Propaganda is an age-old method of manipulation of the masses. If only we learn to receive genuine signals we will be able to demark black from white.

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