Changes

Today, propaganda is anything under the above headings employed to advance any religious or political cause, or to damage an opposing cause. But the word ''propaganda'' now has a decidedly negative connotation. Whatever is spread must not merely be in support of one cause or in opposition to another, but must also be ''false, misleading, and/or out of its proper context.'' Or, if what is spread is true, then it is spread in a ''manner unbecoming a truthful witness.'' As such, it includes [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]], ''unsubstantiated'' rumors, and other sayings that the teller/spreader knows, or ought to know, are lies. It also includes modes of presentation that, through negligence, recklessness, knowledge, or intent, give offense, especially to the holders of contrary views.

Today, propaganda is anything under the above headings employed to advance any religious or political cause, or to damage an opposing cause. But the word ''propaganda'' now has a decidedly negative connotation. Whatever is spread must not merely be in support of one cause or in opposition to another, but must also be ''false, misleading, and/or out of its proper context.'' Or, if what is spread is true, then it is spread in a ''manner unbecoming a truthful witness.'' As such, it includes [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]], ''unsubstantiated'' rumors, and other sayings that the teller/spreader knows, or ought to know, are lies. It also includes modes of presentation that, through negligence, recklessness, knowledge, or intent, give offense, especially to the holders of contrary views.

Writing in 1928, Edward Bernays said, "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic societies.  Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country...It may seem an exaggeration to say that the American public gets most of its ideas in this wholesale fashion. The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated on a large scale is propaganda.  In the broad sense of an organized effort to spread a particular belief or doctrine.  Judged by this definition we can see that in its true sense, propaganda is a perfectly legitimate form of human activity any society. Whether it is it be social, religious or political which is professed of certain beliefs and sets out to make them known, either by the spoken or written words, is practicing propaganda.

Propaganda was widely use in the [[First World War]] on all sides, and after the war it remained a subject of discussion in print media.  Adolf Hitler wrote an entire chapter on propaganda in ''[[Mein Kamp]]'' and after the seizure of power installed a Ministry of Propaganda in the Nazi government. In America Edward Bernays published a book entles ''Propaganda'' in which he said: "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic societies.  Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country...It may seem an exaggeration to say that the American public gets most of its ideas in this wholesale fashion. The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated on a large scale is propaganda.  In the broad sense of an organized effort to spread a particular belief or doctrine.  Judged by this definition we can see that in its true sense, propaganda is a perfectly legitimate form of human activity any society. Whether it is it be social, religious or political which is professed of certain beliefs and sets out to make them known, either by the spoken or written words, is practicing propaganda.

"Propaganda becomes vicious and reprehensive only when its authors consciously and deliberately disseminate what they know to be lies, when they aim at effects with which they know to be prejudicial to the common good....

"Propaganda becomes vicious and reprehensive only when its authors consciously and deliberately disseminate what they know to be lies, when they aim at effects with which they know to be prejudicial to the common good....