“Candidate A continued his attacks today on Candidate B’s health care proposals [this followed by a sound bite]. Candidate B campaigned in Ohio today.”
I couldn’t help but reflect on the words of one of the great propagandists of the 20th Century, one Adolph Hitler. From his book Mein Kampf:
“The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas.”
In other words, say the same thing over and over until people without thinking accept it. In newscast after newscast we hear how Candidate A “attacks”, while Candidate B “campaigns”. We need to be aware of these subtle innuendos which are intended to influence our votes. Every time you accept the underlying assumptions of such tactics, a little bit of your freedom erodes away, for it robs you of your ability to evaluate and think properly
“By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people,” wrote Paul to the Roman Christians. That’s a good warning for us today, as were his words to the Ephesians: “Let no one deceive you with empty words.”
Guard the door to your mind. Lots of people inhabit this earth who want to control you, and to control you they need to control your thinking. Learn their devices. Pursue the truth, for it is the truth that will set you free.
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