03/08/2025
Propaganda. A collective call to action for a cause.
The existence of propaganda suggests that large-scale operations can only occur with the consent of a significant number of people. Propaganda has always been a tool to convince people of a depicted righteousness. No matter how carefully worded, propaganda is a mind-manipulating tool, designed to persuade people to believe in a presumptive reality. Propaganda aims at achieving a consensus without demanding personal responsibility for the outcome. While the consent will not be unanimous, it usually generates enough support to follow the call.
It seems that economic instability, combined with the expanded communication capabilities, exacerbates the usage of propaganda. When the geopolitical situation gets worse, and people feel the economic pinch, they are more likely to follow the propaganda call. Marketers have long discovered the virtue of propagating popularity.
We need the affirmation of righteousness by joining the decisions made by a large majority or by iconic personalities. This points to the prevailing insecurity. Being part of a consensus is self-reassuring. Moreover, being recognized and mentioned as a follower of a cause has the effect of reassurance that boosts self-esteem. It does not occur to us that in the process, we lose credibility. There is a space in our brain that yearns for the comfort of belonging. And when that space is filled with reassurance, it makes any validation obsolete. We can observe this propagandistic effect on a communal gathering in street demonstrations, where people of all walks of life would proudly hold up a placard with a statement they barely understand. Taking part in a protest for a good cause motivates us to place a selfie on social media to proudly show our allegiance. How can we know for sure that what we are following is indeed a good cause? The absence of critical thinking and the absence of responsibility for the outcomes of that cause is enough to proudly reiterate the slogan of propaganda. But what happens in the mind of a Hamas jihadist operative when he realizes that the only way to survive is to surrender?
Propaganda functions on the principle that "being wrong together is better than being right on our own."
Critical thinking promotes coming up with a solution to a problem, which involves not just having new ideas, but potentially revising previously held beliefs.