EOTO #2

Awareness 

Propaganda

Propaganda is the more or less systematic effort to manipulate other people’s beliefs, attitudes, or actions by means of symbols (words, gestures, banners, monuments, music, clothing, insignia, hairstyles, designs on coins and postage stamps, and so forth).

The implications of propaganda can have influence over mass amounts of people given the right type of propaganda, the timing, and the presentation of the propaganda. This can lead to both positive and negative impacts given the purpose of the propaganda and the reception of the audience. 

Today's propaganda looks like commercials and memes. Yes memes are a form of modern propaganda that has a strong influence over the younger generations in this social media age. Propaganda has the power to influence opinions on politics, wars, etc. due to the digital aspect in today's modern society. Because people are all on phones and computers, there is a general assumption that what you see is true so when these memes and commercials pop up, they have a stronger grip on an individual than past propaganda types. 

The evolution of propaganda to today's form has proven that a society will always be influenced by the modern trends that propaganda takes advantage of. Because of the shift to electronics as our main source of information, the younger generations are more susceptible to the propagandas power along with their lack of experience and unformed opinions. My brothers and I are more likely to believe a misinformed meme or commercial or advertisement online or on social media than my parents are. This does not mean that my parents are immune to modern propaganda, just that they have more experience filtering where they get information and influence. 

Propaganda dates back to the ancient greeks when Plato and Aristotle where alive. The philosophers back then use propaganda to help gain an advantage over opponents and would use it to help spread their beliefs and teachings in public. They were some of the first true evidence of propaganda being used. 

But for a long time propaganda was not really truly perfected until the First World War when America capitalized on the opportunity and discovered the true power of propaganda. Probably the most famous period of propaganda came out of the first world war where the infamous Uncle Sam “I want you” poster came out. The US government figured out how to grab the public's attention and make more people enlist into the army. 

This came after the Industrial Revolution where more inventions and products began to be made and people wanted to buy them. The creation of new advertising and analysis of different types of consumers led to propaganda being easier to create and target more specific groups of people. 

Entering the 21st century, the world began its shift to an electronic driven lifestyle where propaganda also had to adapt. Due to the artificial intelligence technology that Facebook and Google and other companies have started to use, propaganda has taken on a more sophisticated look. Now that AI exists to gather information about users, propaganda now can be used to target individuals specifically on personal devices to increase the chances of an individual clicking on a link or supporting a cause. 

Propaganda has evolved over the years. In today’s world, it takes on many different subjects and topics that different people find interesting. It is in my opinion that propaganda is starting to come under the spotlight as the use of AI does. We may see a day where laws and regulations will be created for the use of propaganda and how it is displayed.