Propaganda (book)
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Edward Bernays, the author of Propaganda, defined a practitioner of the profession of "counsel on public relations" as a "practicing social scientist" whose "competence is like that of the industrial engineer, the management engineer, or the investment counselor in their respective fields." He states that to assist clients, public relations counselors use and apply their understanding of behavioral sciences such as anthropology, history, social psychology, and sociology.
In Propaganda, Bernays argued that the scientific manipulation of public opinion was necessary to overcome chaos and conflict in society:
- The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.[1]
Bernays defined modern propaganda as "a consistent, enduring effort to create or shape events to influence the relations of the public to an enterprise, idea, or group."[1] In this way, its role in society is to both act as a method of communication and as a tool for public relations officials.
One of the central concepts Bernays proposes is not to sell a product, but instead to sell the need for a product. When discussing selling pianos, for example, he writes that a successful propagandist should "endeavor to develop public acceptance of the idea of a music room in the home."[1] In this way, a consumer's decision to buy a piano will be a result of enlightened self-interest; because the propagandist has inspired the consumer to set up a piano room, the consumer will desire a piano as a means to fulfill the promise of that space.
[edit] References
Edward Bernays. Propaganda Liveright, 1928; Ig Publishing, 2004.
[edit] External links
- Stephen Bender. Karl Rove & the Spectre of Freud’s Nephew, LewRockwell.com,
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