Is propaganda clouding our judgement?

Question

With reference to the media frenzy about terrorism, is the situation as bad as they make out or is the government trying to control us through fear?

Answer 1

It's say's in the Bible 'mans hearts will be ruled by fear'!

Answer 2

Regardless of whether the threat is real or fabricated, the government never misses the opportunity to engage in fear-mongering. Our government has declared "red alert". What the f_ck does that mean to me? Will I do anything different tomorrow? NO. Will I be any more safe then I would if it were "blue alert"? NO. Or "orange alert"?? NO. Will it do anything to stop future terror plots? NO. Will it suddenly secure our porous borders and ports now that the color has changed? NO. It's merely a tool to whip the public into a fearful frenzy and further distract them from the fact that their privacy, freedoms, and civil liberties are slowly but surely being stripped away. By keeping the ignorant masses in fear, they can more easily assert their control. Sad, eh?
So what's more scary? The label of "terrorist" or a government that abuses that label for its own political gain?

Answer 3

With all due respect to bluffmike, Dems may have used fear in the past (For what?) but it is beyond question that we are in Iraq now solely on the basis of fear, the fear that Saddam had WMDs. This fear was the daily drumbeat Bush and company fed us (And the world) for over a year in the runup to the war. Turns out that not only were they wrong...they had a damn good idea that they were wrong and went ahead anyway. So yes propaganda has clouded our judgement, but I think in November the Republicans are going to figure out that we arent buying it anymore.

Answer 4

it could be perceived as pest control, it could also be very real. Let's not forget that extremists do exist, and although the likelyhood of us ever coming in direct contact with them from day to day is remote.. the chance is there no matter what.

No, Propoganda is not clouding judgemnet, but it is fueling it. It doesn't neccesarilly mean that we are all in complete agreement that the governments of the world are not leading us on... I'm failry sure many of them are... especially the US.

The only thing that can be said is that the Policing Authorities and federal bodies are doing their best to make sure our port o transport and airports are safe from terror attacks.

I believe that we are being protected, and if takes making examples out of a minority of these factions to get the point across that we won't settle for terror... so be it.

Clouding judgement - no
Fueling it - yes

Deciding it ---- only if you allow it to :)

Answer 5

The media is in a constant battle to manufacture consent. If they grind us down day after day after day with stories about the axis of evil, the threat from terror, and so forth we eventually become convinced that this manufactured view of reality is in fact real. This leads us to cower in fear and allow politicians to get away with murder and strip us of our civil liberties in the name of security.

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklyn

""What luck for rulers that the people they administer do not think" - Adolf Hitler

"Who controls the past, Controls the future. Who controls the present, Controls the past." - George Orwell

"The citizens job is to be rude--to pierce the comfort of professional intercourse by boorish expressions of doubt." - John Ralston Saul

Answer 6

Only if you let it. I always try to keep an open mind but assume the Government is over-egging this. With issues like this it is hard to criticise anyone for being over-cautious. If the security measures introduced this week are really necessary then the threat will continue indefinitely and in theory we would expect them never to be relaxed. Somehow I think they will be.

Answer 7

I believe there is a real threat but the situation is being exploited. But in the end I'd rather listen to the government but will do so with a small pinch of salt.

Answer 8

it could be a bit of both. i think they like to control us by fear but also i think they realise that there is a real threat and want to give us some warning. wether that is being done in the right manner is another question.

Answer 9

yes.the truth is often not in the public domain;this form of propaganda is very wide spread.obviously if not in possession of all the facts in any given situation your judgement is as you put it "clouded"

Answer 10

not blinding us with fear but preoccupying us storybook
tales of foiled plots and fingerpointing imaginary enemies. but yes propaganda is clouding a majority of
the nation's populous.

Answer 11

Yes, propaganda from the left wing who would have you believe that you can negotiate with mass murderers. The same types thought we should negotiate with Hitler.