Americans---May I get your thoughts on this quote?

Question

by Jacques Ellul -- 'Those who consider themselves to be the most immune to propoganda are the ones who are most susceptible to it"

If you think its stupid or wrong, why not elaborate on why.

What exactly do you mean by that?

I would like to thank those of you who are treating this as a serious question for contemplation, and not simply an excuse to get off a one-liner or insult one side or the other.

Answer 1

Those who would underestimate the persuasive power of propaganda and the elaborate research behind it do so at their own peril. I believe the intent of the quote is aimed at those who feel they are safe and on the winning side, therefore immune as the propaganda can't be aimed at them. They would know as it would obviously be coming from the "other side." Most don't know that when they go to the store, they are walking in to an already prepared room, full of subtle influences. From the music to the lights and the colors and the shapes of the labels, everything there is based on research into what we will do when exposed, and we are watched to see how we will react. The science of verbal persuasion has been going on at least as long as the research about the market place. And back tto the quote, those most susceptible are those who feel they are being spoken to by their allies, friends, or sympathisers, and therefore have their guard down. What better example than how we reacted to the invasion of Iraq and the persuasive arguments given to justify it. The nation wanted to believe the administration for we had just been "attacked" and assumed that because of that our President and his team would do the right thing and tell us the truth about why we were doing it. That all of those reasons have proven to be false, and that the President knew this when he did it, still does not get through to so many, for to admit that he was doing that would mean we were gullible and easily led and deceived. It is far easier to make excuses for the lier than admit one has been so easily duped by someone you trusted.

Answer 2

we all need to turn off the TV and just read the funnies once in a while.....except for those that don't watch the news and only read the funnies....I'm a Liberal and as long as the issues of the day...at the end of the day...help the old people down the street, the young couple with 2 kids, the small businessman, keep the big factory chugging (but cleaner) and the rest of us earning a decent wage...everything is OK

I distrust fanatics on either end of the spectrum, but I am biased to the left, because the little guy and the environment are important to me....

I had the TV company remove my service 5 months ago...I'm calmer, get my news from the Internet without a lot of opinions....we can't escape propaganda entirely, but we can tone the noise level down

Answer 3

A testomony to the lengthy-lasting human spirit. we do not learn about community individuals right here contained in the united kingdom, yet over the years i have examine products right here and there, which go away me astounded on the way numerous communities were dealt with by technique of their fellow human beings over the years. that's an truly transferring and straightforward quote, and that i have various appreciate for the community tribes. Bonsai Bobby ~ that is a lengthy time period on the grounds that I heard that music :)

Answer 4

In scientific propaganda research, (yes, it's an advanced psychological science), everyone is essentially equally susceptible to persuasion. Reducing exposure, such as turning off the television and limiting how often young children are in stores and malls and such, can allow for the development of more reliable critical-thinking skills, which much of advertising deliberately shuts down. To think that one is immune to propaganda is as dangerous as thinking one is immune to snake venom.

Answer 5

I Disagree. I think those who consider themselves immune to propaganda have the advantage of being skeptical in the first place. Those who fled Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, Communist Cuba, etc. didn't buy the party line. Of course, no one is completely immune to propaganda.

Answer 6

I find it interesting that such a statement was posed to Americans!! If your swallowed everything your are fed without question then your can be subjected to all sorts of lies and boloney.
Please notice how question are posed etc here on yahoo therefore Americans don't swallow propoganda!!
Further more also note just because people believe something to be propoganda doesn't a make it propaganda!

Answer 7

I feel that those whom have extremist ideas of themselves are more susceptible to propaganda. Now those whom do work for others more then themselves, propaganda may only work from afar were their influence is not felt. Humans are more susceptible to believing rather then experiencing.

Answer 8

This does not strike me as a wise or true statement. There is no correlative connection.

I imagine that some people who consider themselves immune to it are, in fact, immune to it. And others aren't!

It seems to be neither a "truism" nor a very profound statement.

Answer 9

It makes sense. This is also said about sin. People who think they are above sinning, fall into it because they don't look for danger.
When people think they are immune, they don't act carefully; and if they are caught, they deny it because they ego can't handle it.

Answer 10

I agree. The biggest threats and surprises sometimes are those that we didn't expect to be threats or surprises. It's a warning to not take everything at face value.