PrintSeptember 29, 2013
The Palestinian Use of Propaganda
The use of propaganda has a long history, going back to the Persians in 6th century B.C. The word itself can be traced back to at least the early 17th century when in January, 1622, Pope Gregory XV set up the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Its objective was missionary work to oppose the Protestant Reformation. In general, propaganda is the use of communication to influence the emotions, attitudes, and opinions of people in the attempt to get them to accept a particular political, religious, or economic point of view. It implies, in democratic as well as in non-democratic societies, conscious manipulation of the opinions of those societies.
That manipulation is usually directed at emotion rather than to thought. At its most extreme, propaganda takes the form of the big lie, the repetition of a view of events or history that induces or encourages action. It was Adolf Hitler who clearly explained this manipulation when he wrote "The most brilliant propagandist technique...(Read Full Article)
