It is election time again. Ads splatter every channel with “vote-for-me” slogans and promises. Truth is shaped to an advantage and lies are disseminated as gospel, and we are expected to decipher which candidate is the lamb and which is the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
In the '90s, I taught seventh and eighth grade social studies with techniques of propaganda as part of my curriculum. I wanted them to understand the negative principles of manipulation so they could avoid the traps of salespeople and politicians.
Hitler’s rise to power is a notable example of how propaganda is used. Hitler was an expert in propaganda and used lies and half-truths to shape the destiny of his country. He positioned himself as the smartest and the greatest leader the world had ever known. With his skill, he fabricated truths; people believed and followed him off the cliff to socialism. The crowds, in the millions, cheered his lies and bowed in submission to his dictates. In the wake of his plan, he left millions of people devastated and homeless. He murdered innocent people and used his persuasive power of propaganda and bullying tactics to solicit others into his plot. Generations later, some still believe his promise that socialism is the solution. There are still those among us who believe Hitler’s plan will work – and struggle to resurrect the power of his failed promises.
One well-used technique of propaganda is "bandwagon." Bandwagon implies that if everyone is doing it, you should join them. A candidate may say, “All of the polls show I am ahead in the race. Everyone who is anybody is voting for me.” The bandwagon technique appeals to a person’s self-esteem. We all want to feel that others think we are intelligent and important. We never want to feel like an outsider.
To guard against this type of propaganda, one must become informed and make independent decisions. Sheep are known for following the crowd right off a cliff.
An effective propaganda technique is "snob appeal," which is related to the bandwagon technique. With this technique, the candidate brags about their accomplishments, trying to show they are superior to everybody else. They are a cut above the crowd. They alone can solve the problems. They multiply great, swelling words about their accomplishments and will not allow anyone to criticize them. Often, they avoid questions or interviews that might put their agenda in a bad light. Unflattering interviews might make them fall from their self-constructed pedestal. Individuals who fall into the trap of snob appeal are looking for a hero to worship and feel that identifying with a superhero could solve their problems.
To combat snob appeal, one must look to scripture. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt 7: 16-20 KJV). What has the candidate done in the past? Are they really who they claim to be? A person does not change a lifelong pattern of socialism to suddenly embrace capitalism. Histories are informative.
Another propaganda technique can be overlooked if you are not vigilant. The candidate speaks in vague undefined terms. They will say things like, “I do not have it all worked out, but it is going to be wonderful. When we get this done, everyone will have a 5G cellphone and a house to live in.” The candidate speaks in “glittering generalities,” which is another name for this technique. The candidate seldom gives specifics on how they will accomplish the task. That is why this technique works; the candidate never has to answer specific questions. What is more, they can change the plan at will and no one is the wiser.
"Name-calling" is another technique used by the propagandist. We see many derogatory names in the election process. Whether the names are fitting titles or not, it still colors the view of voters. Name-calling does not have to be exact titles. It can be allusions to character or references to their associations. For example, if a candidate gets an endorsement from a particular individual or group, it automatically brands the candidate with a label. Sometimes endorsements can be unflattering and used by the other candidates to defame and hurt their chances for election.
Do your research and ignore the name-calling; both parties are guilty. Look to the man or woman’s character. Look to the track record. Do they keep their promises? Have they made campaign promises to the wind or are these promises written in stone, or even on paper?
"Unreliable testimonials" or half-truth is another instrument of propaganda. Soundbites are a good example. The media asks “gotcha” questions to trap the candidate into making foolish statements; then they will cut and shape the bite for their own purposes. Often, they pay little attention to context or intention of the candidate. The false witnesses who condemned Jesus were these kinds of people. They shaped the situation with carefully crafted soundbites and allusions.
There are other techniques of propaganda used as tools of manipulation and trickery. When we choose our candidate, we need to be observant. We must find the truth for ourselves.
Some scoff at the thought of propaganda schemes being played on the political stage of our day, but now it is as subtle as the scheme of Delilah who cut Samson’s hair. Visual media can take bald-faced lies with snipped soundbites, airbrush situations and make political agendas look as white as the drifted snow.
Propaganda is everywhere, not just in politics The practice is not new; in fact, the story of Esther in the Old Testament is an example.
The story begins when Queen Vashti refuses to come to King Ahasuerus when he commands her to show off her beauty to his guests. When she refuses, King Ahasuerus’ guests convince him the queen will be an example of disobedience to all the other women in the kingdom and she should not be queen. The king agrees and sends the queen away. The councilors convince him to choose another queen from a group of young women from other provinces. Esther, a Jewish orphan adopted by her uncle (Mordecai), is one of them. She finds favor with the king, and he chooses Esther for his queen.
As time passes, Mordecai discovers a plot to kill the king. He apprises Esther of the plan, and she informs the king.
Haman, the antagonist in the story, is a skilled propagandist. It is not clear in the scriptures why the king promoted Haman to a position of high esteem, but we might infer from Haman’s later actions that he gained the position with a bit of truth-shaping.
With his new position of power, Haman demands people bow to him. When Mordecai refuses to bow to anyone but Jehovah, an enraged Haman seeks revenge on Mordecai and the entire Jewish nation. In audience with the king, Haman shapes the truth to achieve his design. He infers the Jews are not loyal to the king, even though there is no evidence. Haman’s propaganda hints at insurrection and makes the king think there was a sufficient reason to exterminate the Jews, and he gives Haman permission to do so.
For a time, it appears Haman will succeed, but the Lord already has his solution in place. Esther has the ear of the king. The Jewish nation is prepared to humble themselves to see miracles happen. The Lord opens the doors. The king listens to Esther. When the truth is known, Haman is hanged on the gallows he built to hang Mordecai.
Sadly, convicted propagandists in our day are not so swiftly brought to justice. Our history is littered with successful propagandists, who shaped the course of history, who are and have been allowed to reign. But if we are vigilant, we will see the techniques they are using and avoid giving them power over us. We will do our homework and trust the Lord will take control of the outcomes in our lives if we turn to him in humility as did the Jews. We are at a turning point in our nation’s history, where freedom hangs in the balance. We cannot allow ourselves to be fooled by propagandists. Perhaps we, like Esther, were born to such a time as this to save our nation.
