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Propaganda, Persuasion& Deception~~~~~

Over 1,120 Selected Quotations for the Ideological Skeptic

ISBN 0-9761337-0-9

Compiled by

Laird Wilcox

www.lairdwilcox.com

( lwilcox3@aol.com )

2005

Foreword

These quotations come from a wide variety of sources, primarily previous collections I have authored orcoauthored, most particularly,

Selected Quotations for the Ideological Skeptic

(Editorial Research Ser-vice, 1992).

Be Reasonable: Selected Quotations for Inquiring Minds

, by Laird Wilcox and John George(Prometheus, 1994), and

The Degeneration of Belief

, by Laird Wilcox (Editorial Research Service, 1999).Other sources include my own notes, quotations sent to me by friends, internet searching, and the read-ing of a very large number of books.It’s important to bear in mind that quotations are, almost by definition, statements removed from theiroriginal context, i.e., brief statements taken from an often vastly larger work. Even in cases where thequotation is brief, to the point and matter-of-fact, the larger work may frame it in a particular way thatmight get lost or muted when considered apart from it. In addition, people are often inconsistent. A per-son may say one thing in a particular work and then say something quite the opposite in another, orsometimes even the same work.Another factor to consider is state of mind. I have heard writers say, “I knew what I was thinking when Iwrote that,” implying that it was somehow different from what the statement appears to mean now whenread by others, perhaps of a different persuasion. People are often inconsistent in their beliefs and dou-ble standards often appear in their writings. For example, a person may defend freedom of expressionand write glowing statements in its behalf, and then advocate denying that same freedom when it isclaimed by a hated person or group. Politicians are particularly prone to this distressing behavior.Having said all of this, nevertheless the vast majority of quotations in this volume do, in fact, mean whatthey appear to say in plain language. However, it’s important to realize that there may be cases in whichthe author or others may dispute this. My advice is this: if you are going to use a quote from this volumein an important way, i.e., in an academic thesis or dissertation or in work for publication, it may be to youradvantage to go to the original source and determine its suitability and/or accuracy for yourself.Fair Use Notice: This compilation contains copyrighted quotations the use of which has not always beenspecifically authorized by the copyright holder. I am making these quotations available in an effort to ad-vance understanding of political, social, philosophical, legal and scientific issues. I believe this consti-tutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted quotations as provided for in section 107 of the U. S. CopyrightLaw. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 the quotations in this compilation are distributedwithout profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the information for research andeducational purposes. For further information please go to the web site maintained by the Cornell Uni-versity School of Law: law/cornell.edu/ uscode/17/107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from thiscompilation for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from thecopyright holder.Laird Wilcox Laird Wilcox - 2005

Propaganda, Persuasion & Deception ~A~

Reality does not come nearly packaged in two- or three-minute lengths; raw history is filled withperversities, contradictions, ratted edges. … TV is a storytelling medium. It abhors ambiguities,ragged edges, and unresolved issues. … The effect all to frequently is to impose upon an event orsituation a preconceived form that alters reality, heightening one aspect at the expense of another forthe sake of a more compelling story, blocking out complications that get in the way of the narrative.ELIE ABEL, “Television in International Conflict,” in

The News Media and National and International Conflict

(Andrew Arno & Wimal Dissayanake, eds.), 1984.

Government by idea tends to take in everything, to make the whole of society obedient to the idea.Spaces not so governed are unconquered, beyond the border, unconverted, unconvinced, a futuredanger. LORD ACTON (1834-1902).

When a man you like switches from what he said a year ago, or four years ago, he is a broad-mindedperson who has courage enough to change his mind with changing conditions. When a man youdon't like does it, he is a liar who has broken his promise. FRANKLIN P. ADAMS (1861-1960).

Images are not arguments, they rarely even lead to proof, but the mind craves them. HENRY BROOKSADAMS (1838-1918),

The Education of Henry Adams

, 1907.

The whispering campaign, disgusting as it is, would appear to be a permanent campaign method withus. So long, at least, as our politics are primarily concerned with men rather than with measures, itwill be the men who will be attacked; characters, not ideas. JAMES TRUSLOW ADAMS (1878-1949),“Our Whispering Campaigns,”

Harper’s

, September 1932.

The ‘hidden meaning” emerges simply by the way the story looks at human beings; thus the audienceis invited to look at the characters in the same way [as the story] without being made aware thatindoctrination is present. … th[e] message is hidden only by a style which does not pretend to touchanything serious and expects to be regarded as featherweight. Nevertheless, even such amusementtends to set patterns for the members of the audience without their being aware of it. THEODOR W.ADORNO (1903-1969), “How To Look At Television,”

Quarterly of Film, Radio, and Television, 8

, 1954.

Now how is this network news determined? A small group of men…settle upon the 20 minutes or soof film and commentary to reach the public… They can elevate men from obscurity to nationalprominence within a week. They can reward some politicians with national exposure and ignoreothers… Nor is their power confined to the substantive. A raised eyebrow, an inflection of the voice,a caustic remark dropped in the middle of a broadcast, can raise doubts in a million minds… SPIROAGNEW, Vice-President of the United States,

Speech, Midwest Republican Conference

, 13 November1969,

The American people would not rightly tolerate this concentration of power in government. It is notfair and relevant to question its concentration in the hands of a tiny, enclosed fraternity of privileged