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NEIL
POSTMAN-
I
P
RO
P
A
GA
N
DA
V
F
A L L
T HE
W O RDS
WE
US E
to
talk
about
talk,
pro pa ga nda
s
perha ps
t he
mo st
mschevo u s
.
Th e
essent a l
pro b l ems
t s
u se
po ses,
a nd
never
reso l ves,
a re
ref l ect ed
n
t he
followng
def nt o n,
gven
by
no
l ess
a
perso na ge
t ha n
t he
late
Al d o u s
Hu x l e y
:
Th e r e
a re
two
k nds
of
p r o p a g a n d a -r a t o n a l
pro pa ga nda
n
favor
of
a ct o n
t ha t
s
co nso na nt
wth
t he
enl ght ened
s e l f - n t e r e s t
of
t ho se
w ho
ma k e
t
a nd
t ho se
to
whom
t
s
a ddressed,
a nd
no nra t o na l
pro pa ga nda
t ha t
s
no t
co nso na nt
wth
anybody's
enl ght ened
s e l f - n t e r e s t ,
but
s
dc-
t a t ed
by,
a nd
a ppea l s
to,
pa sso n
.
Th s
def nt o n
s,
o f
co u rse,
f l l ed
wt h
co nf u so n
a nd
even
no nsense,
both
of
whch
a re
u ncha ra ct erst c
of
Hu x l e y
a nd
o nl y
go
to
sho w
ho w
p r o
p a
g a
n d a
ca n
b rng
t he
b est
of
us
down
.
To
b egn
w t h,
Hu x l e y
ma k es
a
dst nct o n
b et w een
"go o d"
a nd
"b a d"
pro pa ga nda
o n
t he
b a ss
o f
t he
ca u se
b eng
espo u sed
.
If
what
we
a re
told
s
go o d
for
everyb o dy,
t hen
pro pa ga nda
s
"ra t o na l
."
If
t
s
bad
for
everyb o dy,
t
s
no nra t o na l
.
But
ho w
a re
we
to
k no w
what
s
go o d
a nd
what
s
bad
for
everyb o dy?
In
mo st
nst a nces,
t hs
s
far
from
s e l f -e v d e n t ,
a nd
no t
even
an
Al d o u s
Hu x l e y
ca n
sa y
fo r
su re
wha t
s
enl ght ened
a nd
wha t
s
no t
.
Mo r e o v e r ,
t he
nf o rma t o n
w e
mght
need
to
decde
t he
ssu e
s
often
no t
a va l a b l e
to
us
.
Su p p o s e ,
for
ex -
a mpl e,
a
t el evso n
co mmerca l
t el l s
us
t ha t
a
cert a n
dru g
wll
hel p
to
rel eve
na ggng
b a ck a ches
.
Th a t
wo u l d
a ppea r
t o
b e
n
every b o dy ' s
s e l f - n t e r e s t ,
t hu s,
ra t o na l
pro pa ga nda
.
But
l et
us
a l so
su ppo se
t
s
l a t er
dsco vered
t ha t
n
a ddt o n
to
rel evng
na ggng
b a ck a ches,
t he
dru g
a l so
rel eves
you
of
a
hea l t hy
l ver
.
Wa s
t he
co mmerca l
"go o d"
pro pa ga nda
a t
t he
t me
yo u
hea rd
t
o r
wa s
t
"b a d"?
Pe r h a p s
t
wa s
"go o d"
w hen
yo u
hea rd
t
b u t
b
e c a
m e
"b a d"
w hen
yo u
l ea rned
o f
t he
dru g' s
s d e -e f f e c t s
.
But
snce
t
was
never
n
anybody' s
s e l f - n t e r e s t
to
* Ne l
Po s t m a n
s
Ed t o r
o f
Et
cet era
a
n d
p r o
f e s s o
r
o
f
Me d a
Ec o
l
o
g y
a
t
Ne w
Yo
r k
Un v e r s t y
.
Th s
a rt cl e
s
ex cerpt ed
from
hs
book,
Cra zy
Ta l k ,
St u p d
Ta l k
.
128
P RO P A GA N DA
129
u se
t he
dru g,
t hen
w a sn' t
t he
co mmerca l
"b a d"
pro pa ga nda
to
b egn
w t h?
An d
no
w
l
et
u
s
su
ppo
se
t
ha
t
n
co mb na t o n
w t h
a no t her
su b st a nce,
t he
dru g
s
rendered
ha rml ess
to
your
l ver
.
W l l
a
co mmer-
ca l
fo r
t he
dru g
(wt h
Se c r e t
Fo r m u l a
X -g y
a dded)
no w
be
"go o d"
pro pa ga nda ?
Th e n
su ppo se
.
.
.
.
We l l ,
you
ca n
b egn
to
see
t he
pro b -
l ems
here
.
But
t hey
a re
smpl e
o nes
co mpa red
to
t ho se
ra sed
by
a
t el evso n
commercal
whch
t el l s
us
to
vo t e
for
a
po l t ca l
ca ndda t e
.
Ho w
wo u l d
w e
k
no
w
b ef o re
t he
ca ndda t e
s
el ect ed
f
t
s
n
everyb o dy' s
sel f -
nt erest
to
vo t e
for
hm?
In d e e d ,
ho w
would
we
k no w
a
year
after
hs
el ect o n
f
t
ha s
b
e
e
n
n
everyb o dy' s
s e l f - n t e r e s t ?
Pe o p l e
co nt nu a l l y
dsa gree
o ver
su ch
ma t t ers,
a nd
we
would
be
left
wth
a
def nt o n
of
pro pa ga nda
t ha t
sa ys
:
Wh a t
I
t hnk
ha s
b een
go o d
fo r
me
s
"ra -
t o na l
."
Wh a t
you
t hnk
ha s
b een
go o d
for
you
s
"no nra t o na l
."
But
Hu x l e y
do es
gve
us
a
hnt ,
a l t ho u gh
a
msl ea dng
o ne,
of
ho w
we
ma y
reso l ve
t he
pro b l em
.
He
says
t ha t
no nra t o na l
pro pa ga nda
"a ppea l s
to
pa sso n
."
He
says
no t hng
about
t he
type
of
a ppea l
ma de
by
ra t o na l
pro pa ga nda ,
b u t
w e
ma y
a ssu me
he
b el eves
t
a ppea l s
t o
t he
"nt el l ect
."
He r e
Hu x l e y
ha s,
of
co u rse,
mo ved
to
a no t her
gro u nd,
a nd
s
o fferng
a
def nt o n
b a sed
on
t he
type
of
a ppea l ,
no t
t he
go o dness
or
b a dness
of
t he
ca u se
.
But
as
he
ha s
t
here,
t hs
shft
o nl y
resu l t s
n
mo re
co nf u so n
.
Wh a t
do
we
sa y
of
"pro pa ga nda "
t ha t
a ppea l s
to
our
pa sso ns
but
n
an
enl ght ened
ca u se?
An d
wha t
of
pro pa ga nda
t ha t
a ppea l s
to
our
nt el l ect
but
for
a
ca u se
t ha t
s
no t
co nso na nt
wth
everyb o dy' s
enl ght ened
s e l f - n t e r e s t ?
Th e r e
a re
two
po ssb l e
ways
out
of
t hs
dl emma ,
as
far
as
I
ca n
see
.
Th e
frst
s
to
st o p
u sng
t he
word
"pro pa ga nda "
a l t o get her
.
Hu x l e y
hmsel f
seems
to
su ggest
t hs
n
a no t her
pa rt
of
t he
book,
from
whch
I
ea rl er
q u o t ed
.
He
says
:
In
rega rd
to
pro pa ga nda
t he
ea rl y
a dvo ca t es
of
u nversa l
l t era cy
a nd
a
free
press
envsa ged
o nl y
two
po ssb l t es
:
t he
pro pa ga nda
mght
be
t ru e,
or
t
mght
be
false
.
Th e y
dd
no t
fo resee
what
n
fact
ha s
ha ppened
.
.
.
t he
devel o pment
of
a
va st
ma ss
co mmu nca t o ns
ndu st ry ,
co ncerned
n
t he
ma n
net her
wth
t he
t ru e
no r
t he
f a l se,
but
wth
t he
u nrea l ,
t he
mo re
or
l ess
totally
rrel eva nt
.
I
nfer
from
t hs
pa ssa ge
t ha t
Hu x l e y
do es
no t
q u t e
k no w
ho w
to
cl a ssf y
"t o t a l l y
rrel eva nt "
messa ges
except
to
sa y
t ha t
t hey
a re
no nra -
t o na l
b eca u se
t hey
dst ra ct
peo pl e
from
seeng
t he
"t ru t h
."
Of
co u rse,
t hey
a l so
dst ra ct
peo pl e
from
seeng
"f a l seho o ds, "
a nd
perha ps
on
t ha t
a cco u nt ,
Hu x l e y
mght
t hnk ,
as
I
do ,
t ha t
t he
wo rd
"pro pa -
ga nda "
ca u ses
mo re
msu nderst a ndng
t ha n
t
reso l ves
.
But
f
t he
word
s
to
rema n
wth
u s,
t hen
I
su ggest
we
pck
up
on
o ne
o f
Hu x l e y ' s
dea s
a nd
u se
"pro pa ga nda "
t o
ref er
no t
to
t he
13 0
Et
cet era
•
S UM M E R
1
9
79
g o
o
d n e s s
o
r
b
a
d n e s s
o
f
c a
u
s e s
b
u
t
e x
c l
u
s v e l
y
t
o
a
u
s e
o
f
l
a
n g u
a
g e
desgned
t o
evo k e
a
pa rt cu l a r
k nd
o f
respo nse
.
We
m ght
sa y ,
f o r
ex -
a
m p l
e ,
t
h a
t
p r o
p a
g a
n d a
s
l
a
n g u
a
g e
t
h a
t
n v t
e s
u
s
t
o
r e s p o
n d
e m o
-
t
o
na
l
l
y ,
em pha
t
c a
l
l
y ,
m o
re
o
r
l
ess
m m eda
t
el
y ,
a
nd
n
a
n
et
h e r -o
r
m
a
n
n
e
r
.
It
s
d s t
n c t
f
r o
m
l
a
n g u
a
g e
w
h c h
s t
m u
l
a
t
e s
cu ro st y ,
revea l s
t s
a ssu mpt o ns,
ca u ses
u s
t o
a sk
q u est o ns,
nvt es
u s
t o
seek
f u rt her
nf o rma t o n
a nd
t o
sea rch
f o r
erro r
.
Fr o m
t hs
perspec t v e,
w e
e l
m n a
t
e
t
h e
n e e d
t
o
d s t
n g u
s h
b
e t
w
e e n
g o
o
d
a
n d
b
a
d
p r o
p a
g a
n d a
(
e
x
c
e
p
t
n
t
h
e
s
e
n
s
e
t
h
a
t
" g
o
o
d
"
p
r
o
p
a
g
a
n
d
a
w
o
r
k
s
a
n
d
"
b
a
d
"
do esn'
t )
.
We
el mna t e
t he
need
t o
f o cu s
o n
ca u ses
a nd
a ct o ns
a nd
t he
preca ro u s
ssu e
o f
w hc h
o nes
a re
n
w ho se
enl ght ened
s e l f - n t e r e s t
.
An d
w
e
e l
m n a
t
e
t
h e
n e e d ,
w
h c h
t
h a
n k
f
u
l
l
y
Hu
x
l
e y
d o
e s
n o
t
b
r n g
u
p
b
u
t
w h c h
o
t
h e r s
h a
v e ,
t
o
d s t
n g u
s h
b
e t
w e e n
l
a
n g u
a
g e
t
h a
t
p e r -
s u
a
d e s
a
n d
l
a
n g u
a
g e
t
h a
t
d o
e s n '
t
.
S n c e
a
l
l
l
a
n g u
a
g e
s
p u
r p o
s v e
( e v e n ,
I
a
m
t
o
l
d ,
t
h e
l
a
n g u
a
g e
o
f
p a
r a
n o
d
s c h z
o
p h r e n c s ) ,
w
e
c a
n
a
s s u
m e
t
h a
t
t
a
l
k
n g
s
a
l
w
a
y
s
n t
e n d e d
a
s
s o
m e
f
o
r m
o
f
p e r s u
a
s o
n
.
Th u
s ,
t
h e
d s t
n c t
o
n
b
e t
w e e n
p e r s u
a
s o
n
a
n d
o
t
h e r
t
y p e s
o
f
t
a
l
k
n g
do es
no t
seem
t o
b e
v ery
u sef u l
.
B u
t
t
h e
d s t
n c t
o
n
b
e t
w e e n
l
a
n g u
a
g e
t ha t
sa ys
"B el eve
t hs"
a nd
l a ngu a ge
t ha t
sa ys
"C o nsder
t hs"
s,
n
my
o
p n o
n ,
c e r t
a
n l
y
w
o
r t
h
m a
k
n g ,
a
n d
e s p e c a
l
l
y
b
e c a
u
s e
t
h e
t
e c h -
nq u es
o f
sa y ng
"B el ev e
t hs"
a re
so
va ro u s
a nd
so phst ca t ed
.
He r e ,
f
o
r
e x
a
m p l
e ,
a
r e
t
w
o
p e c e s
o
f
p r o
p a
g a
n d a
,
a
c c o
r d n g
t
o
t
h e
w
a
y
n
w
h c h
I
h a
v e
d e f
n e d
t
h e
w
o
r d
.
Th e
f rst
s
o f
a
f a rl y
o b vo u s
speces,
a nd
I
t hnk
t hree
sho rt
pa ra gra phs
o f
t
w l l
b e
a b o u t
a l l
y o u
ca n
t a k e
.
It
w a s
pu b l shed
n
Th e
In d a
n a
p o
l
s
St a r
n
19
68,
a
b
o
u
t
t
he
t
m e
t
he
V e t
n a
m
Wa
r
w
a
s
h e a
t
n g
u
p ,
a
n d
w
a
s
c a
l
l
e d
" A
Le t
t
e r
Fr o
m
a
Wa
r
Ve t
e r a
n "
:
It
wa s
t o o
b a d
I
ha d
t o
de
n
a no t her
co u nt ry
.
Th e
Un t e d
St a t e s
s
so
w o nderf u l ,
but
at
l ea st
I
ded
fo r
a
rea so n,
a nd
a
go o d
o ne
.
I
ma y
no t
u nderst a nd
t hs
war,
or
l k e
t ,
or
want
to
fght
t ,
but
never-
t hel ess
I
ha d
to
do
t ,
a nd
I
dd
.
I
ded
fo r
t he
peo pl e
of
t he
Un t e d
St a t e s
.
I
ded
rea l l y
for
you
;
yo u
a re
my
o ne
rea l
ha ppness
.
I
ded
a l so
fo r
yo u r
mo m
a nd
da d
so
t ha t
t hey
co u l d
go
o n
w o rk ng
.
.
.
.
Fo r
your
b ro t hers
so
t ha t
t hey
could
pl a y
spo rt s
n
f reedo m
w t ho u t
C o m m u nst
ru l e
.
.
.
.
It
go es
o n
l k e
t hs
f o r
severa l
pa ra gra phs,
n
t he
co u rse
o f
w hc h
Go
d
c o
m e s
n t
o
t
h e
p c t
u
r e ,
a
l
o
n g
w t
h
Da
d '
s
r e t
r e m e n t
,
v a
c a
t
o
n s ,
a nd
severa l
o t her
s u r e -f r e
w nners
.
Th e r e
s,
n
m y
o
pno
n,
no
t
m u
c h
t o
sa y
o f
nt erest
a b o u t
t hs
pec e
o f
pro pa ga nda
b eca u se
t
s
so
o b -
vo u sl y
co nst ru ct ed
t o
evo k e
In d a n a p o l s
pa sso ns
n
f a vo r
o f
t he
w a r
.
Th s
s
n o
t
t
o
s a
y
t
h a
t
t
h e r e
w e r e
n o
a
r g u
m e n t
s
f o
r
w a
g n g
t
h e
w a
r ,
o
n l
y
t
h a
t
n o
a
r g u
m e n t
s
w e r e
p r e s e n t
e d
h e r e
n
a
n y
f o
rm ,
a
n d
t
h e r e
s
no
pret ense
t ha t
t here
a re
.
Th e
rhet o rca l
devces
a re,
so
t o
spea k ,
a l l
u p
f ro nt ,
a nd
I
co nf ess
t o
a
cert a n
a dmra t o n
fo r
t he
b o l dness
o f
t her
sent ment a l t y
.
E v
e
n
t
h
e
a
d
m
e
n
o
n
M a
d
s
o
n
Av
e
n
u
e
w
o
u
l
d
b
e
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