First instrument of war

Propaganda

Sep 19, 2024

Genesis 3: 1-7

1 Now the snake was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He asked the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden’?”

2 The woman answered the snake: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

3 it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, or else you will die.’”

4 But the snake said to the woman: “You certainly will not die!

5 God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.”

6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

So began the first recorded war, the war between good and evil. Our ancestors chose one side of the conflict, based on a vain promise, i.e. propaganda.

Detail from Original Sin, Adam and Eve in The Garden Of Eden, late c. 19th.

Propaganda as fairy tale

It’s so easy. I wish it were true. Becoming like God, just by eating a fruit. “When you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil,” said the serpent. And so it goes.

How to spot propaganda

Bandwagon Strategy: The bandwagon method of propaganda capitalizes on the need for community. It’s a way to recognize other supporters, and fosters a sense of belonging. That’s why political campaigns give away signs and print t-shirts and sell hats, especially with patriotic colors.
Creating Scapegoats: Scapegoats are people or groups that are constructed to be the enemy. The Romans used to say, “Hannibal at the gates” to make their children stop crying.
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt: Paranoia and fear are useful tools of the propagandists. Fear is an effective motivator, and it clouds judgment and inhibits the ability to make informed decisions. I once heard that Attila the Hun was vicious and evil. I was so happy to learn that he died on his wedding night, possibly killed by his wife. I told my daughter Helena about his death and we thanked God for it.
Glittering Generalities: These vague words and phrases don’t have any substance or exact meaning. These are some of my favorites.
1. Education. Politicians love to talk about education and its need for more money. I am not sure what they mean by it. To me, education means endless hours going over biological reactions, pharmacokinetics, the Krebs cycle, etc. To understand those, I think I need to have more time and effort, not more money. It isn't simple like the serpent promised, ‘when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods.’ It's too good to be true.
  1. To educate myself, I look up some questions for the university entrance exam of a certain country. I am not sure how to answer most of these questions, even though I am a physician, with undergraduate degree in history and economics. Here are some sample questions:
    Kant and Marx say they are people of the world. Why? Meaning?
    Difference between educational methods of Socrates and Confucius.
    Beethoven and aesthetic education
    Major works and ideas of Montesquieu
    Reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union
    Ideas of John Locke
    Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
  Now you might understand why I am not that hopeful about the future of the American electorate.
2. Cutting cost. Someone’s cost is someone else’s income. I would love to hear politicians pinpoint specifically whose income they would like to cut. The rich sounds nice. But I am not sure what the hell that means. My daughter Helena once told me that her friend, Vanessa, was rich. I asked her how she knew that Vanessa was rich. She said, “Vanessa had three dollars.” And so it goes.