Drawing the Curtain: Propaganda vs. Public Relations
The Role of Logic, Critical Thinking, and the Citizen’s Responsibility
In this so-called “post-fact world,” it is more important than ever to understand the way information is packaged and disseminated to a generally passive populace. People routinely accept what they see on TV and online as truth, without giving much thought to its credibility — especially if the outlet is their chosen source or appeals to their emotions.
That is, of course, dangerous. It led me to think about the shaping of mass perception, the role my profession, public relations, plays in the information environment, and how it can be a force for good.
In the realm of shaping public opinion and influencing mass perception, two powerful tools come to the fore: propaganda and public relations (PR). Both propaganda and PR share the common goal of conveying information and persuading audiences, yet they differ significantly in their intentions, methodologies, and ethical considerations.
Let’s draw the curtain and delve into the distinctions between propaganda and PR, shedding light on their respective purposes, strategies, and impacts on society. We’ll also examine the way humans think, why books are banned, a key failure of the educational system, and how the only way to avoid being manipulated is for citizens to employ logic and critical thinking.
