Propaganda In Nineteen Eighty Four And Animal Farm

In his stories Nineteen Eighty Four and Animal Farm, George Orwell referenced the use of propaganda, as well as its consequences. If one were to read those stories, the overall message that could be concluded is that propaganda can be dangerous. While the term propaganda carried a negative connotation in the past, propaganda in today’s society is not always manifested in physical media and may not always be obvious. Today, propaganda can present itself in people’s thoughts, social media, and sermons. People use it to brainwash other people and to create paranoia and prejudice. They use people’s fear or confusion to manipulate their thoughts and actions. This use of propaganda can often be seen during war, for religious beliefs, and in politics.
During the 1930’s, Germany was in an economic depression. There was no money, no jobs, and no hope. One man knew exactly who they needed to blame. Adolf Hitler determined that the Jewish people in Germany were responsible for the hardships faced, and he was going to make everyone agree with him. He spoke to the people of Germany, voiced their fears and longings, made them believe in him and every word he said. Hitler told the Aryan people that they were the superior race. He succeeded in denouncing the Jews, but that wasn’t enough for him. He taught the German people to hate the Jews and to despise them with all their might, ultimately dehumanizing the entire race. The Germans had no sympathy for the Jewish people, shipping them off to concentration camps to be starved, tortured, and murdered. The constant propaganda that was fed to the German people gave them justification to commit genocide, leading to World War II.
In more recent times, the perpetrators of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 were strongly convinced by the message of hate towards the West that was continually conveyed to them.
As a result of those attacks, America was sent down a spiral of questioning the loyalty of Muslim-Americans, compounding the amount of Islamophobia, and creating prejudice, fear, and hatred. The vicious cycle of retaliation has escalated ever since. Today, terrorist attacks happen far more often than they should, and unfortunately the feeling of hatred towards Muslims is growing. As often seen in today’s news, ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) is the primary group responsible for the organizing of these attacks. They want to take control of the Islamic world, believing it is unacceptably oppressed and influenced by Western civilizations. They use propaganda to recruit new members, encouraging them to commit devastating attacks of terror. In the case of Islamic extremists, they believe that becoming a martyr will yield to wealth and prosperity in the afterlife. The propaganda used by these extremist organizations ultimately manifest devastation and
tragedy.
While not immediately damaging or destructive, propaganda used in politics may still present dangers. The upcoming 2016 Presidential nomination candidates have frequently been in the news, whether it’s because of the debates or because of their campaigns. A topic that all of them have shared their views on is immigration. Because of the recent terrorist attacks, a percentage of the populace is feeling fear, confusion, and uncertainty about allowing certain people into the country. Politicians use those emotions as a way to gain votes, power, or advance in their personal agenda. For example, Donald Trump, a Republican nomination candidate, has stated that illegal immigrants from Mexico are “rapists” who “bring drugs and crime,” and after the San Bernardino attack, he now has an “anti-immigration plan” where he would ban all Muslim travel to the U.S. Those controversial views serve to create fear, hatred, and discrimination that may lead to hate crimes or retaliatory violence.
In contrast, one could argue that propaganda is not effective because there is always someone who disagrees with or is in disbelief of the message being spread. One could also argue that all propaganda is neither dangerous nor is it very convincing. However, the effectiveness of propaganda is not dictated by the percentage of those who agree with or believe it. For instance, in a war, hundreds of thousands could support the rationale for waging war, while an act of terrorism can be committed because of the beliefs of a single person. The damage or loss of life may still be catastrophic and devastating, regardless.
As the world has seen from past history and in recent times, propaganda can have dire consequences.
While some could argue that propaganda is not effective, the truth is that the masses don’t need to believe a story for trouble to stir. Whether propaganda convinces the majority, a handful, or even just one person, the damage done may be irreparable. Actions taken through the influences of propaganda may still result in people being manipulated, lives being lost, and wars being waged. In its many forms, propaganda can spark controversy and be divisive, but the true power of propaganda can only be measured through the aftermath of destruction left by those who believe
it.