The Hunger Games Historical Context: Who’s In Control? A Look at Propaganda What is persuasion and how do you persuade someone? Think about the last time you were able to persuade someone. What did you persuade them to do or think? How did you do it? Did your efforts work? Why or why not? Share your response with a classmate. Nearly everyone has tried to convince someone to think or act in a different way. An effective persuasive argument is based on evidence in the form of facts, logic, and examples. However, not all persuasive arguments are constructed the same. Skilled writers can persuade readers by using emotions, incomplete facts, generalizations, and faulty reasoning. A particular form of persuasion that uses faulty arguments is called propaganda. Propaganda is the intentional spread of true or false information to the public with the goal of influencing public opinion and behavior. It is intentional, widespread, purposeful, powerful, and biased. Biased means it presents only part of an argument; it is one-sided. Propaganda simplifies complex issues, uses symbols, and is emotional. Often propaganda will have a slogan or saying that is easy to remember. Propaganda can be used for good or bad. A public service announcement can be an example of good propaganda. The goal of a public service announcement is to influence the public to act in a certain way. It might be to get a flu shot, buckle seat belts, or recycle. Propaganda can also be used to promote bad government policies. In history class, you may have learned about the Nazi party that came to power in Germany in 1933. Hitler wrote, “Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.” From the National Highway Traffic Indeed, the Nazis used propaganda skillfully as they tried to Safety influence how citizens felt about and treated Jews. Propaganda Administration based on rumors, fears, and prejudices encouraged the www.nhtsa.gov discrimination and persecution of the Jews. By persuading citizens that eliminating Jews from Germany was a good thing, the Nazi party and its allies were responsible for the deaths of six million Jews. Of course, propaganda wasn’t the only way the Nazi’s influenced the public, but it certainly had an important place in shaping attitudes and encouraging discrimination. As a reader, you must be thoughtful about what someone is trying to persuade you to do or think; a good reader asks questions and makes sure arguments are presented in a logical, balanced manner so that an informed decision can be made. Today, we have many ways to check on the accuracy of information we receive. We can watch several different news shows, we can check online for facts about an event. We can read different newspapers. It is always important to question sources and consider where your information comes from. When you read The Hunger Games, you’ll notice that the government has its own “spin doctors” who analyze the Games and players. They decide what the public will and won’t see in an effort to create a message that will control the audience. You’ll also notice how the government uses propaganda to Have you ever heard the term instill fear into the citizens in an effort to control their “spin doctor”? Today, we use behavior. By controlling the accuracy and type of this term about the people information the citizens receive, the government can who create a story around maintain its power and control over the public. high-profile events such as a political scandal or a Comprehension Check: Who’s In Control? company that has done A Look at Propaganda something wrong. The “spin” around an event is the bias Directions: After reading the article “Who’s In someone creates to influence Control? A Look at Propaganda,” answer the how the public views the following questions using complete sentences. scandal or wrongdoing. This is a form of propaganda. 1. What is propaganda? 2. Explain how the Nazi party used propaganda in World War II. 3. Compare propaganda with other forms of persuasion. How is propaganda different? 4. Evaluate why propaganda can be such a powerful way to persuade people. 5. Analyze the “Buckle Up America” poster. What elements of the poster categorize it as propaganda? 6. Infer why a government might want to use propaganda to promote something good like wearing seat belts. 7. Propose some other positive issues that could be promoted through propaganda. 8. How can you determine if something is propaganda?
