A Few Propaganda Tools
►LOADED LANGUAGE:
furthering an argument by using words that have very positive meanings and which
are associated with highly valued concepts
furthering an argument by using words that have very negative meanings and which
are associated with highly disrespected concepts
Ex. 1 of Loaded Language:
Neutral Slant:
Positive Slant:
Negative Slant:
Students staged a demonstration on campus.
Concerned students staged a peaceful demonstration on campus.
Radical students staged a hostile riot on campus.
Ex. 2 of Loaded Language:
Neutral Slant:
Positive Slant:
Negative Slant:
Iraqi soldiers fought their enemies in Basra.
Iraqi freedom fighters fought forces of evil in Basra.
Iraqi terrorists brutalized peace peace-keeping forces in Basra.
Ex. 3 of Loaded Language:
Neutral Slant:
Neutral Slant:
Positive Slant:
Positive Slant:
Negative Slant:
Negative Slant:
James believes a woman should have the right to have an abortion.
Helen believes abortion should be outlawed.
Mark believes in a woman’s right to choose.
Bill is pro-choice.
Kim is anti-abortion.
Dalia is pro-life.
►TRANSFER:
associating the honor/respect/love of a person—often using symbols, images, and quotes—with an
idea the propagandist wants accepted
associating the dishonor/disrespect/hatred of a person—often using symbols, images, and quotes—
with an idea the propagandist wants rejected
Ex. 1 of Transfer: The U.S. president spoke to the nation while in front of a large American flag.
(This associates both him and what he says to everything the American flag stands for.)
Ex. 2 of Transfer: The candidate for mayor closed his speech with a prayer.
(This associates the candidate and his ideas with religion.)
Ex. 3 of Transfer: Chuck Norris appears on stage and speaks at all of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s rallies.
(Mike Huckabee does this to associate himself with Chuck Norris, hoping to make himself look
tough—tough on crime, tough on immigration, tough regarding national defense, etc.)
►FALSE PREMISE:
using an incorrect premise in an argument, resulting in an erroneous conclusion
Example 1 of a False Premise: If the floor is wet, it must mean that the pipes are leaking.
(The premise is that the only reason the floor could be wet is leaking pipes.)
Example 2 of a False Premise: I didn’t like the French dessert I tried, so all French desserts must be bad.
(The premise is that all French desserts are alike.)
Example 3 of a False Premise: Martin is late to class. I think his bus must have been late
►AD HOMINEM: trying to refute an argument by discrediting a person offering that argument
Example 1 of ad Hominem:
Bill:
Sue:
I think The Godfather was a great movie.
You’re wrong. You’re stupid and don’t know anything.
Example 2 of ad Hominem:
Maria:
Kim:
Leo says that Abraham Lincoln was a great president.
Leo doesn’t know about presidents; he voted for Jimmy Carter.
Example 3 of ad Hominem:
You can’t trust anything he says; he’s a bigot.
(Instead of addressing the issues directly, Sue just attacks Bill, and Kim just insults Leo.)
►THE BIG LIE: repeating a lie frequently and over a long period of time so that the lie eventually becomes accepted
Example 1 of the Big Lie:
In Germany, Hitler and his fellow Nazis stated over and over—in person, on the radio, in
print, etc.—that Jews were responsible for the problems in Germany.
(Eventually, many Germans believed this lie, which led to the Holocaust—the systematic
killing of six million Jews.)
Example 2 of the Big Lie:
Some people today deny the occurrence of Holocaust over and over—in person, on the
Web, in print, etc.
(Even though the Holocaust really did happen, the big lie tactic has persuaded some
people that it was made up in order to generate sympathy for Jews.)
Example 3 of the Big Lie:
In the 1950’s, U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy lea a long and loud campaign against what
he said was a large number of Communists in the U.S. State Department, in the U.S.
Army, and in every walk of life in the U.S. This era in U.S. history is called the
McCarthy Era.
To the right is the cover of a
propagandist newsletter
created during the McCarthy Era.
(For additional examples of the big lie,
just follow politics and watch commercials!)
A Few Examples of Propaganda Tools Used in Animal Farm
1. All that the animals know about the success or failure of the farm are “Squealer’s lists of figures, which
invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better.”
2. Explaining why the pigs sleep in beds now, Squealer says, “’Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?’”
3. Instead of debating Snowball, Napoleon declares him a traitor and says that Snowball has caused many
problems on the farm.
4. Josef Stalin got the Russian Orthodox Church to appear to go along with his policies.
(This isn’t from Animal Farm. It’s from “Synopsis of the Russian Revolutions.”)
5. Major says that the elimination of man from the farm will make things better for the animals.
6. Minimus’ poem, “Comrade Napoleon”
7. Napoleon awards himself two medals and wears them all the time.
8. Snowball reminds Mollie, “’liberty is worth more than ribbons.’”
9. Squealer calls Napoleon, “our heroic Leader, Comrade Napoleon.”
10. Squealer encourages the use of Boxer’s maxim: “Napoleon is always right.”
11. Squealer says that Snowball “’was no better than a criminal.’”
12. Squealer says that if the pigs don’t eat more, Jones will return.
13. The commandments are first written on a wall in the barn and then secretly changed several times.
14. The Meeting is always held at the flag.
15. The pigs say that they must consume more milk and apples because it helps them do their jobs, which is
thinking for all the animals.