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Rebecca Fipps
Professor Cindy Chavez
English 85
17 May 2015
Reading Log #4
“Propaganda: How Not to Be Bamboozled” (pp. 209-219)
Personal Comments: 7-10
Facts: 15-25
Personal Comments
I did not know it could be a
good thing
Why does this work?
Facts
1. Propaganda = good and bad
2. Name-Calling labels people as bad names
3.Glittering Generalities = reverse Name-Calling
Sounds a little unsavory.
4.Plain-Folks appeal
5.Argumentum Ad Populum = stroking
6.Argumentum Ad Hominem = “argument to the man”
Guilt is a strong emotion.
7.Guilt or Glory by association
Very true.
8.Bandwagon = the masses
9.Faulty Cause and Effect
10.False Analogy = not a true comparison
Sounds sneaky.
11. Begging the Question
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12. The Two-Extremes Fallacy = False Dilemma
13. Card-Stacking
Seems like they are using
the beloved person.
14. Testimonial = most common trick
15. Masters not slaves of our destiny
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Rebecca Fipps
Professor Cindy Chavez
English 85
17 May 2015
Student Reader Response #4
“Propaganda: How Not to Be Bamboozled” (pp. 209-219)
 Answer ALL questions: “Thinking Critically”
 Academic Paragraph: 7-12
1. Cross explains that propaganda is a means of persuasion and can have just as many
good causes as well as bad. Propaganda is used by people who want to use it to get a
point across. A point such as giving to charity, or even a bad point such as killing
sharks. Why do they want to get these points across? Well it’s because they want to
convince the intended audience that this is a point the audience should believe in. The
propaganda can be catchy or flashy and that could convince the audience that the
idea, behind it, is one they should believe in. Whether propaganda is good or bad, it is
used to persuade an audience.
2. Cross believes it is necessary for people in a democratic society to understand
propaganda because propaganda actually works. The masses are convinced rather
easily that if an important person has a good message then that’s the right message. If
they understood that just because something sounds good it doesn’t necessarily mean
that idea is an overall good one. Cross’s advice is to starting asking questions. You
should ask yourself what are the merits of this idea? What does our American
freedom and truth stand at? Cross tells us, readers, that we should be aware of what is
behind the face value of propaganda.
3. A “red herring” is a distraction technique used by propaganda. It is used to make
people forget or ignore the real issue behind the propaganda. There are several
different types of “red herrings” that can be used to distract attention. A few examples
is the “Plain-Folks” appeal, stroking, “argument to the man,” guilt or glory by
association and many more. Now “begging the question” means assuming the
conclusion of an argument. The person using this method is usually trying to conceal
the initial premise of their argument by convincing the audience of something else. It
is a sneaky technique and can backfire if discovered.
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4. Cross claims that testimonial is probably the most common propaganda trick of them
all. This device uses the support of a beloved person to sell a product or idea. This
person can be a celebrity or perhaps a State Senator, even the author of a book. An
example I have seen, first hand, was when Ellen DeGeneres competed with another
celebrity to see who could donate more for a charity. Ellen had then asked the
audience to donate to this charity. The cause may have been a good one, but Ellen did
use testimonial to help out the charity. I had never realized she had been using this
trick until I actually read this article.
5. Cross uses her examples to reveal how the tricks of propaganda are used. I believe her
use of the Senator Yakalot might stem from her own personal dislike of the senator or
perhaps because he was the best example to use multiple times. I found that this
hypothetical senator added a more realistic use of the propaganda tricks, but it was
rather bizarre with how often she used him. It is almost staggering with how badly
this Senator Yakalot is portrayed. There was one example that almost bothered me as
much as the senator. Cross did not mention in the “Plain-Folks” appeal how it was a
stereotype to eat certain foods with certain races. That could have been a good
example to reveal a propagandist who was being unsavory.
6. The analogy was used to compare the mindless actions of the lemmings and the
mindless following of the masses. This was not a false analogy because it really did
make a good comparison between the lemmings and the masses. The lemmings
followed their race to a watery suicide and the masses follow each other to a product
or idea. I use analogies in my own writing because I believe a reader can understood
my point better with one. I can easily compare a simple topic to a more complex topic
and hopefully the audience will understand what I mean. Plus the audience might find
me, as an author, more relatable if I use analogies that are personal. I find analogies,
if used correctly, can further an author’s writing.