Propaganda Unit
Manipulating the Truth
Journal
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How do you envision the future? What do you
think life on the earth will be like 20 or 50 or
100 or more years from now?
Propaganda Unit Vocabulary
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Analysis: breaking down 
an idea into its parts
Ideology: beliefs that
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guide actions for an
individual or group
Media: Means of
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communication
Mislead: lead wrongly;
lead astray
Persuasion: induce to
believe; convincing
arguments
Propaganda: information,
ideas, or rumors
deliberately spread widely
to help or harm a person,
group, movement,
institution, nation, etc.
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Civil Discourse: the ability to talk about controversial
issues respectfully
Critical Thinking: disciplined thinking that is clear, rational,
open-minded, and informed by evidence
Orwellian: George Orwell; author of Nineteen
Eighty-Four
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Doublespeak: evasive, ambiguous language that is intended to
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Newsspeak: Evasive, ambiguous language used by news
media
Big Brother: Government; people in control
Thought crimes: What you think can be against the law
Thought Police: the enforcers against thought crimes
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deceive or confuse.
Dystopia and Utopia Definitions
 Utopia:
 A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in
respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions
 Dystopia:
A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive
mind and physical control and the illusion of a perfect
society are maintained through totalitarian control.
Dystopias, are an exaggerated worst-case scenario
that are making a criticism about a current trend,
society, or political system.
George Orwell’s 1984
Slavery is Freedom
War is Peace
Ignorance is Strength
2+2=5
Big Brother is Watching You
Journal topic:
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Think about a country where people believe the following
statements:
"Big Brother is Watching You," "War is Peace," "Slavery is
Freedom," "Ignorance is Strength," 2+2=5
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What would a government have to do or be like to get
you and others to believe these statements?
Video trailers
1984 trailer:
"They can't get inside your head" speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfK5dKH6ojg&feature=related
Overview of story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52wis_sLT1I&feature=related
Slogans shown but with footage other than movie: Good for showing
slogans from 1984:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEphsAOvBw8&feature=related
Characteristics of a Dystopia
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Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.
Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.
A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the
society.
Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.
Citizens have a fear of the outside world.
Citizens live in a dehumanized state.
The natural world is banished and distrusted.
Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and
dissent are bad.
The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world
Connections: The Hunger Games
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Manipulation of what is real
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How is reality manipulated by the Capitol?
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People starving
The Hunger Games
The “image” of the tributes
Do we see this same kind of manipulation of truth today?
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Ad makers
Politics
News Media
What is it?
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Assignment: Create a definition of propaganda using the
multiple definitions on handout
Campaign Ad examples
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http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/type/fear
Bomb (Nuclear Treaty)(Humphrey, 1968)
McGovern Defense (Nixon, 1972)
Bear (Reagain, 1984)
Revolving Door
http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/type/docume
ntary
Credibility (Bush, 1988)
The Mission (Dukakis, 1988)
Riady (Dole, 1996)
Really (Bush, 2000)
Propaganda
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http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/lessons/18
Lessons!!!
Hunger Games and Appearance
The Role of Media in Elections: Quotes
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http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediaquotes.htm
(Handout in Media Lit folder)
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http://inquirer.philly.com/opinion/cv/visual.html
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How Images Manipulate You