The need for self-affirmation

One good point made by Jacques Ellul in his piece, "The Characteristics of Propganda" is that propganda "...exploits the individual's need for self-affirmation." That is, effective propaganda appeals to people by telling by justifying their beliefs. This is well illustrated by the rampant exploitation of jingoism by politicans. For example, "America is the best country in the world". This both re-affirms the belief of the citizen, as well as forcing potential opponents to use similar propaganda. Whether America is or isn't the best country in the world in this case is irrelevant. Telling people what they want to hear, regardless of truth, can be an effective vehicle in manipulation.