Propaganda & Mass Persuasion: Ellul's feelings on Radio Broadcast

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Ellul's feelings on Radio Broadcast


Ellul feels that someone listening to a radio is never alone, therefore propaganda is spread.


"[T]he individual is considered part of the mass and included in it...
because in that way his psychic defenses are weakened, his reactions are
easier to provoke, and the propagandist profits from the process of
diffusion of emotions through the mass, and, at the same time, from the
pressure felt by an individuall when in a group. Emotionalism,
impulsiiveness, excess, etc.--all these characteristics of the individual
caught up in a mass are well known and very helpful to propaganda.
Therefore, the individual must never be cconsidered as being alone; the
listener to a radio broadcast, though actually alone, is nevertheless part
of a large group, and he is aware of it." --The Characteristics of
Propaganda


1 Comments:

Blogger A. Mattson said...

A great quote, but you need to add some of your own commentary and analysis to make it a good post.

Alone in a crowd in front of the radio. . . .

2/12/2007 9:46 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home