In this podcast, we will explore the nature of propaganda and how easy it is to believe. How can a listener/reader/consumer discern whether there are facts and evidence backing any particular attitude, statement or marketing? Is there some way to know if something is likely to be true or false when you read about it or hear? What is “confirmation bias” and how does it function in relation to propaganda? What about the scientific standard of “falsification”? We will talk especially about medical, pharmaceutical, and health-related propaganda, as well as the ways the movies may enforce or resist our public tendencies to propaganda. And finally, do parents offer propaganda when they say things like “eat your spinach, it has lots of vitamins” or “don’t stare at the computer screen, it will ruin your vision” or is this simply good guidance? We will talk about how parental authority can help or hurt children in learning how to deal with propaganda.
In Part 2, Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson talk especially about the two great categories of human emotions — primary emotions (that we...
In this podcast we will return again to the way we speak to ourselves and others. Once again, we will tune into the problem...
(Part 1) Why are even simple topics often difficult to discuss, especially if people have different viewpoints? Underlying many confusions and animosities in human...