ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 39: What is Propaganda? How Can We Tell That We Are Being Persuaded by False Rhetoric?

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.