Propaganda? Who is better at it?

Question

Our politicians (in both parties) or are we better (in Y/A, the inquisitors and answerers in the P&G on both sides of the spectrum)?

I personally think we (non politicians/voters on Y/A) are better at it than our politicians.

I think we are more willing to trust unverified information from each other than from our politicians.

What are your thoughts on this?

Agree or disagree and why?

Answer 1

America has the best political system that money can buy.  Both parties are excellent at telling the public exactly what they want to hear.  I also think that both parties have people on staff that drum the stuff up, knowing that the comments would never pass the light of day through respectable channels.

Answer 2

Perhaps users here smear more, but the smears of the parties and interest groups reach more people.

I consider Y!A to be utterly inconsequential to the outcome of the election.

Answer 3

I think Y/A is a small sampling of the electorate and is generally better generating ideas than are politicians in general.

I agree people on boards such as Y/A have more good ideas than politicians.  Unfortunately, people too often hide behind the real meaning of their questions and/or answers, often asking or answering with an ulterior motive.  Unverified information is information, but it could still be propaganda, no matter what or who the source is.

History provides several examples of excellent propaganda.  Every civilization, nation-state, and culture has propaganda.  It is used for good and evil.  It is nothing new, except for the institution of mass media as the ultimate tool of propaganda.  

Unfortunately, most, if not almost all, Americans do not read the Constitution, read the Federalist Papers, and are acquainted with free-market economics.  People vote for whomever they believe will win, for whom will make them feel good, for someone who is popular, for someone who will give them something in return for their vote.  Most, if not all, Americans do not vote for someone based on whether they will do something constitutional or unconstitutional.  It has come down to two things: money and power.

Answer 4

Disagree.  Republican's are great at propaganda.  I get about 8 emails a day supposedly full of "facts" against Barack Obama (these "facts" are actually fiction), I get 0 emails a day bashing the Republican party.

Most of the propaganda pushed on me is the is from rapid-fire religious people who can wait to 'spread the word'.  Somehow I think they is they took another look at their 'moral platform' they would stop sending false e-mails.

Just my opinion.

I've actually read several things on the Y/A that turned out to be factual. So we were the first to 'know the truth'.

Answer 5

I think our politicians are better at it-- or, at least, their advisers are.  

The reason being, most of us who propagandize are usually regurgitating propaganda that has been coordinated from above.  We think it's our idea, but it really came from them.

Answer 6

I always felt that Republicans were better at propaganda and smear campaigns.

a great example is Bush vs Dukakis.

The Bush campaign would send our smear attacks and commercials and the Dukakis campaign had this position of "we're not going to fight dirty, we're not going to mudsling, people will like us more for being grown up and not name calling."

In the end, he lost the election by a landslide. He later told the press he wished he would have fought back because not fighting, instead of making him look like the better man, ended up making him look like a sissy.

Another great example is the Swift Boat Vets for W Bush thing. Turned out after the fact the whole thing was debunked and it was just a smear campaign against Kerry. But of course the commercials made their impact and it was too late.

Dems just usually call out Repubs for being rich, old, grumpy, near sighted, war mongering, redneck white guys. Repubs make fun of Dems for being hippy, unrealistic, idealistic, and snooty sissies. But it seems like the Repubs have it all over the Dems when it comes to propaganda.

Answer 7

The voters are way better at this because they can get away with saying more. They never have to back up their facts and always saying the most ridiculous things. If I had to choose which party was better at this I would give a slight edge to the republicans but both parties can really demonize someone.  

Answer 8

I THINK BOTH PARTIES SHOULD SIT DOWN AND CHECK US OUT AND SEE WHAT THE REAL AMERICA IS DEBATING AND TALKING ABOUT AND JUST SEE HOW BOTH SIDES ARE TOTALLY DIVIDED RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE.

Answer 9

The Dems are much better at it. They have the media as co-conspirators

Answer 10

are you saying the measure of how good at propaganda someone is is how willing that person is to trust unverified information?  That's an odd way of looking at things.  

If you clarify your question, I think you will get a better answer.

Answer 11

There were three...............THREE.............fr... page news smears on the NYT today about gov palin

I would have to do a lot of posting to compare to that

Answer 12

Republican politicians and surrogates are much, much, better at propaganda and repetition.  It's their forte and they've built a large and expensive infrastructure to spread it.  As far as our political arguments and yes propaganda (to convince and influence) on these boards, I try not to spread untruths, but can see how they can spread like wildfire on these boards.    

Answer 13

Neocons are the best at it!

Answer 14

The media is the best at propganda I eman look at how far they have got Obama when theres no real reason to vote for him aside from he's not Bush

Answer 15

I think that people on YA are more likely to be influenced by propaganda rather than cause it. The internet makes alot of people sheeple.

Answer 16

Politicians and their cronies via the mainstream media is much more effective overall, but I think with people being less trusting and believing in our leaders it causing more people to seek alternative sources.