Total Propaganda

Anna Kuznechevskaya

Student ID # 26927114

7FEB2018

Total

Propaganda is considered total when all the possible resources are used to disseminate information. Those resources include news, tv shows, newspapers, radio broadcasts, internet etc.

An ideal tool to shape people’s opinions in the favor of the disseminator requires enormous amount of administrative and financial support. To be effective, a variation of means is needed to spread the propaganda which supports my opinion that an individual will not be able to create the campaign on his own and it will most likely be executed by an organization.  

The aftermath of the depression and downfall of Communism in Hungary in 1998 demonstrates an example of total propaganda used by an organization. A part of the male Hungarian population was severely depressed and suicidal. Therapy sessions were unsuccessful since the people were taught not to share their opinions in fear to be denounced to authorities.  The operating principle used to convince these men that “Communication is your best investment” was the total use of media. Planned and executed by a communications and marketing agency hired by the director of the Behavioral Science Unit of the Semmelweis University in Budapest hoped the campaign would persuade the population that speaking to a therapist is a safe and non-threating experience and long-term therapy sessions are needed for their well-being.

Organizations, as opposed to an individual, have more to gain from the promotion and dissemination of ideas and opinions. The intent is to influence and manipulate thoughts, feelings and actions of the population.