2014: The Year Propaganda Came Of Age - The Automatic Earth

[MattSh]

A few days ago, I wrote in About That Interview :

The FBI claims they are certain the hackers are North Korean, but they have provided no proof of that claim. We have to trust them on their beautiful blue eyes. I think if anything defines 2014 for me, it’s the advent of incessant claims for which no proof – apparently – needs to be provided. Everything related to Ukraine over the past year carries that trait. The year of ‘beautiful blue eyes’, in other words. Never no proof, you just have to believe what your government says.

And that truly defines 2014 for me. A level of propaganda I don’t recognize, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. 2014 has for me been the year of utter nonsense. To wit, it just finished in fine form with a 5% US GDP growth number, just to name one example. Really, guys? 5%? Really? With all the numbers presented lately, the negative Thanksgiving sales data – minus 11% from what I remember -, the so-so at best Christmas store numbers to date, shrinking durable goods in November and all? Plus 5%?

It really doesn’t matter what I say, does it? You have enough people believing ridiculous numbers like that to make it worth your while. After all, that’s all that counts. It’s a democracy, isn’t it? If a majority believes something, it becomes true. If you can get more than 50% of people to believe whatever you say, that’s case closed.

<snip>

2014, in my eyes, has been the year of propaganda outdoing even its own very purpose, and succeeding too. We are supposed to be living in a time of the best educated people in the history of mankind, and everyone thinks (s)he’s mighty smart, but precious few have even an inkling of a clue of what transpires in the world they live in. Talk about a lost generation. Or two.

Complete story at - http://www.theautomaticearth.com/2014-the-year-propaganda-came-of-age/

[Octafish]

1. Propaganda Power

Edward Bernays, 'Father of Modern Propaganda,' helped CIA overthrow democracy in Guatemala in 1954. Please scroll down to pages 10-12 for specifics:

http://www.slideshare.net/PatrickWarren09/use-of-propaganda-in-the-cia-controlled-guatemalan-revolution-of-1954-removed-a-democratically-elected-leader-7291102

As many of the players from that operation would play roles in the various and sundry treasons from Dallas to Vietnam to Watergate to the October Surprise to Iran-Contra to looting the S&L to Selection 2000 to looting the Banks in 2007 to the wars without end of the present day, the story should resonate with those who wonder how the United States now enjoys democracy in name only.

Thank you for a most important post, MattSh - every word. The Big Liars have turned their megaphone on full volume.

[former9thward]

2. People believe the real unemployment rate is 5.8%.

Why? Because the government says so. If they believe that, they will believe anything.