Propaganda

The goal of propaganda is to convince people of something. To do something, to eat something, to watch something. It is meant to tell people, "vote for him." propaganda can be done very effectively to convince a group of people to think the way they are being told to think. I think good propaganda does exist as long as we can realize it is still subversively changing what people think. One example of this could be anti-drug commercials and pamphlets. They are still presenting a biased case and not looking objectively at all acts about drugs. What they are doing is still good though because it is convincing people not to use drugs.

One example of working propaganda is the one that is the first to come to my mind when propaganda is mentioned. Nazi Germany used propaganda very effectively. They were able to exterminate many of their own people only through the complacency of the rest of the population achieved, in part, through propaganda. Another example of propaganda being used effectively is the anti smoking campaign. Smoking rates have declined greatly since public service announcements and warning labels have been added to tobacco products. A final example of the successful usage of propaganda is in dealing with the Iraq war. People were told we were in immediate danger from that country. they had weapons of mass destruction. Anthrax even. It was scary stuff. i remember watching Colin Powell give the famous UN talk where he held up the small vile and talked about all the terrible things they had. Emotional tones and phrases were used to convince people this war was necessary preying on people's weaknesses after 9/11.

I like writing. I do. No, really. I am saying it so many ways to try to remind myself that I do, indeed, enjoy writing. I have a three year old and a five year old. Most of my writing time involves tracing dotted letters and spelling random words. It is incredibly hard to make myself take the time to write for myself about something that interests me.

One way I can make this a little easier, is to have a nice place to write. My husband recently refinished a desk for me that I have reserved as a me only desk. No children's papers or applesauce allowed! I have a nice lamp with a white shade, a small blue vase with small white flowers painted on it for pens, and a nice stack of books I am currently interested in. I like to write short bursts in notebooks and longer writings go on the computer. My desk faces a window that oerlooks the MTSU campus. I have a lovely view of trees while I write. I am hopeful that this class will make me use this little used space more often.