Why does Bernays believe people rely on "invisible rulers" and "invisible government"?
Bernays believe people rely on what he calls the “invisible government” to help them make decisions. These “invisible rulers” sift through the data out there and narrows it down to practical choices and disseminates these choices through various propaganda. They do this because if we were to all study the ethical, political data to every question we would never be able to make a choice.
Why does Bernays believe that all organizations, even charitable ones, must engage in the practice of shaping the public mind using propaganda?
Bernays believed that propaganda could have a positive influence on the minds of the public. By utilizing propaganda organizations including charities can inform and influence the public to help them reach their goals. He talks about how churches now utilize newspapers and billboards to advertise their events. This is a form of propaganda that is used by nonprofit organization.
Why must businesses rely on propaganda in order to thrive, according to Bernays?
Bernays believed that in order to thrive businesses needed to rely on propaganda. This is because businesses and the public are bonded together. Public opinion can greatly impact the success of a business so it is important that they maintain a positive image and relationship with the public. Companies must use propaganda and public relations to imprint the characteristics that align with their objectives and the public’s wants to the public consciousness.
Bernays sees propaganda as fundamentally ethical and democratic. Why does he feel this way?
Bernays sees propaganda as fundamentally ethical and democratic for various reasons. He first notes that in the past, “Universal literacy was supposed to educate the common man to control his environment.” Over time this controlling of the environment developed into ads, editorials, tabloids, etc. Propaganda became a means for the educated man to disseminate what he believed in. According to Bernays propaganda and its proper meaning is a completely ethical act. What makes propaganda have such a negative connotation is how people have used it with harmful and dishonest intent. Like many things it is not propaganda itself that is unethical but certain individuals who have used it.
How have your attitudes about propaganda changed after reading this book?
After reading this book I find that my attitude is much more positive towards propaganda. Bernays describes propaganda in a way that makes you see it is a tool available to everyone and can be used in very positive ways. He notes that the distinction between harmful propaganda and other propaganda is the user’s intent which is similar to anyone tool whether physical or informational. The distinction made by Bernays is what really made me change my opinion on propaganda. Now I look forward to learning more about propaganda and how I can use it in my life also.