Post by the Scribe on Nov 6, 2020 18:56:30 GMT
Anthony Pratkanis and Jennifer Mercieca on How to Be A Smarter Consumer of Propaganda
Zócalo Public Square
01:28
When propaganda is everywhere, how do you determine what is real and what is not? No longer confined to advertisements, propaganda now appears amidst messages from our friends and family, as jokes, and in what appear to be news articles. UC Santa Cruz social psychologist Anthony Pratkanis advised that when you’re confronted with a persuasive message that changes your emotions, you need to ask yourself why. Jennifer Mercieca, Texas A&M historian of rhetoric, suggested we consider the wisdom of Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero who said “Cui bono?,” or “Who profits?” She adds that you should think about “who’s manipulating you and for what reason” when confronted with news that plays on your emotions. Pratkansis and Mercieca shared their thoughts at a Zócalo/UCLA Anderson School of Management event, “Is Propaganda Keeping Americans From Thinking for Themselves?,” which took place at National Center for the Preservation for Democracy in downtown Los Angeles.