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Lots of propaganda, like this image tweeted out by the Portland police of obviously empty jars and magazines wet with the paint protesters have been throwing at cops, is often clumsy and obviously fabricated. Propaganda doesn't have to be elegant to work, though.
One major function of propaganda is that it just muddies the waters and confuses people. Casual onlookers don't know who to believe, so believe nothing, avoid coming to conclusions, or get cynical.
Nondemocratic regimes are just fine with confusion, cynicism, and inaction.
Nondemocratic regimes are just fine with confusion, cynicism, and inaction.
It can also work as a kind of loyalty test. If supporters believe the propaganda, even when it's obviously fake, they signal that their loyalty to power has nothing to do with truth or evidence. They believe what power tells them to believe.
Parroting party lines gives regime partisans an opportunity to show their loyalty. This isn't true in spite of propaganda's fakeness. This is especially true when propaganda is fake.
Fake propaganda can also change the direction of the debate. Even if something is fake, regimes can exhaust their enemies by demanding that they debate, refute, or engage with bullshit. And they'd rather critics engage with bullshit than work on real issues.
We are likely going to see and hear even more obvious lies in the future. The current US administration, police departments, and their partisans will do it to confuse people, create cynicism, foster loyalty among their supporters, and change the debate.
It won't matter that they are obviously wrong or that their claims are not supported by good evidence. Reactionaries, totalitarians, fascists, and bullies don't care about such things.
Stay strong, don't get cynical, and call them on their shit.
But we need to control the conversation and keep focus.
But we need to control the conversation and keep focus.
This blew up. Please consider donating to any of these Portland advocacy groups: https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/06/02/28499055/things-you-can-do-to-support-the-black-community-and-promote-anti-racist-efforts
If you want more of my thoughts on authoritarianism and how it works, I did a podcast series about Italian fascism. https://www.weirdhistorypodcast.com/2017/01/12/112-italian-fascism-part-one-the-idea-of-italy/
