Propaganda and Politics

[babylonsister]

FYI, this is on Link TV now, DirectTV satellite channel 375.

http://www.linktv.org/programs/special_propaganda


In his classic essay “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell described political speech as consisting “largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.” Six decades later, the tactics of disinformation and manipulation diagnosed by Orwell persist on the political battlefield, along with new propaganda techniques made possible by advances in scientific knowledge and modern technology.

In this special Link TV presentation we look at an aspect of our Orwellian state that is all too important in this election year – the way politicians use the power of words and images to influence our thoughts and opinions. We will be airing a powerful discussion between experts in the field of communication that took place recently in New York.

There You Go Again: Orwell Comes to America
This special event took place at the New York Public Library on November 7 2007, and invited historians, linguists, cognitive experts, journalists, government officials, and political consultants to assess the current state of public discourse — and journalism’s response to it — one year before a hotly contested presidential election.

The panel, Deceiving Images: The Science of Manipulation features three experts in the field of communication - George Lakoff, Frank Luntz and Drew Westen - who are joined by moderator Nicholas Lemann. These pros ask whether the age of propaganda is actually over, or if politicians and pundits are just refining their techniques of manipulation. These panelists from both the left and right reveal their secrets about how politicians manipulate the public.

About the participants:
Nicholas Lemann (moderator), dean and Henry R. Luce Professor, The Journalism School, Columbia University
George Lakoff, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, Rockridge Institute and the Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics, UC Berkeley
Frank Luntz, political pollster and consultant; author of "Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear."
Drew Westen, professor of psychology/psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Emory University; author of "The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation."