2.) Why does Bernay’s believe people rely on "invisible rulers" and "invisible government”?

    Bernay’s believes that people rely on “ Invisible government” because these “ Invisible” people manipulate the unseen mechanism of society. In Bernay’s statement, “ We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of” he basically explains that citizens are often more inclined to live by the ideas and thoughts of these invisible leaders, rather than live by the thoughts and conclusions that they were able to create on their own. He blames this dependence of the people on their own laziness as many would rather sit back and accept the information chosen for them by the government, rather than go out and do their own research on political or economic information in order to draw our own educated conclusions. 

 

3. Why does Bernay’s believe that all organizations, even charitable ones, must engage in the practice of shaping the public mind using propaganda?

    Bernay’s believed that “ Charity, as well as business, and politics and literature, for that matter, have had to adopt propaganda, for the public must be regimented into giving money just as it must be regimented into tuberculosis prophylaxis”. He basically stated that for charities to work people must give money, however an unconvinced person will not just send money to a foundation like a charity. Through the use of propaganda to shape the publics mind, the people can be convinced that what they are about to do is the right thing. Propaganda is very efficient in gaining public support, and is only getting  more and more efficient according to the readings by Bernay’s.

 

4. Why is fashion a form of propaganda according to Bernays?

    Fashion is a form of propaganda according to Bernay’s because of the influence that establishments like fashion magazines  can have on what the new fashion is. He used the example of the textile industry and the loss of the velvet market. He stated that this velvet company had been in ruins since velvet had gone out of fashion. Since analysis showed that it would be nearly impossible to revive the velvet trade in America, the owners of the business believed that by going to Paris, the fashion capital of the world, and attacking the problem at the source, they could once more become a prospering industry. By contacting the couturiers in France, they were able to connect with designers like Lanvin and Worth to influence them to use velvet in their gowns and other items. Because these designers began to use the velvet in their items, women began to buy it because they were following the trends of these designers. Eventually the clothing was put in a fashion magazine and business began to pick up again. Through this explanation, Bernay’s was able to show the effect of these bigger, more powerful individuals by the effects they had on the people who follow them. Because these big companies began to incorporate velvet into their clothing and promoting it as their new fashion idea, this led all of the designers customers to also believe that velvet was back in style. Between the designers new promotion and the Magazine also showing models in velvet, this form of propaganda was able to revive the industry.

 

7. Why must businesses rely on propaganda in order to thrive, according to Bernay’s?

    According to Bernay’s, businesses rely greatly on the publics opinion when it comes to their income and success. These businesses utilize propaganda to create a thriving group of followers for their product which can lead to a positive effect on their sales. The main point here, is that through propaganda, business can create a healthy following for their product, which then can make them a serious competitor in their market. When your following believes in your business and your product it has an overwhelming effect on the profitability of your business. The easiest and most logical way to increase the productivity of your business is to gain an interest from the public, and as a business there is no better way to do so than by utilizing propaganda.

 

10. How have your attitudes about propaganda changed after treading this book? 

    Initially, upon entry into this class I had a pretty limited understanding of what propaganda actually was. I always assumed that propaganda was mostly used in a negative since most the examples that I had seen at a younger age were bad propaganda. After reading this book, it allowed me to open up my mind and gain a deeper understanding of what propaganda actually is. I was able to learn that propaganda can and is actually used for the promotion of good ideas. Through the example of the textile industry and the use of propaganda to revive the velvet business, It showed how propaganda can be used in a business promotion aspect. It allowed for me to realize the true importance of propaganda even in todays day and age and how easily it can effect the ideas and opinions of those who it is aimed at. Lastly, this book showed me how to deeply analyze the propaganda that has been surrounding me my whole life that has, for the most part, gone completely over my head.