Thursday is Good Reads day on the Anne W Associates blog. We feature reviews about books that we feel are worthwhile reads and have something to do with writing, communications, business, change, transition or personal development in some capacity. Guest bloggers are welcome to share their books and their thoughts about them.
The latest Thursday Good Reads book review is another classic: Propaganda, the 1928 classic by Edward Bernays, who is called the “father of public relations.” In this day of social media and PR coverage that spans politicians to Snooki, it seems fitting to take a look back at Bernays’ theories and think about how they fit today.
This week we welcome back guest blogger David Griffith. David manages corporate communications for Timex Group USA, Inc. He is also working on his M.F.A. in Creative & Professional Writing at Western Connecticut State University.
Book Review: Propaganda by Edward Bernays
by David Griffith
I have concluded after reading Propaganda that little has changed in American culture since 1928, the year the book was first published. Yes, social equality issues have come a long way since then, and science and technology have advanced our communication methods to new heights. But the general attitudes of the population in regards to politics, business and entertainment are largely unchanged. The reasons for propaganda’s existence are as relevant now as they were at the start of Bernay’s career, considering that unchanging human nature is critical to both its delivery and audience. In the guise and discipline of public relations, the practice of propaganda is very much alive today, built on the foundation Bernays laid a century ago.
Edward Bernays’ timeless wisdom in Propaganda presents an incredible foresight in the use of communication technology and methods: “today, ideas can be instantaneously transmitted to any distance and to any number of people…” (41). His ideas on using modern communication techniques of the time – newspapers, radio, motion pictures, and telegram – are still applicable now, particularly in the latest communication channel of social media. The psychology of mass groups, as Bernays perceived, plays a strong role in the success of these mass communication techniques. Built on primal instincts, and easily consumed by mob mentality, these like-minded groups exhibited a natural gravitation to key influential people who were eventually positioned as their leaders. This concept is paralleled on the Web, and in social media, as key influencers play that specific role for large groups of like-minded individuals. Some have become well-known influential bloggers making the rounds on the cable news punditry circuit and attending the political parties’ national conventions as members of the press.
I have learned from this book that propaganda is about far more than spreading a concept to influence others. It is about leadership being able to persuade the masses, for altruistic reasons, of course. It must be honest and authentic; Bernays was a strong believer in ethics. “The public is not an amorphous mass which can be molded at will, or dictated to.” (86) Propaganda is the filter by which a leader, a business, or an organization can communicate to the masses in the simplest, most effective words to affect the largest change. In its various public relations subsets, propaganda is expressed through the public actions of an American President eating lunch at a small town diner, a manufacturer’s response to a toxic chemical spill in a nearby river, a charity’s appeal to raise funds for cancer research, or the damage control of a celebrity’s public indiscretions.
The public relations discipline is born from the art of propaganda, and it must carry the burden of that tainted relationship. The practice of propaganda was significantly damaged during its unfortunate application in World War II. Far too often, the discipline of public relations is viewed as spinning a story to perpetuate a falsehood, or to generate publicity to heighten celebrity. In reality, it is the PR professional’s role to bridge the communication gap between the client (business, politician, organization, etc.) and the public. A wel-seasoned professional has the ability to read people, both the individuals and the masses, foresee the cause and effect of a sitaution before it occurs, and comprehend the multiple perspectives of responses to an event, and turn all of that information into something tangible for a client to understand and work with.
Propaganda is fascinating. Its timelessness and comprehensive nature establishes the public relations role in a clear light. The book reads well as a propaganda piece to sell potential clients of the time on Bernays’ services. He used his skills to generate new business practicing what he preached – and I commend him for that.
Please feel free to post your comments, thoughts or follow-up questions below.
