New post on *Think Tank of One* [image: Description: http://s0.wp.com/i/emails/blavatar.png]
[image: Description: http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f38dbdf84e4765a5b25e6f960069a2f1?s=50&d=identicon&r=G] <https://thinktankofone.com/?author=1> *The Agility of Propaganda* <https://thinktankofone.com/2017/03/10/the-agility-of-propaganda/> by *John Thompson* <https://thinktankofone.com/?author=1> The acme of the propagandist's skill is to make one message serve several functions at once with different audiences. Propaganda -- as sundry "urban guerrillas" used to remind us -- is also of the deed as well as of the word. My old boss, Maurice A.J. Tugwell, always wanted a cheap tin-toy from around 1900 as an example of this point. What he sought was a little model of a nun which, if you pressed the base, flipped up the skirt to expose a naughty lack of undergarments. The novelty items were labelled with the name of the Coca-Cola company, but were quietly distributed by Pepsi salesmen. The point -- an important one in 1900 America -- was that Catholics would associate Coke with insults to their Church, and Protestants would think that Catholics preferred Coke; hence both would be more likely to turn to Pepsi. The risque aspect of the novelty item meant that both would likely pass the toy around and spread the message still further. Propaganda does overlap with terrorism; after all, the terrorist is involved in a form of political communication (among other things). Vandalism, threats, arson and so on, can be tools of the aggressive propagandist and the low-grade terrorist alike. Humans like things to be simple. If Party 'A' is attacked, we invariably assume 'B' who dislikes 'A' must be responsible. But suppose 'C' who dislikes them both; attacks 'A' and encourages the belief that 'B' must be responsible. Cube law... a relationship of two has four permutations, a relationship of three has nine, and so on. We get dizzy really quickly under these circumstances. What happens when 'C' attacks 'A', suggests 'B' is responsible, while 'D' abets 'C'. settles scores with 'A' and cries out that 'B' is attacking them? Meanwhile, some members of 'B' actually believe that it truly is time to attack 'A' and.... and ... Propaganda indeed, especially for a propagandist who hopes to argue that society is fatally flawed and that we should all take action against each other. Since the inauguration of President Trump last January, a perfect storm of 'Hate Crimes' seems to have broken out; but the numbers (at least in the US) have been ramping up for the last two years. Bomb threats against Jewish community centres, vandalism in cemeteries, and reported threats against visible minorities are apparently increasing in Canada as well. Everybody has their fingers out and pointing... and the simple explanation offered the most often is that White-Supremacist -Christian haters feel empowered by the Trump campaign and presidency. Oh, if only things were that simple. Perhaps there is a way out of this. Perhaps we should refuse to compile reports of purported Hate Crime incidents, and instead look to our respective justice departments to only release statistics on convictions alone. Let a shaft of truth transfix the murk, and perhaps this really would simplify matters for a while. *John Thompson <https://thinktankofone.com/?author=1>* | March 10, 2017 at 3:37 pm | Categories: *Article* <https://thinktankofone.com/?taxonomy=category&term=article> | URL: *http://wp.me/p8pO1X-2L* <http://wp.me/p8pO1X-2L> Comment <https://thinktankofone.com/2017/03/10/the-agility-of-propaganda/#respond> *See all comments* <https://thinktankofone.com/2017/03/10/the-agility-of-propaganda/#comments> *Trouble clicking?* Copy and paste this URL into your browser: *https://thinktankofone.com/2017/03/10/the-agility-of-propaganda/* <https://thinktankofone.com/2017/03/10/the-agility-of-propaganda/> [image: Description: http://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?blog=124361209&post=171&subd=thinktankofone.com&ref=&email=1&email_o=jetpack&host=jetpack.wordpress.com] ------------------------------ [image: Avast logo] <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> __._,_.___ ------------------------------ Posted by: "Beowulf" <[email protected]> ------------------------------ Visit Your Group <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/grendelreport/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmcW9mZ3MyBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE0ODkxNjM0MDU-> [image: Yahoo! 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