What is the difference between propaganda and persuasion?
After reading Chapter 11 on Persuasive Writing, I am still left with a question. Tomkins (2012) wrote that "propaganda isn't the same as persuasion; the word propaganda suggests something shady or underhanded" (p. 253). I am still confused about what the difference is between propaganda and persuasion. I am not sure how I would explain this to my students and I don't know how to explain it to myself. I feel like I can notice that they are different but I can't put into words how the two are different. I decided that after reading about this topic in Tompkins (2012), I needed to do some additional research. In my research on the difference between propaganda and persuasion, I came across a website that a psychologist made that really supported my understanding. In the article that author wrote that "propaganda is a form of careful, organized communication with the intent of the communicator, called a propagandist, to influence a person or group of persons to think or behave differently or to reinforce pre-existing thoughts or behaviors" (Brown, 2020). The author also explained persuasion well when she wrote "persuasion is a form of communication also meant to influence a person or group to change their minds, behaviors or attitudes, or just to consider a different view point" (Brown, 2020). I think this article really helped me understand that most of the time with propaganda, the propagandist is the one that benefits and only sometimes does the consumer. I see how propaganda is more negative and persuasion is usually not as negative. I also liked learning about how in propaganda information is controlled by the propagandist and in persuasion it flows freely between the persuader and the persuade.
I also learned about the three types of propaganda (black, gray, and white) and reinforced my knowledge of the 3 types of persuasion (ethos, pathos and logos). With propaganda there is often concealing of information, not including information, or the information is fabricated (Brown, 2020). This makes me understand why Tompkins (2012) wrote that "propagandists often use underhanded techniques to distort, conceal, and exaggerate the facts" (p. 253). I now have more background knowledge about this topic so when reading Tompkins I can see the connections and I understand the material more clearly. The examples, images and the chart below really helped to aid my understanding of these two concepts. Based on my reading in Tompkins and of Brown's article, I see why this topic is important to teach to students. I see how students need to be informed of the similarities and differences between propaganda and persuasion. I see how students need to be shown examples of each, how certain words are used in propaganda to trick you and how information can be kept from consumers.
Tompkins, G. E. (2012).
Teaching writing: Balancing process and product (6th
ed.). Upper
Saddle
River, NJ: Merrill.
As I read this entry Kerrigan, I couldn't help but also wonder if you think that learning more about the elements of persuasion has also helped you to think about how you approach your own writing?
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