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Month: April 2016

Panama Free Trade Agreement propaganda video is accurate and effective

Panama Free Trade Agreement propaganda video is accurate and effective

TL;DR Summary In 2011, Bernie Sanders spoke forcefully against a free trade agreement with Panama because Panama operates as a tax haven with secret bank accounts. True-Sanders did speak forcefully against the PFTA. True-Panama does have low corporate tax rates, tax havens and banking secrecy. This is an effective propaganda poster (video) because it is topical, makes good use of facts (not false assertions or logical fallacies), and is conveyed simply and directly. It is also unusual for a propaganda…

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Using humor to encourage “sharing” a poster

Using humor to encourage “sharing” a poster

TL; DR Summary Excellent use of humor Simple message, quickly processed by the viewer Humor is a polite propaganda way of getting an emotional response to encourage the viewer to Share and Like. This is also a “glittering generality” as the message is meaningless to the real world.

Using humor to encourage "sharing" a poster

Using humor to encourage "sharing" a poster

TL; DR Summary Excellent use of humor Simple message, quickly processed by the viewer Humor is a polite propaganda way of getting an emotional response to encourage the viewer to Share and Like. This is also a “glittering generality” as the message is meaningless to the real world.

Iraqi girl in orphanage drew photo of her mom and fell asleep

Iraqi girl in orphanage drew photo of her mom and fell asleep

TL;DR Summary Actual photo: Taken by an Iranian photographer, of her cousin, who had fallen a sleep while drawing chalk figures outside. The photo was stolen from the photographer’s Flickr post and the text description is false.  More of the photographer’s work may be seen here including similar style photos with the same young girl (some really great photos too!). For some reason, the propaganda poster did not use the similar photo where she is curled up inside a drawing…

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Same country, different data – the ease of creating propaganda posters

Same country, different data – the ease of creating propaganda posters

TL; DR Summary All true. Illustrates the ease of creating propaganda posters. Share if you agree! As I continue to cross-check the very popular (on social media) Denmark propaganda posters, I created one of my own!     Points that did not fit on this poster: Denmark has the highest taxes in the world Denmark has the highest personal debts in the world with household debt equal to 321% of disposable income. Banks pay negative interest rates – meaning that…

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