Fake celebrity endorsement and appeal to authority – Dalai Lama did not say this

Fake celebrity endorsement and appeal to authority – Dalai Lama did not say this

1656108_10152190715656030_1055730174_nTL;DR Summary

From a propaganda perspective, if the quote were shown next to a picture of a professor you do not know or recognize, the poster would not have much  impact. But by associating the quote with the Dalai Lama, the quote is given an air of superiority and importance. And that makes for effective propaganda.
This is another example of how social media has manufactured a “new fact” that is not true. Just look online and find this quote, now attributed to Dalai Lama, everywhere online.
Indeed, there are a LOT of fake Dalai Lama quotes (see http://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2014/03/01/dalai-lama-fake-quotes/). This is similar to the numerous fake quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Each is an attempt to associate a prominent figure, the figure’s authority and the viewer’s potential reverence for that authority, to the propaganda meme. It becomes a combination of leveraging someone’s authority but also relies on transferring respect for the individual shown to respect for the idea being promoted.
Another fake quote from the Dalai Lama – but using the same photo! – may be found here.
This poster appeared in my FB news feed.

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The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds. – Dalai Lama

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