Propaganda

I heard the name of Edward Bernays mentioned in a couple of podcasts as the nephew of Sigmund Freud (the famous psychoanalyst) and the uncle of Marc Randolph (the co-founder of Netflix). When I discovered that he had authored a book, I was quick to pick it up. I am deeply fascinated by what drives human behavior and who better to learn from than the “father of public relations” himself. The word propaganda is a loaded term and we tend to associate it with negative connotations but, as Bernays explains, anyone seeking to be influential in this world needs to become a propagandist. At it’s core, propaganda is influencing the masses to think a certain way. Of course, this power of influence has been leveraged by bad actors for nefarious means, and that’s why it’s so important to read this book so that you don’t fall victim to it. At the end of the day, whatever role you play in life, becoming a propagandist will make you more effective at it. Whether that means propagating the idea of dental hygiene to your kids or propagating the idea of why someone should by your product, it comes down to the ability to influence someone’s patterns of thought—and propaganda is about doing that at a mass scale. This was an interesting read for sure and I would recommend it to anyone looking to become an independent thinker in this world. Learning how to wield the power of propaganda is especially important for the heart-centered individuals that are sincerely looking to elevate humanity. Unfortunately, it is the bad actors that have become more effective at this art.

The more we can learn about how much we are lied to on a daily basis the better off we will be. Propaganda is literally saturating every avenue of our lives and most just gobble it up. Everything we hear, see, read is manipulated for a purpose.

Quick read. There were great examples through history which were eye opening. I was curious if there were laws governing this but given American political climate and cancel culture doubt it. But good to be aware of its use. Great for someone who is apolitical as education.

Glad I purchased this book for my collection. Great information. Knowledge is power.

A bracing, unsettling classic. Propaganda doesn’t ask to be admired so much as understood. Bernays lays out plainly and without apology, how mass opinion is shaped, steered, and manufactured, and in doing so removes the comfort of believing we’re immune to influence. What makes the book endure is its clarity: once you see the machinery, you can’t unsee it. Read it not for cynicism, but for literacy. It’s less a manual for manipulators than a warning for citizens who’d like to stay sovereign.

Good information but difficult to read in the format presented

This book is a must read for everyone. The concepts contained within are as relevant today as they were in the 1920’s. Even in places where the author is talking about radio and television, the ideas and applications are easily transferable to today’s social media. Depending on your perspective, this book is just as much a warning as it is a user guide regarding propaganda. If you think this book is antiquated, you are missing the point. This book needs no updated version. By reading the words as originally written you get to see the true historical context of propaganda in use.

Good

Will truth ever return as a standard?

The book came with many pages not printed and missing. Worst quality.

Frightening when you read how the events of the past have changed our world, and not necessarily for the better.

Sehr aufschlussreiches Buch. Da Bernays Propaganda verkauft, quillt schon die erste Seite vor Propaganda über. Wenn Sie also am Ende des Buchs nicht gehirngewaschen sein wollen (dann wäre Propaganda für Sie plötzlich das Nonplusultra - Gott, bewahre!): Nur einzelne Seiten lesen, genau gucken, wo die Manipulation steckt und Stift benutzen, um die korrekte Version (ohne Manipulation) daneben zu schreiben. Wenn Sie das das ganze Buch lang durchhalten, haben Sie Neos rote Pille geschluckt und Sie sind Propaganda-immun. Da geht Ihnen dann ein echtes Licht auf.

The book is good. Great commentary but I was looking for a true to original print. This book is riddled with OpenAI GPT long dashes between words. Hall mark of being run through an LLM. I can't tell if the print is a cheap knock off or the person with rights to print revised the content? Would have preferred original contents close to first publication. Cannot trust the content if it's been altered. Quite disappointed and absolutely hate the trend of LLM written books. Atleast get rid of the dahses. Last book I bought for $20 was a copy from India marked to be sold for 200 ruppees. Not loving the Amazon book experience...