It's insane to me that with all the coverage of propaganda and disinformation nobody ever asks why there's fertile soil for it to grow on (hexbear.net)

submitted 6 months ago by 7bicycles@hexbear.net to c/politics@hexbear.net

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Whenever any sort of disinformation, fake news and propaganda is discussed I feel like all the talk about it always get's stuck on it's existence. Like "the russians are spreading misinformation in europe" or whatever. Which, sure, they do, how the fuck is there no talk about what to do of it?

Cause the way I see it, there's two options, either there's no more russia or whatever other rivaling hegemonial power follows up, forever, or alternatively you ask the question about why the fuck this shit lands in the first place and make sure it doesn't

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[-] healthkick@hexbear.net 14 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

It would be nice to avoid b/w labels but I’m not aware of another set for this binary.

“True” vs “false” doesn’t quite capture it since “true propaganda” would imply honesty or trustworthiness to me which isn’t correct either since “true propaganda” can be deceitful by omission.

Mearsheimer proposes 5 types of propaganda which is a more accurate model but then that’s too much extra fluff to make this single point.

Maybe propaganda of emphasis vs propaganda of lies ? Trust based lying vs emphasis of facts? I don’t know, it needs to be invented and popularized.

[-] Dessa@hexbear.net 2 points 6 months ago

What are the other 3 types? Google is being uncooperative

[-] healthkick@hexbear.net 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

He breaks it down into a different taxonomy in “How Governments Lie”.

“inter-state lies” which covers propaganda directed to other states, and here he covers the trust issue and the need to use emphasis and lies of omission
“fearmongering” to invent or exaggerate threats to justify preferred policies
“coverups” to avoid accountability or repercussions
“nationalist myths” to promote ideologies, foster us vs them thinking, and ultimately to gain loyalty and obedience
“liberal lies” are about maintaining a sense of legitimacy (eg could be sham elections or could be hiding the reality of power behind institutional facades)

(1) relates to “Russian disinformation” and (2-5) are various ways governments lie to their own people, and he further goes on to point out the vast majority of propaganda is domestic because it’s the domestic opinion and support that matters most to any government.