PROPAGANDAPROPAGANDAAn analysis of Propaganda found in 1984 and famous speeches of recent history.

Chip Miller

1st period CP 11

testimonials

Jarod Fogle for Subway

• “All three had written long, abject articles in the Times, analyzing the reasons for their defection and promising to make amends” (Orwell 65).

“The same Republicans who are talking about security for the elderly have nominated a man who said just four years ago that ‘Participation in social security should be made voluntary.’ And that nominee is no friend of the senior citizens of this Nation.”

Senator Edward M. Kennedy - August 12, 1980

Both of these examples show the power of testimonials to influence the perception of the average citizen towards the ideals of others. Both of these examples use testimonials in a negative context which is different than the typical positive message associated with a testimonial. While the overall tone is the same, the actual goal of these examples is what makes them different. Big Brother was using this technique to shame others and dissuade people from actions that go against Big Brother. Kennedy was trying to expose the hypocrisy associated with the Republican party to encourage citizens to vote for Democrats.

glittering generalities

• “patriotism is always more than just loyalty to a place on a map or a certain kind of people. Instead, it is also loyalty to America’s ideals – ideals for which anyone can sacrifice, or defend, or give their last full measure of devotion.” Barack Obama, June 30, 2008

• “The phrase ‘our new happy life’ recurred many times. It had been a favorite as of late with the Ministry of Plenty” (Orwell pg.51).

• Here the examples both show the use of loaded language to give a positive feeling towards the ideas that Obama and Big Brother were trying to get across to the people. The target audience was also similar in that both were directed towards the citizens of the country. A major difference lies within the end result of what the speaker was trying to accomplish. Obama was trying to motivate citizens to become an active member of their country while Big Brother was trying to deceive the people into thinking their lives were better than they really were.