Age
of Propaganda
The
Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion
by Anthony R. Pratkanis, Elliot Aronson
Consumers and Citizens, Beware!
February 2, 2000
This
insightful book explores the profound differences in decision-making
over the last 2,500 years. Despite a penchant for social science jargon,
the authors successfully translate a tremendous amount of current
communications research on the creation and maintainance of belief
systems into an accessible book. "Age of Propaganda" documents
the rise of advertising, the decline of genuine public discourse,
and the inherent dangers of ten second soundbites in determining our
desires, needs, and goals. Further, they detail the unique difficulties
in making a "rational" decision in a fast-paced, message-dense,
mass-media culture. This provocative and disturbing book also paints
a potentially bleak picture for America's democratic traditions. Fortunately,
the authors provide readers with "an arsenal" of intellectual
tools to decode messages and protect ourselves. As the authors conclude,
"we must depend on our own knowledge of propaganda tactics and
our own efforts to treat important issues as if they were truly important."
amazon.com
March 14, 2001
