Overt message
You must be ever cautious for an attack, ready to duck and cover to save yourself. No matter where you are, you are supposed to duck and cover to protect yourself.
Covert message
This video fives people the idea that there is something they can do when an atomic bomb is dropped, and that keeps them from feeling helpless when/if it happens.
Propaganda/persuasion and why?
Propaganda, because it obviously tries to get people no to feel safe, but to feel like maybe they could help themselves, that they can stay safe. The government might have been trying to dissuade the people from the fear they felt, that was ever present in this time period.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Destination Earth
The overt message
Oil helps many things run and give us many luxuries, but the way to make it work is through competition for more oil, among other things.
The covert message
The video was also trying to show how horrible the Martian state was, using the Martians as a metaphor for communists, which was a big deal at the time. The idea of competition, which was poo-pooed by the ruler, was what they were trying to promote, while they made the ruler look cruel.
Propaganda or persuasion and why?
Propaganda, through the use of transfer, with the idea that oil stands for America, which stands for freedom. This gives the cartoon a source of false credibility.
Oil helps many things run and give us many luxuries, but the way to make it work is through competition for more oil, among other things.
The covert message
The video was also trying to show how horrible the Martian state was, using the Martians as a metaphor for communists, which was a big deal at the time. The idea of competition, which was poo-pooed by the ruler, was what they were trying to promote, while they made the ruler look cruel.
Propaganda or persuasion and why?
Propaganda, through the use of transfer, with the idea that oil stands for America, which stands for freedom. This gives the cartoon a source of false credibility.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Propaganda (WWII 1941-1945)
What is the overt message?
The most obvious thing is that it says that you should "eat less bread" but that what people eat at home effects how they do in the war.
What is the covert message?
Other than what is said in the overt message, the only message I can see is that it wants women to stay at home and cook, and that that is the only way that they can help win the war.
How does the disparity in the two of these make it propaganda?
The message says that you should eat less bread (one must assume this is the "key" the poster speaks of_ yet the picture shows the woman cooking the food and looking happy while she does it. Meanwhile, the overt message does not really gibe with the covert message, which very well seems to have little to do with what the overt message wants the people to do. That's what would make it propaganda.
The most obvious thing is that it says that you should "eat less bread" but that what people eat at home effects how they do in the war.
What is the covert message?
Other than what is said in the overt message, the only message I can see is that it wants women to stay at home and cook, and that that is the only way that they can help win the war.
How does the disparity in the two of these make it propaganda?
The message says that you should eat less bread (one must assume this is the "key" the poster speaks of_ yet the picture shows the woman cooking the food and looking happy while she does it. Meanwhile, the overt message does not really gibe with the covert message, which very well seems to have little to do with what the overt message wants the people to do. That's what would make it propaganda.
"Clampdown" by the Clash (1979)
What is the song about? How do you know?
The song is about how people get trained to believe a certain way, like as it says, "We will teach our twisted speech/To the young believers." Then it says that "they" which I assume to either be government or an authority figure of some sort, make you work hard until you are the one brainwashing younger generations.
What musical elements add to your lyrical interpretation?
The heavy beat throughout the song sounded much like a hammer hitting a nail or otherwise the government like a "clamp down." This other wise shows that it is like the work it focuses on throughout the song and the hammering in of ideas.
What is something in the song that relates to propaganda, persuasion, deception, rhetoric, or argument? Explain.
The song is about the propaganda of society and how the society enforces these ideas without even meaning to.
The song is about how people get trained to believe a certain way, like as it says, "We will teach our twisted speech/To the young believers." Then it says that "they" which I assume to either be government or an authority figure of some sort, make you work hard until you are the one brainwashing younger generations.
What musical elements add to your lyrical interpretation?
The heavy beat throughout the song sounded much like a hammer hitting a nail or otherwise the government like a "clamp down." This other wise shows that it is like the work it focuses on throughout the song and the hammering in of ideas.
What is something in the song that relates to propaganda, persuasion, deception, rhetoric, or argument? Explain.
The song is about the propaganda of society and how the society enforces these ideas without even meaning to.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Propaganda, Persuasion, Rhetoric, and Argument
730, 745, 780, 783
745- "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
This quote seems to be going with the "History is told by the victors" type of thing, only with a bit of a twist, which is where the topic of persuasion and propaganda come in. Similar to the one about victors, this one has the common idea that history is not necessarily what happened, but rather what ended up being recorded. In this case, it means that history is what common perception has allowed for us to see, based on our biases. An example of this could be looked upon with the Crusades. If you were to ask most students what they knew about the Crusades, granted that they knew they were, they would most likely slant it to the side of the Europeans, the Christians, and portray the Arabs as aggressors, as the ones who were in the wrong. That's because our biases cause that to be the way it ends up being portrayed. Just like with every other thing in history, what we are told now gets changed by the attitude toward it at the time and now, when it is being taught about. Whether it was meant to be that way or not, propaganda effects how things are retold, and deception is involved in many historical retellings.
745- "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
This quote seems to be going with the "History is told by the victors" type of thing, only with a bit of a twist, which is where the topic of persuasion and propaganda come in. Similar to the one about victors, this one has the common idea that history is not necessarily what happened, but rather what ended up being recorded. In this case, it means that history is what common perception has allowed for us to see, based on our biases. An example of this could be looked upon with the Crusades. If you were to ask most students what they knew about the Crusades, granted that they knew they were, they would most likely slant it to the side of the Europeans, the Christians, and portray the Arabs as aggressors, as the ones who were in the wrong. That's because our biases cause that to be the way it ends up being portrayed. Just like with every other thing in history, what we are told now gets changed by the attitude toward it at the time and now, when it is being taught about. Whether it was meant to be that way or not, propaganda effects how things are retold, and deception is involved in many historical retellings.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Communist Utopia" by Thomas Hornung
What about this painting indicates Communism?
I think the artist was trying to use the red as one indicator, as red is associated with communism. Most of the colors in this painting are black, white or gray, the neutral colors, and there are patches of red within the painting. It is also very drab and drear, which I think is one way many people see what life under communism is like.
What if the artist's view of communism?
Not favorable at all. The artist sees communism as a drab world, where the only thing you have to do it to be watched. The scenery is depressing, while the only to colorful things are red and blue: the red (a symbol of communism_ is on the cracking wall that is falling apart, while there is blue in the iris of the floating eyes which are watching the single person walking down the street.
Explain the title.
The artist feels like this is the perfect world for sommunists: a dreary world where everyone is watched, constantly, and everything is non-colorful. This is, in effect, the idea that this is the world that communists would want.
I think the artist was trying to use the red as one indicator, as red is associated with communism. Most of the colors in this painting are black, white or gray, the neutral colors, and there are patches of red within the painting. It is also very drab and drear, which I think is one way many people see what life under communism is like.
What if the artist's view of communism?
Not favorable at all. The artist sees communism as a drab world, where the only thing you have to do it to be watched. The scenery is depressing, while the only to colorful things are red and blue: the red (a symbol of communism_ is on the cracking wall that is falling apart, while there is blue in the iris of the floating eyes which are watching the single person walking down the street.
Explain the title.
The artist feels like this is the perfect world for sommunists: a dreary world where everyone is watched, constantly, and everything is non-colorful. This is, in effect, the idea that this is the world that communists would want.
"Don't You Want Me?" by The Human League
What is the subject matter?
It's about a breakup after a very long relationship, as can be told when the woman says "[she] think[s] it's time [she] lived on her own." The man believes she owes him a bunch, while the woman feels like she does not owe him anything.
What is the difference in the two sides of the story?
The man feels as though he helped the woman out, and that he is the only reason why she is no longer just a waitress at a cocktail bar. The woman says that the only thing he said that was true was that she was working as a cocktail waitress, but she managed o get where she is on her own, and how it is time for her to move on, even though she still loves him.
With who do you side with and why?
I side with the woman, because the man sounds like he is controlled and she just wants to get away from him for a while. I feel like he is too controlling, or that he sounds like he is taking credit for what the woman has managed to accomplish over time.
It's about a breakup after a very long relationship, as can be told when the woman says "[she] think[s] it's time [she] lived on her own." The man believes she owes him a bunch, while the woman feels like she does not owe him anything.
What is the difference in the two sides of the story?
The man feels as though he helped the woman out, and that he is the only reason why she is no longer just a waitress at a cocktail bar. The woman says that the only thing he said that was true was that she was working as a cocktail waitress, but she managed o get where she is on her own, and how it is time for her to move on, even though she still loves him.
With who do you side with and why?
I side with the woman, because the man sounds like he is controlled and she just wants to get away from him for a while. I feel like he is too controlling, or that he sounds like he is taking credit for what the woman has managed to accomplish over time.
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