George Orwell's Use Of Propaganda In 1984

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To manipulate an audience to believe certain ideas, companies use propaganda. Today’s society and the societies of the past use many forms of propaganda. A few types of propaganda include cardstacking, glittering generalities, bandwagon, assertion, testimonial, and plain folk. In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, the Party adopts Big Brother as their main form of propaganda to manipulate and control the citizens of Oceania. Comparatively, in Skechers ad for their new Burst tennis shoes in Glamour magazine, propaganda benefits the company while it convinces the consumer to purchase their product. The Party and Skechers use propaganda to control their audience. George Orwell and Skechers utilize glittering generalities, assertion, and testimonial-plain folk to manipulate the citizens and consumers to believe what they tell them. Advertisers employ glittering generalities as a tactic to attract consumers. Skechers used glittering generalities by stating the shoes include air-cooled material and they bounce, which implies they provide comfort. Although, in the ad the shoes intend to present comfort it may not fulfill that impression. The ad attracts those who wish to purchase comfortable shoes. Likewise, in 1984 glittering generalities describe the houses. They call the apartments victory mansions, but these words contain no meaning since the apartments appear grotesque and run-down. The Party convinces the people that their standards of living improved even though they worsened. “Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him. The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. At one end of it a colored poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features. Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift. Even at the best of times it was seldom working, and at the present the electric current was cut off during daylight hours”(1). Both, 1984 and Skechers, use assertion to convince their audiences to believe what they claim. Skechers utilized assertion by saying the shoes provide comfort and bounce in every step. At the same time, the ad gave no information to prove it, therefore, anyone who wants shoes that provide comfort may become attracted to these ones. The consumers fail to know if the shoes actually bring comfort or not. Similarly, in 1984 the party uses assertion to tell the people information without having any substantial information. This brings many dangers to the citizens. Firstly, they neglect to think for themselves because the Party orders the citizens to think and behave in a certain way. Secondly, they lose their sense of individuality. Lastly, the Party abolishes their free will. “On the sixth day of Hate Week, after the processions, the speeches, the shouting, the singing, the banners, the posters, the films, the waxworks, the rolling of drums and squealing of trumpets, the tramp of marching feet, the grinding of the caterpillars of tanks, the roar of massed planes, the booming of guns-after six days of this, when the great orgasm was quivering to its climax and the general hatred of Eurasia had boiled up into such delirium that if the crowd could have got their hands on the two thousand Eurasian war criminals who were to be publicly …show more content…
Those who manage to see through the propaganda techniques used by advertisers resist the trap of believing false statements. To become aware of propaganda used in ads on the television, the radio, and in magazines, society needs to learn what propaganda contains and how advertisers practice it. Firstly, the different types of propaganda need identified, then, consumers make an educated decision as to whether or not they need to purchase the item or accept the statements the government make. For centuries people encompass propaganda and they desire to continue using it, therefore, we need to recognize it now. Producers use glittering generalities, assertion, and testimonial-plain folk to manipulate the consumers, but, if they know what propaganda includes they may not believe

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