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Propaganda cover art

Propaganda

By: Edward Bernays, Mark Crispin Miller - introduction
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Summary

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country." (Edward Bernays)

A seminal and controversial figure in the history of political thought and public relations, Edward Bernays pioneered the scientific technique of shaping and manipulating public opinion, which he famously dubbed the "engineering of consent". During World War I, he was an integral part of the US Committee on Public Information, or CPI, a powerful propaganda apparatus that was mobilized to package, advertise, and sell the war to the American people as one that would "Make the World Safe for Democracy". The CPI became the blueprint for the marketing strategies of future wars.

Bernays applied the techniques he had learned in the CPI and, incorporating some of the ideas of Walter Lipmann, became an outspoken proponent of propaganda as a tool for democratic and corporate manipulation of the population. His 1928 bombshell, Propaganda, lays out his eerily prescient vision for using propaganda to regiment the collective mind in a variety of areas, including government, politics, art, science, and education. To listen to this book today is to frightfully comprehend what our contemporary institutions of government and business have become in regard to the organized manipulation of the masses.

©1928 Edward Bernays (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Propaganda

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Great read/listen, very interesting

The book was a bit dated on what I needed it for, but interesting and informative nonetheless.

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Outdated but still interesting

I knew this was a slightly dated book but once you get into it you soon realise how far propaganda tools and the public that are affected by them has moved on. The principles are very much the same but it takes a fair amount of time to drudge through the book to pick out the points it’s trying to mate.
The narrator isn’t the best for a book like this as the monotonous drawl can be very hard to stay awake to. It’s an interesting subject and historically important but that’s it.

I’m sure there are far more relevant or modern versions out there.

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Groups and leaders, and how they affect us

Overall strong, although biased for propaganda leaders. About groups and leaders, and how they can affect us.

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Things change over time

It's interesting how concepts, like the word propaganda, can change so much over time. listening to this book gives you a view of what it meant 100 years ago, a bit different from today.

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Dry, Dull and Uninformative

Nothing but textbook readings of the types of propaganda and some rather underwhelming historical uses.

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Book is from 1928 not 2017

It's a good book that covers the basics but a little too theoretical for me and with outdated references. Still rather interesting but I thought it'd be a little more relevant as the page states released in 2017

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very important book

this was a great book although outdated in the social media age it still remains very interesting you can adopt the ages for a modern age

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Dull

Sadly out of date. Quaint, twee, and but no longer any use to anyone but history philes

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informative

Very informative. Equally relevant for todays world, with very clear chapter's as a reference to all aspects of public life.

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good start but gets a bit drawn out toward the end

loved the start of this book... very clear and precise explanations of his "art" that are at the same time fascinating and unnerving.

but towards the latter chapters, it gets a bit too detail oriented

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