Investing in Propaganda

But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young but I'm just back-dated, yeah
--The Who

One characteristic of propaganda is that it often employs 'positive substitute symbols.' Let's say that you're the president of the United States, and that you want to increase spending on government programs.

Flatly stating that 'we need to spend more' could be a problem, however, because a large portion of the country (very much to your chagrin) has been catching on to the reality that government spending is thru the roof and that the nation already shoulders a crushing debt burden.

So you open your dog eared copy of Rhetoric for Government Propogandists in search of a word that could replace 'spending'-- one that would be more palatable to an increasingly austere citizenry. Let's see...ah yes, here it is: 'investing.' Investing connotes optimism and building for the future. By proposing investment programs rather than spending programs, then perhaps the public will be more prone to get behind your proposals.

Investing, therefore, becomes a positive substitute symbol for spending.

Let the spin begin.

Will it work? Politicians spew spin because they know that it often works. On the other hand, level of public engagement in political happenings has been increasing. Engagement means active minds.

And active minds are the propagandist's worst nightmare.