Propaganda

            Propaganda is present in every aspect of life whether we are aware of its presence or not. This can include anything as obvious as a political commercial to anything as simple as a school t-shirt. There are a large variety of types of propaganda; however, they all accomplish the same purpose of selling either a product or idea. While we are more aware of propaganda that is associated with actual physical products or services such as an advertisement for a new television or trying to get you to switch to a different phone or internet provider, there are also advertisements that deal with ideas instead of products. An example of this kind of propaganda is anything that involves politics; since deal with trying to get a point or idea across about someone who is running for an office instead of actually selling anything. While most propaganda can be either considered bad or just not useful, there are a few circumstances where “good propaganda” exists. The two main instances of this are when there is an improvement on a product and also when an idea is put out there that can genuinely help people if acted upon.

            The first type of beneficial propaganda, in my opinion, is when a product is improved upon. This does not mean when a new iPhone comes out with fancy “new” features, but instead when a genuinely new product comes out. An example of this would be a new microchip that has more capacity and power in a smaller and more compact form. The problem with this is that new inventions or innovations are often very expensive. Good propaganda also results because of this overpriced nature; an example of this in the medical field is generic medicine instead of the brand name version. In addition to improvements on products, there is also good propaganda for services. Examples of this include the free busses in downtown Chicago or free wifi available at restaurants or other locations. The reason that this is good propaganda is because it improves upon the services that are already in place for customers and enhances the experience.

            The second type of beneficial propaganda are ideas that benefit society. An example of this would be commercials that are for St. Jude’s or Children’s hospital. The reason that these are beneficial examples of propaganda are because the proceeds received from the propaganda are put towards enhancing a person’s life to a quality that could not be reached without the help of others. Likewise, commercials or ads asking for donations to other organizations such as the Red Cross or the Soup Kitchen are also beneficial because they can help the less fortunate, bettering their lives and improving the quality of their lives.

            While most propaganda that is present in the world today is useless, there are some instances where propaganda is not only useful, but also helpful. These instances of good propaganda are few and far between and are often over shadowed by the millions useless ads for the new iPhone or other iProduct that is coming out or commercials that are about bickering politicians and nothing else. Good propaganda is out there though, and it aims to better society as a whole.