Propaganda

        When people hear the word "propaganda," they often think of World War II. They think of the propaganda which Adolf Hitler used to stay in power,  and they think of the Uncle Sam posters all around the United States which encouraged citizens to enlist in the military. However, propaganda is political tactic that has been used almost all throughout human history.

        The first recorded propaganda dates back as early as 480 BC when a Greek commander named Themistocles used propaganda to lure another warrior into a naval battle. Some sources list the first propaganda even earlier, stating that Darius I of Persia used propaganda to rise to power in 515 BC.

       As a matter of fact, we are surrounded by propaganda all the time. Propaganda, according to the Oxford dictionary, is "information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view." 

      Truthfully, American mainstream media is closer to propaganda nowadays than true journalism. The media consolidation which has plagued the country has left the media in the hands of a handful or organizations which for the most part share similar goals. 

      Additionally, propaganda and advertisement are one and the same. The term propaganda has gained a negative stigma overtime, but it is not a negative concept in and of itself. It more so depends on who is releasing the propaganda, and what they are hoping to persuade people to believe. In my own estimation, governmental propaganda is almost always dangerous. The government should never play a role in what its citizens believe. Uncle Sam, while being for a good cause, was still a form of government propaganda which led to Americans signing up to risk their lives. This was for a great cause, as it helped to stop a dictator from committing mass genocide of the Jewish people. It is one of the extremely rare examples of unproblematic government propaganda. 

       Overall, I believe that we need to avoid viewing the word propaganda in a negative way, and should instead recognize that we are constantly surrounded by it. It is the job of the individual citizen to recognize propaganda, and determine if it is propaganda that promotes something that is wrong.