Exorcizing propaganda from communication

ENAR

In every country in the Middle East, there are posters hung or plastered on the walls with the noble-looking picture of one political leader or another. These photos seem to grace every avenue, boulevard and wall in the region and, in Lebanon, they even include slogans celebrating “Victory” or calling for “Unity.” Some might call this “communication,” but there is a clear divide between communicating and spreading propaganda. Although a form of communication, propaganda is deliberately biased and misleading, with a clear intention to discredit or support the views of a specific group or organization by presenting a slanted opinion most often intended to keep that group in a position of influence and power. To be a propagandist means being selective and unbalanced in the information presented, exaggerating one side of the story and encouraging instinctive reactions by appealing to the emotions of audiences and seeking their compassion and sympathy,