Our psychological and social disintegration.
By Cara MariAnna
October 05, 2023 – Information Clearing House – Like many American kids I was raised, in part, on Saturday morning cartoons, and one of the programs my siblings and I routinely watched was “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.” It was no accident that the two dastardly and, not to be missed, bumbling antagonists were Russian-like spies, with Russian-like accents and Russian-like names—Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale. However amusing the show might have been, I was being taught, as was every child watching, to perceive Russians as evil and, at the same time, also incompetent and no match for their American counterparts—even if those counterparts were a flying squirrel and a bipedal moose.
Every U.S. citizen currently alive has grown up immersed in anti–Russian propaganda. It has long pervaded American culture from film and television to novels and comic books, including public schools, mainstream media, and the news we watch and read.
The consequences of propaganda are as dangerous as they are destructive. These are not solely political or social: They are at the most profound level psychological, resulting in a state of alienation in which a person becomes estranged from her own mind, thoughts, and feeling, and, ultimately from other people as well. The ultimate divide-and-conquer tactic, propaganda divides us from our authentic selves, as well as from each other, leaving us hollowed out, less substantially present in our own lives and, less able to act on our behalf.
The psychological impacts of propaganda cannot be overstated and must be considered more carefully if we are to understand how it works and, never to be missed, recognize our susceptibility to it. Propaganda undermines our understanding of the world as it actually is: It simplifies the world and prevents us from understanding its full complexity, by turning complex situations and dynamics into mere caricatures. In that way, propaganda makes us vulnerable to policies, foreign and domestic, that are contrary to our best interests. It impairs our ability to think for ourselves, compromises our intellectual freedom, and, not least, propaganda damages our relationships with each other—all this as it erodes our very democracy.
All of us alive at the time, and old enough to understand its import, must certainly recall the 1983 speech in which Ronald Reagan, “The Great Communicator,” famously called the Soviet Union the “evil empire”—at the very same time, it must be noted, that he and his administration were turning Central America into a killing field and supporting a jihadist insurgency in Afghanistan to trap the Soviets in a Vietnam-like quagmire. Reagan’s crude formulation resonated with many Americans. The implications were as obvious as they were primitive: Anything the Soviet Union did was evil, while anything America did was good.
Reagan’s simplistic conceit, a product of the overwrought mind of his chief speechwriter, Anthony Dolan, survives to this day. Indeed, it makes most Americans impervious to, if not completely unable to see, the wrongs committed by their own country, the lies told by their own government. Of course, it perfectly served Reagan’s foreign policy agendas, just as it now perfectly serves Joe Biden’s, especially in his proxy war against Russia.
Glenn Greenwald considered this question in a recent segment of System Update. “Russia continues to be the all-purpose villain that Western elites now use whenever they get caught in any sort of scandal, any kind of failure,” he noted. “They immediately point to Russia. They say, ‘It’s not our fault, look over there at the Kremlin.’”
The persistent dogma that Russia is the embodiment of evil—and this is more recently personalized to mean Vladimir Putin—enables Americans to live in a pretend world as they continue to believe, contrary to all evidence, that the war in Ukraine was unprovoked. It is a complete disconnect from reality. The dangerous consequence of this is that anti–Russian propaganda has now pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Americans, ignorant as to the history of NATO expansion, unaware of America’s decades-long record of meddling in Ukraine, have no understanding of our role in provoking and prolonging the war—no understanding that America bears significant responsibility for the war and for pushing the world so closely to nuclear Armageddon.
This state of deplorable ignorance is as dangerous as it is intentional. Their very ignorance keeps a good many Americans, especially Democrats, supporting the war, and money flowing to the defense industry, while at the same time undermining any chance of a viable anti-war movement and negotiated settlement to the conflict. Ignorance, we must never miss, is a functional state. It prevails for a reason. It has a purpose.
Of all the U.S. disinformation generated about the war in Ukraine, the single most destructive bit of it is the lie that the war was “unprovoked.” As has been well explained and documented by many competent statesmen and women, many scholars, and many reputable commentators, the U.S. has been knowingly and intentionally provoking this war for the past thirty years. The fact that there is even a debate on this question is grim testimony of the power of propaganda to corrupt our minds and mental processes.
Such is the power of propaganda: People are led to believe outright lies, to think whatever their government wants them to, and to act in ways completely at odds with reality and their own best interest. Propaganda validates preexisting biases which are themselves the product of propaganda. To put it another way: Propaganda creates a self-perpetuating information ecosystem in which each lie, or half-truth, confirms the next so that people can no longer tell what is true from what is false, or what advances their own security and wellbeing from what actually undermines it.
The casualties of propaganda are many, among them are critical thinking and the quality of discernment, defined by Abigail Gosselin in a 2012 essay titled “Cultivating Discernment,” as “a process of reflection aimed at making good judgments.” Wherever propaganda proliferates, it substitutes for the intellectual curiosity and engagement upon which good judgments are made, such that no genuine, original thinking takes place. Indeed, that is the point of propaganda—to cut off independent thought. Propaganda replaces the need to know and learn such that no thinking is necessary. Instead, people believe what they are told—belief substitutes for knowledge.
Propaganda makes a mockery of truth: Anything can be made to appear true so that truth itself loses all meaning and, in the process, reality itself. Consequently, the entire social and political order becomes one-dimensional and cartoon-like—a mere parody of itself as the country that boasts about defending democracy everywhere undermines it. The point cannot be overstated: It is not just the telling of truth that is lost but the ability of people to recognize it. Unable to discern what is true from what is false people are robbed of the ability to make sound decisions about the world in which they live.
In the same way, people are simultaneously stripped of genuine freedom—the freedom to think and to act independently of the coercion and manipulation inherent in propaganda. Without even knowing it, people adopt the dominant opinions, beliefs, and thoughts conveyed in media and popular culture, in part because they confirm what we were taught at home, in school, at church, and elsewhere. Under the sway of propaganda, people enact a mere illusion of individuality and freedom.
This dynamic is a process of enforced conformity as described by Erich Fromm in Escape from Freedom. For the most part, Fromm argued back in 1941, people do not have thoughts or even feelings of their own. Instead, they have what he refers to as “pseudo-thoughts” and “pseudo-feeling.” People think and feel what they have been taught and conditioned—propagandized—to think and feel, all while believe those thoughts and feelings are their own.
It follows that, most of us having lost—or never actually having had—genuine freedom and independence of thought, propaganda also damages basic human intelligence, curiosity, and spontaneity—altogether the ability to judge and respond to events with a fresh and curious mind. Under the influence of propaganda, little of what a person thinks or feels is an authentic, original, response to events or situations as they are. Instead, a person responds accordingly to how she has been trained to.
Another effect of propaganda is to induce people to believe they already know all there is to know. In consequence, propaganda undermines curiosity, and curiosity, I would argue, is essential to the vital mind. Without curiosity, there is no incentive for a person to seek out alternative sources of information, or to talk with or listen to someone who thinks differently. Indeed, it’s almost impossible to discuss the facts of the Ukraine war with other Americas, including friends and family members, because most people don’t want to hear anything that counters the dominant anti–Russian narratives that they assume constitute “the truth.”
For these reasons, propaganda results in profound alienation. It destroys our most intimate human relationships such that, to borrow again from Fromm, we are left with “pseudo-relationships” in which we cannot speak freely or honestly with those who are closest to us. Instead, we must hide our innermost selves lest we lose the relationship. As a consequence, dissident voices are intentionally silenced when speaking up for the truth risks the destruction of close family ties and friendships, not to mention careers. For most people, the safety of conformity is preferable, even if unconsciously, to the threat of being ostracized by other people.
In the ways and for the reasons I outline, democracy itself becomes a casualty of propaganda: Democracy requires an informed citizenry, citizens who understand events in their country and world as they are, and who are capable of making judgments based upon independent thinking and discernment. Above all, it requires us to act in solidarity with each other even when we disagree with one another, which is to say that informed citizens must necessarily also engage in listening to each other, in dialogue, and in the healthy debate that a healthy democracy demands. Within a robust democracy it is the voices of dissent, the dissidents among us, those who have the courage to point out where as a people and nation we are failing, that we must listen to.
The United States is cynically using Ukraine to fight a proxy war with Russia that Ukraine cannot win. The United States knows Ukraine cannot win this war but Biden and the neocon monsters that surround him are content to throw away Ukrainian lives in the hope that the war will eventually weaken and destabilize Russia. To that end they want the war to continue. This is hubris at its worst. It is also morally, if not actually, criminal. The war is not weakening Russia. As Europe declines, and Germany descends into a period of deindustrialization, Russia is economically and militarily stronger than it was when the war began.
As Washington, desperate to stop its own decline, lurches drunkenly about the world stage trying to maintain its hegemony—threatening to provoke yet another war, this time with China—Ukraine is being destroyed. More than 400,000 people have been killed in the war so far, the vast majority of them Ukrainian but a significant number of Russians, as well. These, too, are the casualties of propaganda—everyone of them a casualty, in part, of American propaganda and lies.
In less than two years, close to half a million people have been killed and for no purpose other than the geostrategic agenda of the United States—and the further enrichment of America’s arms dealers. That should outrage every thinking, feeling human being. That alone should be enough to wake up Americans from their propaganda-induced trance.
The just-cited figures should make you want to learn everything you can about the truth of this war, and the shameful history behind it. They should make you turn off CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News—if, indeed, you watch them. They should make you quit reading The Washington Post and The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, et al.—or at least no longer read them as truthful—and instead seek out genuinely truthful information that is to be found only in independent journalism. It requires courage and time and effort. But certainly, it’s the least any one of us can do.
The alternative, should we fail at that, would be the ultimate casualty of propaganda: our very humanity.
Cara Marianna publishes a Substack newsletter, Our Journey. She is a painter and has a Ph.D. in American Studies. Via The Floutist
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Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Comments
28 responses to ““Propaganda’s casualties.””
I remember many years ago when the USSR was still very strongly held in Russia ,I read a story about some members of the politburo visiting North America and asked about how the Americans did it ,because as they said in Russia people just don’t believe the propaganda and laugh at statesmen ,but in America ,people believe everything the government tells them .That has always struck me as being factual and rightly so as I read this article. Interesting !
do you really think the level of lies going on in the soviet union and the US is very different. and i think you do too but to justify what putin and russia are doing you want to say both sides do it. i think it would be great if you could live in putin’s russia for a while and see if you would dare to be as critical of putin as you are doing it freely here in the US. unless of course you are already living in russia and agree with their level of lying from the inside. so then meet some of the critics, i guess you will have to go either to a prison or a cemetery to meet them
Nina ask Maria Butina, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, plus many others what they think of free speech in the US. Please do some research.
I am a U.S. citizen and am, therefore, concerned about the lies which our government tells us about pretty much everything. The outright attack on our first amendment freedom of speech and press is very alarming. As Woopy mentioned, the imprisonment and persecution of Julian Assange is a direct effort to effectively repeal the first amendment. The same is true with regard to Edward Snowden, also mentioned by Woopy. What Russia does or does not do have nothing to do with this issue. I doubt that Russia has the equivalent of our first amendment, but do not know and, frankly, it is none of our business. Our government and our people need to learn that it is not our right to tell other people and other countries how to conduct their business. The anecdote related by summitflyer, to which your replay is directed, is one I have heard a number of times. His point is that in the USSR days, people understood very well that the government was lying to them. He took no position in his comment that Russian citizens enjoyed greater freedom of speech than U.S. citizens enjoy. I assume that you are aware that the USSR ceased to exist in 1991.
It amazes me to no end to see how in a dictatorship as cruel as the one afflicting the long suffering Russian people, manages to give the highest record of approval to Putin’s administration far away from any other leader at world level, really far away.
On the other hand is also surprising to see how countries considered mortal enemies of America like Bashar al Assad Syria’s, country with hundreds of thousands of refugees, they go back to their country once that their place of birth has been liberated of US supported ‘Moderate insurgents’ by the Syrian government. They certainly must be masochists going back to be tortured and exploited by Satan Assad. Oh Lord how much garbage fed to the masses, is digested as the truth coming from heaven itself. Certainly Communist Russia is at the top of evil countries seeking to enslave the world. Obviously all their problems and difficulties lie in the hideous ideology ruling their life, they should seek liberation in America’s democracy as a perfect example of equalitarian society. what are they waiting for?
Harking back to the long, sad, tragic days of the Vietnam War, the focus of the media was on whether the war was “winnable”. So when Walter Cronkite delivered his famous pronouncement that the war was, in fact, not winnable, he was severely attacked as unpatriotic for delivering such an unwelcome message. Now, as then, the first question raised about the war should not be whether it is “winnable” but, rather, whether it is legal and moral and, therefore, justified. The answer in both cases, as it is with every other war waged by the U.S. in this century, NO. No, none were legal. None were moral. None were justified. All were illegal wars of aggression waged by the U.S. Please spare me any “reminder” that, in the case of the wars in Iraq and Libya we dragged along with us the coalition of the bribed and threatened, falsely called the “coalition of the willing”. Those were U.S. wars, period. So again now it is with the U.S. war of aggression against Russia, being waged via Ukraine as proxy, we are hearing discussions about whether the war is winnable. It is not, but that should not be the first question asked, as already mentioned. Of course, the “right” questions – legality, morality, justification – are not asked because those have already been falsely answered with lies by the U.S. government and its propaganda agents. Hence the interminable false claim that the Russian invasion was “unprovoked”. The torrent of lies which have been hurled at us in support of this ongoing U.S. disaster is unprecedented in my lifetime – I am 79 years old. So please focus on the fact that the U.S. provocation of Russia started not in 2022, not in 2014, not in 2008, but in 1992 when the U.S. violated its promise to not extend NATO “one inch” to the east of Germany, a promise made by George H.W. Bush and his Secretary of State, Jim Baker, to Gorbachev on February 9, 1990. Of course, the “hot war” in Ukraine was started by the U.S./Ukrainian government shortly after U.S. instigated coup against the democratically elected Ukrainian government in February, 2014. During the ensuring 8 years the U.S./Ukrainian government murdered approximat 15,000 Ukrainian citizens in the Donbas. Russia tried numerous times to resolve the issues diplomatically. The U.S. refused, thereby leaving Russia no choice but to intervene militarily, which it finally did in February of 2022. The U. S./Ukrainian government have already lost the war. And, once again, the U.S. has succeeded in destroying yet another Country in the process.
As I mentioned in the last edition of ICH, America in due time will have to pay for all the evil and destruction heaped upon the world for decades to this very moment. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Pity since the American people have so much to offer to the world.
To me is a clear sign of the true nature of capitalism which in the end, is at the root of all the problems in the world. Now I joked in my comment about evil Communist Russia as the reason why is attacked by saintly America. Good Lord, Russia has more oligarchs than the EU and the US put together, what’s the problem with them to explain so much hate. It was never about Communism, wasn’t?
Mit Romney and others have said that the Ukraine fighters are a good deal because we’re not losing our own fighters. Fairly accurate figures now show over 400,000 Ukraine fighters have been killed basically for no reason whatsoever and the US government believes it’s a good deal. The US government must be the biggest bunch of sickos to have ever been. Sort of like when the US starved about 500,000 Iraqi children and secretary of state Madeline Albright said, “yes but it was well worth it”. For sure I would give up my citizenship and stop paying taxes to the sickos in Washington DC but I’d lose my retirement if I did.
this is very complicated but maybe i can clarify: not one ukrainian would have died fighting if russia had not invaded. somehow the folks here love russia’s quest to expand its empire. nothing wrong with invading sovereign countries if it is done by russia. instead of blaming the invader they blame natonatonato. and yes the iraq invasion by the US was wrong. but if you see that was wrong why is it impossible to see that putin’s invasion is wrong? something doesn’t add up. or are you forced to say nice things about putin, very bad consequences for putin’s critics.
To Nina Sakun – You really need to study up on the history of this war. See my post for a brief overview. You are absolutely wrong to say that no Ukrainians would have died had Russia not intervened. As outlined in my post, during the eight year peiod following the February, 2014 U.S. instigated illegal coup which overthrew the democratically elected President of Ukraine and installed the present Nazi government, the U.S./Ukrainian government murdered approximately 15,000 Ukrainian citizens in the Donbas. But that was not enough to satisfy the U.S./Ukrainian Nazi government – it proceeded to amass troops along the Donbas contact line for the purpose of launching an ethnic cleansing of all the Russian speaking Ukrainian citizens who refused to recognize the illegitimate Nazi government. That would undoubtedly have succeeded had Russia not intervened to stop the planned invasion. Please get some information about this war from sources other than the mainstream media and the lying U.S./Ukrainian government.
It’s strange that living in the USA you don’t know such simple things. America is constantly fighting wars around the world, and most ordinary Americans see nothing wrong with it. In addition, Americans respect the strong. And Russia has proven that it is a strong country. But more importantly, many Americans understand very well what is really happening. And that’s why they support Russia.
Biden and the war hawks do not mind sacrificing the Ukraine people to fight Russia. The people in Washington don’t even mind sacrificing the American people as well. The trick is not to allow yourself to be used by your government.
yes, ukrainians are too stupid to know they are just pawns of america. they stupidly think they are fighting for their sovereignty. how nice there are so many like you to straighten them out. and of course no war hawks in russia and the russian soldiers are not tricked by their government. russia is just denazifying so what russian wouldn’t gladly go on this mission.
Nina:
There probably are some war hawks in Russia, but its obvious Putin is not listening to them, otherwise the war would be over with and all of the Ukraine would be under their control by now. I’m sure the average Russian realizes they are fighting to save Russian civilians from being killed by the Ukraine government and to prevent the U.S. agenda from destroying Russia itself. There is a different. If you done your research, you would know the real goal is to dismantle Russia into several new territories.
i think you are not aware that russian soldiers invaded ukraine. you seem to think that it is ukrainians who invaded russia. so: please realize: russians have invaded ukraine and are destroying ukraine. russians are doing this killing, raping, and destruction. people keep saying russians have no access to information and i didn’t believe it. but now i see it is true, no information available to russians.
Goodbye Nina – Have fun in your fantasy land.
Russia doesn’t want Ukraine, Russia wants peace. Nina you need to learn about what has been happening.
yes, the best way to have peace is to invade your neighbor with hundreds of thousands of soldiers. with lots of tanks and airpower. and then every so often threaten to use nuclear weapons. and keep attacking the civilian infrastructure hoping you can freeze them to death if you can’t kill them fast enough. yes, that sounds like a perfect recipe for peace. what a surprise that there is no peace yet. woopy, i imagine you are from russia? it sounds like a russian recipe.
once again, my reply has been disappeared
the russian censors are at work?
It would be sad and unjust to see anyone fighting for Victoria Nuland, William Krystol, and their ilk. I’m buying a home in an obscure south American country to hide my grandkids if they start the military draft.
The Ukrainian fighters surrender in droves because they are treated better in Russian captivity than fighting for the US proxies.
still testing the censors. are they letting anything through?
censorship is working great
With “friends” like Americans who needs enemies. The Americans openly boast they are using Ukrainians as cheap cannon fodder. It wouldn’t surprise me if Zelensky was sent to the front and a less Russophobic govt. evolved to save their country from being turned into a permanent war zone by NATO/E.U.
my reply is missing.
Then all is well.
i know, you guys love censorship, facts are not wanted