Jonathan AuerbachThinkers

Propaganda is a mass phenomenon... it must circulate in public, reaching and drawing together large numbers of individuals who are largely unknown to one another.

Propaganda is an integral feature of democratic societies and is dependent on the printing press, which increased the range and speed of information so that now an entire people could become the target of persuasion.

Propaganda is defined less by the content than the network of information flow.

Propaganda is necessarily false when it speaks of values, of truth, of good, of justice, of happiness and when it interprets and colors facts and imputes meaning to them.

Propaganda is necessary for governmental control because coercion is insufficient for creating the necessary acquiescent populace.

Propaganda is not a term of disrepute, but simply a mode of mass persuasion.

Propaganda is not a thing unto itself, but becomes 'propaganda' insofar as it is connected to a host of parallel institutions such as education, religion, public diplomacy, advertising, and literature.

Propaganda is not determined based on whether a piece of information is factual or not as facts never exist in a vacuum but are framed by the discourse in which they are embedded.

Propaganda is not intrinsically evil or immoral. The very notion that it is inherently dishonest and deceitful emerged directly from the practice of propaganda itself.

Propaganda is not just about hate, fear, and envy... rather, it also addresses the psychological need to be told what things mean.

Propaganda is not necessarily tied to intention and may operate without even a message beyond a vague inclination to stir things up, while still generating profound effects.

Propaganda is publicly disseminated information that serves to influence others in belief and/or action.

Propaganda does not merely function top down, but also horizontally, via things such as twitter.

Propaganda was, in the 17th century, not negative, but it simply referred to the spreading of divine truth to the faithful.

Propaganda is in a fluid relationship with information which varies according to context and function.

Propaganda is widely circulated information which only becomes 'propaganda' based on its use.