“Those who manipulate the unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested largely by men w have never heard of. In almost every act of our lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires that control the public mind.”
– Edward Bernays, Pioneer of Corporate PR and Propaganda
Edward Bernays was the double nephew of Sigmund Freud. Born in Vienna in 1891, he died in the United States, 103 years later, almost forgotten by the general public when he invented one of the great evils of the twentieth century: mass manipulation. Propaganda, how to manipulate opinion in democracy is now widely studied in American universities, especially in marketing.
Some food for thought this Wednesday.
Bisous,
Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 