Non Mainstream Propaganda in Our Time
In the modern world people are looking to propaganda outside of the mainstream media to form opinions and beliefs on different issues. A broad definition of propaganda is “biased information” (New Webster’s Dictionary) It could be argued that all information, in all media is biased, and therefore propaganda. If bias is the prejudice of a particular perspective, then any information that is sent must have the bias of the sender somehow attached to it, whether intentionally or unintentionally. For the purpose of this paper I will focus on the Art that is sent to the masses through non mainstream channels that is intentionally biased and therefore clear-cut propaganda. This form of propaganda fits into an extended definition of that word provided in Webster’s new collegiate dictionary: “The spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.” As we will see, much of what’s out there, in nontraditional, and nonmainstream media and believed by enormous amounts of people is contradictory to the propaganda of the mainstream, to such a degree that these opinions are virtually ignored within the mainstream media.
One of the most prevalent side stream movements has been the 9/11 truth movement, largely ignored by the mainstream news. Polls show that about a third of Americans believe that the US government assisted or took no action to stop the 9/11 terrorist attacks, so the United States could go to war in the Middle East (Scrippsnews). I watch the news frequently and I only remember seeing mention of this high percentage of the truth movement among our public, one time, on Paula Zaun, where she discussed with experts that agreed with her how absurd it is for people to think this, in a very short segment. I cannot cite the exact episode but that is the only time I can recall the 9/11 Truth Movement being discussed in the news.
Of course there were the 9/11 truth hecklers interrupting Bill Marr live on the air, which might make one think of nine-eleven truthers as crazies, conspiracy theory nuts.
The mainstream news hardly discusses the truth movement at all – while the internet and side stream propaganda art do discuss the 9/11 truth movement.
But the 9/11 truth movement is not the only topic of the nonmainstream. Other interesting topics include anger with the government, particularly over the Iraq war, and a variety of side interests including conspiracy theories and the paranormal (Coasttocoastam.com)
Propaganda is often viewed in a negative context. It is true that much of America views the 9/11 truth movement in a negative context, and their art as negative propaganda.
People are finding information outside of the mainstream to form opinions and beliefs. While the government has propaganda of its own
For example the Uncle Sam wants you posters are a form of art from the US military to recruit troops. Alterations of the Uncle Sam posters have been used by government opposition Such as the beat up bandaged Uncle Sam saying: “I Want Out!.” This poster was originally produced by the committee to help Unsell the war in 1971. The picture was later used by activists for several wars throughout history. There is one poster that is an Osama version of Uncle Sam saying: “I want you to invade Iraq” (About.com).
On the back of the one dollar bill we find propaganda art in our everyday lives. On the left, is a pyramid as a symbol of strength and duration, with an eye at the top of it as the symbol of providence and an all seeing God. It is a symbol of prosperity as is the eagle holding branches.
What is perhaps the epitome of propaganda are political campaign ads. The ads sway public opinion, usually to vote republican or democrat. The financing of the ads, money paid from the government to the media is what gets the campaign ads on the air. There is a money cycle between the government and the media, The Government giving the media significantly more money than the media gives the government. Between 1998 and 2004 the media spent 1.1 billion dollars to “affect election outcomes and influence legislation before Congress and The White House” while 1.6 Billion dollars was spent on political ads in 2004 alone. During that year, “80 percent of top rated news broadcasts had political ads, but only 44% of broadcasts contained any campaign coverage at all” (Media and Culture). In 2000, “politicians were the third best advertising client for network-affiliated local TV stations, just behind automobiles and retail stores” (Media and Culture p 481).
It makes sense that if the media and government have a financial connection in this way then conspiracy theories such as those of the 9/11 truth movement would not get much airplay on mainstream media such as television, being that they largely blame the US government for 9/11.
Let us now examine the controversial views that Non mainstream media is propagating through its art of propaganda.
Much of this art is on the internet. Much is about 9/11.
A popular short video at www.pentagonstrike.co.uk presents a view that the attack at the pentagon was not from a commercial airliner but rather a smaller aircraft. The short video is set to a song titled “This is The New Sh*t” by Marilyn Manson, and to music by the Dust Brothers which was written for The movie Fight Club. That movie portrays a terrorist organization and attack in the US a good time before 9/11 happened in 1999 when the movie was released, and to a smaller audience when the book was released in 1996. The music gives the short video a hard metal edge.
The video flashes through a slide show presenting its case. It flashes through footage of airplane wrecks and the massive amount of debris left on the ground. It points out that the official account of the plane that struck the pentagon is that it was flying 530 miles per hour 2 feet above the ground when it struck the pentagon yet the pentagon crash site was virtually unscathed on its lawn. The video shows a still of the pentagon disaster site and has superimposed a cartoon of a golf ball going into a golf hole with a flag, with the caption “The Amazing Pentalawn.”
The video also quotes flight instructors of the hi jacker who supposedly piloted the plane into the Pentagon who claim that he could not fly. They show the hijackers picture on a black background with written in purple pink neon sign the phrases: “Incredible Stunt” and “Incompetent Pilot" Above and below the picture of the hijacker respectively.
The video points out that the only released footage of the attack at the pentagon is actually security camera pictures taken in sequence which are unclear and inconclusive
Another popular non mainstream video takes the form of an 89 minute documentary supporting the 9/11 truth movement. It has grown tremendously from a cult following and is currently under production to have a version in US Theaters in 2007 (Loose Change Official Website).
However, with Fahrenheit 9/11 as a relevant example, the movie may have considerable difficulty being released in US Theaters.
One of the first things that Loose Change points to is Operation Northwood’s which was a plan drafted in the early 60’s by Kennedys Joint Chiefs of staff to create a false flag terrorist attack in The US to be blamed on Cuba to lead America into war. The plan was rejected by Kennedy (ABCNEWS.com).
The opening credits of the film are of the world trade center falling, and an audio interview with Hunter S. Thompson, with weird spooky music coming in.
He says “I don’t assume I know the truth about what happened that day. [ ] You know, I just look around and [wonder] who had the motive, who had the opportunity, who had the equipment, who had the will?”
Over footage in slow motion of people running away from the falling buildings Hunter Thompson claims in the interview that he “spent enough time in The White house to know […] that the public version of the news is never really what happened.” And in closing his audio in the introduction of the film Hunter states over slow motion chunks of debris in the air the bush administration had something to gain from 9/11.
“Loose Change” discusses how in 1999 NORAD begins conducting exercises (war games) in which Hi Jacked aircraft are flown into The World Trade Center and The Pentagon. It states that the airline pilot who piloted the hijacked aircraft that was supposedly hijacked 9/11/2001 was a military pilot on October 24, 2000, piloting a plane involved in a simulation of the pentagon undergoing a crash from an airplane.
Like The pentagon strike video, Loose Change also suggests that the Hi Jacker who allegedly flew the plane into the pentagon was an incompetent pilot, and not capable of doing that. They interview his flight instructor where he took lessons a month before the attacks at Freeway Airport in Bowie, Maryland. According to his flight instructor he was an incompetent pilot who had trouble landing a single Engine Sesna on a commercial runway.
Another popular video on the internet is the music video to a song titled “Bin Laden,” by a rapper who goes by the name “Immortal Technique.” This rapper, Felipe Coronel, is a truly underground artist. Immortal Techniques single “Industrial Revolution” reached #1 on CMJ and #50 on the billboard charts. Despite the growing popularity of his music he refuses to sign with any record label, preferring instead to release his music, and music videos, through unconventional and nonmainstream websites, such as anti-neocons.com (which is viewed about 2 million times per month). Immortal technique also uses underground hustler methods to sell his music on the street (Viper Records).
The Immortal Technique “Bin Laden” music video is a flash presentation presenting Bush and his influences as responsible for 9/11. Throughout the video interspersed are news paper clips, including a clip of an article about Operation Northwoods, during Kennedy’s administration.
It opens showing all of the logos for mainstream news organizations, and various newscasters including Oliver North, with the audio of Immortal Technique speaking before the beat comes in : “Man You hear this bullshit they be talkin’. Everyday its like they motha f*ckas is just like professional liars, You know what I’m sayin? Its Wow!” Then the beat drops in with the chorus “Bin Laden didn’t blow up the projects! [*] Bush knocked down the towers! Bush knocked down the towers!” A lyric referring to Osama Bin Laden is “They gave him billion dollars and funded his purpose. Fahrenheit 9/11 that’s just scratching the surface.” Also referring to Bin Laden is the lyric: “They funded Al Kaida and now they blame the Muslim religion, even though Bin Laden was a CIA tactician.” Over the line : “I wouldn’t fight for Bush or white America’s dream”, is a map of the US showing red republican states centered around Texas, with a swastika in Texas, and movement arrows leading out from it.
The video ends with a quick slide of Bush characterized as Uncle Sam with the line “I Want Your Blood for Oil.” And then the last slide is a depiction of Bush, making a dumb face on a fictitious black Time magazine cover with the headline: “We’re Fucked!”
Although the 9/11 Truth movement is largely ignored by the mainstream media, it remains a sizeable portion of the population. It exists in a country where there is growing dissatisfaction with the government and The Bush Administration particularly surrounding The Iraq War (cite polls).
When Bagdad was toppled Bush landed on an aircraft carrier in a jet wearing a pilot’s uniform, under the banner “Mission Accomplished” in a televised propaganda event where he addressed the troops. It was a propaganda stunt which backfired for the Bush Administration.
With the pretext for war with Iraq being seen as false and with a general view among the experts that the Al Kaida connection with Iraq has strengthened since the fall of Saddam’s regime, (CRS Report to Congress) {the insurgencies providing training grounds in real life situations}, and with the death toll still rising of over 3000 US Troops and over 1 million Iraqis killed so far, many do not see the mission in Iraq as Accomplished. And this is seen in the art of the mainstream.
The Internet has become a forum for side stream and underground thought and art, discussing in depth and from multiple perspectives, issues that are sparsely covered in Mainstream media. The internet has grown relatively quickly as a new media. In 2003 more than sixty percent of US adults were connected to the internet. By 2006 approximately seventy-five percent of American adults were connected to the internet (Media & Culture). The internet is a place where one can hear voices from a multitude of perspectives, apart from The Few Companies that control the mass media.
Before the internet, non mainstream thought was still circulated through self published zines which spoke to smaller audiences, than mainstream propaganda. A zine is a self produced publication circulated on a smaller level than major magazines and newspapers. It was thought that the internet with online forums and blogs would fast replace these underground zines, but the zines still exist, now with a new tool, the internet, to promote them.
One such zine is referred to by its creator as “The ‘W’ Mag.” It is a zine in the form of a comic book and is titled “Notorious Comics # 1” On the cover is a depiction of an Adolf Hitler holding a bush mask in one hand and a money bag with the letter “W” in the other. Behind him are his supporters, one holding a “Bush 04” sign, and another holding a “Born Agains for Bush” sign.
This zine is written, Illustrated, and self-published by Joe Hollingsworth of Headsupproductions.net. He works on his comic books on his off time as a driver for Pizza Hut in Westminster, Maryland.
In "Notorious Comics # 1" Joe Hollingsworth satirically equates The Neo-conservatism of George Bush, with the Nazism of Adolf Hitler, through numerous episodes involving a George Bush Jr. The main purpose of the zine, as Joe has explained to me, is to bash Bush. In Joes view the 2004 election was a fraud, and Bush won by cheating, as is satirized in the episode of the comic where Kerry and Bush fight in a physical battle, and Bushes “Bullets of propaganda”, claim victory over Kerry’s “Lance of Liberty”.
People have always looked outside the mainstream media if not to form opinions and beliefs, at least to be entertained. There is something that fascinates people with hearing new and different perspectives of rebellion.
Bibliography
ABCNews.com. 2007 ABCNews Internet Ventures. “US Military wanted to provoke war with Cuba” David Ruppe May 1, 2001 www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92662
About.com. 2007. About Inc. http://www.politicalhumor.about.com/lib ... eosama.htm
Anti-neocons.com
Campbell, Richard, et al. Media & Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Boston, Ma, 2008.
Coast to Coast Am online. 2007. Premiere Radio Networks. www.coasttocoastam.com
Cronin Audrey k. “Al Qaeda after The Iraq conflict.” CRS Report for Congress May 23, 2003
Hollingsworth, Joe. www.headsupproductions.net
Loose Change Official Website. 2007. Louder Than Words LLC. www.loosechange911.com
New Webster’s: Vest pocket edition Ed. Edward Finnegan. New York: Delair Publishing Inc 1980.
Pentagon Strike. 2004-2007. A signs of the times Production for Quantum Future Group www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/
ScrippsNews 2006. Scripps Newspaper Group Online www.scrippsnews.com/911poll
Viper Records. 2007. Viper Records. www.viperrecords.com/
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, MA, 1981
The Art of the Non Mainstream's Propaganda
The Art of the Non Mainstream's Propaganda
Last edited by Wade on Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:48 pm, edited 12 times in total.
Re: The Art of the Non Mainstream's Propaganda
Great article, Wade. One thing I'd like to illustrate >
Non-Propaganda: "We've had 1.6 inches of rainfall since noon today."
Propaganda: "Well, folks. It's still raining and all this precipitation could be linked to the new airbase south of town. Residents near the base have reported loud sounds which many experts might explain as cloud seeding tests or possible atomic discharges. We'll have the full story at nine. The five-day outlook is...."
OK, that was a bad example. But I did have a point....
See, the problem is 24 hours of news. There's not 24 hours worth of news in the world. There's BARELY 45 minutes, including sports. So they fill all the blanks with specultaion and opinion. This is what's wrong with MEDIA. Less is more, but no one understands that. Take ESPN in all it's mediums: They haven't stopped talking about a Kobe Bryant trade since Monday. I would say report it when he gets traded, that's news. Asking retired players how they feel after being traded and bringing in different "experts" to see(speculate) about where he might be traded or what exactly is the reason.... That's not news. And CNN, FOX, etc do the same damn thing. It looks like news. They tell us it's news. Other Americans take it(and re-report it to friends and family) as news. But it's not news! It's motherfuckin PROPAGANDA!!!
Let's take a fictional broadcast from a local weatherman >Wade wrote: It could be argued that all information, in all media is biased, and therefore propaganda. If bias is the prejudice of a particular perspective, then any information that is sent must have the bias of the sender somehow attached to it, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Non-Propaganda: "We've had 1.6 inches of rainfall since noon today."
Propaganda: "Well, folks. It's still raining and all this precipitation could be linked to the new airbase south of town. Residents near the base have reported loud sounds which many experts might explain as cloud seeding tests or possible atomic discharges. We'll have the full story at nine. The five-day outlook is...."
OK, that was a bad example. But I did have a point....
See, the problem is 24 hours of news. There's not 24 hours worth of news in the world. There's BARELY 45 minutes, including sports. So they fill all the blanks with specultaion and opinion. This is what's wrong with MEDIA. Less is more, but no one understands that. Take ESPN in all it's mediums: They haven't stopped talking about a Kobe Bryant trade since Monday. I would say report it when he gets traded, that's news. Asking retired players how they feel after being traded and bringing in different "experts" to see(speculate) about where he might be traded or what exactly is the reason.... That's not news. And CNN, FOX, etc do the same damn thing. It looks like news. They tell us it's news. Other Americans take it(and re-report it to friends and family) as news. But it's not news! It's motherfuckin PROPAGANDA!!!
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
Sir Winston Churchill
"Fine, let’s take a vote. Who wants fish for dinner?...Yeah, democracy ain’t so fun when it fucks you, huh?” http://twitter.com/Shitmydadsays
Sir Winston Churchill
"Fine, let’s take a vote. Who wants fish for dinner?...Yeah, democracy ain’t so fun when it fucks you, huh?” http://twitter.com/Shitmydadsays
Theres more news out there but they're too lazy to get it. Instead they play a few stories over and over again, when there are a lot more stories out there. The problem is the laziness of the journalism especially at local telivision stations. National news is just as bad.There's not 24 hours worth of news in the world.
The underground world is being ignored by the mainstream - and its really not underground anymore, its a large minority of the public.
being bias is not the same thing as propaganda. Prapaganda knowingly pushes a particular side by omitting contrary claims and exagerating or lying about its own. Also not being "in the middle" does not make one bias. You know if I am calling a basketball game and I just keep giving all this praise to North Carolina then that is bias (but not propaganda) however if North Carolina actually is just kicking the crap out of someone then, I am just calling like it is.
I hate how a show like NPR will do even reports on Palestinians and Israeli aggression like two examples of each as if to be "fair and balanced or non-bias" when it is misrepresenting the actual world. In reality if Israelis attack Palestine 800 times and Palestine retaliates twice then NPR would show those two attacks plus two Israeli attacks (ignoring 798 of them) and call it fair. Where as if someone else showed 1 Pali attack and 50 Israeli attacks mai\king it at least closer to what was really going on then they would be accused of media Bias.
This call for the middle is bogus because almost nothing is in the middle. Conflicts are lopsided and they should be show as lopsided. Under the pretext of being non-bias they are all favoring the side which is lopsided. They should show all the ISraeli in US attacks way more than those of Iraqis or Palestinians because there are way more of them plus they are both illegal occupations to begin with and that should be explained as well.
They have turned telling the truth is to soe kind of spin game where you have to appease all the opposing sides in a even way and just ignore the lopsided realities. That is propaganda when you make reality look like something you know it is not.
Giving Ron Paul less time than others in the debates is bias/prejudice. Saying he is "insane" on the air is just flat out prapaganda.
I hate how a show like NPR will do even reports on Palestinians and Israeli aggression like two examples of each as if to be "fair and balanced or non-bias" when it is misrepresenting the actual world. In reality if Israelis attack Palestine 800 times and Palestine retaliates twice then NPR would show those two attacks plus two Israeli attacks (ignoring 798 of them) and call it fair. Where as if someone else showed 1 Pali attack and 50 Israeli attacks mai\king it at least closer to what was really going on then they would be accused of media Bias.
This call for the middle is bogus because almost nothing is in the middle. Conflicts are lopsided and they should be show as lopsided. Under the pretext of being non-bias they are all favoring the side which is lopsided. They should show all the ISraeli in US attacks way more than those of Iraqis or Palestinians because there are way more of them plus they are both illegal occupations to begin with and that should be explained as well.
They have turned telling the truth is to soe kind of spin game where you have to appease all the opposing sides in a even way and just ignore the lopsided realities. That is propaganda when you make reality look like something you know it is not.
Giving Ron Paul less time than others in the debates is bias/prejudice. Saying he is "insane" on the air is just flat out prapaganda.
Get The Empire Unmasked here
The propaganda you're speaking of is what many people think of when they think of the word propaganda. and that is information spread based on lies and false assumptions, from warped views, much like the propaganda of Hitler in World War Two.
For the purposes of this article, I view propaganda in a much broader sense, incorporating, anything with a message, that intentionally has that message sent, to promote a cause, or such.
I refer to documentary art by the truth movement as propaganda. This propaganda is not ommiting facts. Rather they are including facts that the mainstream omits. This is why it is important to study the art of the non mainstream's propaganda.
For the purposes of this article, I view propaganda in a much broader sense, incorporating, anything with a message, that intentionally has that message sent, to promote a cause, or such.
I refer to documentary art by the truth movement as propaganda. This propaganda is not ommiting facts. Rather they are including facts that the mainstream omits. This is why it is important to study the art of the non mainstream's propaganda.
This article was originally a paper that I wrote as part of a group project about propaganda art for a class called info tech writting about art, at Towson University. I got the paper back today and the teacher gave me a 69.99% or 63 out of 90. She didn't know who Hunter S. Thompson was, and had never heard of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. She said "Is that the movie with Nicholas Cage?" She also didn't know that Oliver North is a news castor for fox news.
My group did a powerpoint presentation tonight on our subject. At the end I went to this website and played the Immortal Technique Bin Laden video. The class seemed to like it.
I also have to design a website around this paper. If anyone wants to contribute that would be cool.
My group did a powerpoint presentation tonight on our subject. At the end I went to this website and played the Immortal Technique Bin Laden video. The class seemed to like it.
I also have to design a website around this paper. If anyone wants to contribute that would be cool.
I don't get it Wade. The title of your article is 'Non Mainstream Propaganda in Our Time ', but the scope of the actual document barely reaches outside of 9/11. If you are going to write about 9/11, why not just say so? And if you are going to write about propaganda and tie it into 9/11 theories, why not focus on the motivations of those involved in creating and spreading disinformation--and I mean actual people--not just the "US Government" or the "Mainstream Media".
Qui Bono?
I made the above graphic. I authorize everyone to use it freely on their websites and such, according to the freedom of information act. However, I reserve all rights for use of this image in any and all money-making propaganda scemes, such as t-shirts, stickers, coffee mugs, band-aids, refrigerator magnets, hats, ties, etc... unless I change my mind, so if you want to do that, get my permission first, maybe we can make some munny. But I digress...
The media is paid off. That is for sure. I'm surprised you didn't cite Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism in your article, I mean, Fox is probably the most obvious and obscene example of propaganda there is to found. But then, you were looking for something outside of the mainstream.
How about this guy:
Anyway, here are some thoughts about propaganda and art from an excellent book by Ben Mack, Poker Without Cards*:
And I'll just leave it there. The main point I want to get across though, is that I think the scope of your document is too broad. You might want to narrow your focus a bit.
Qui Bono?
I'm not sure this is how it works, but I'm not pretending to be some kind of expert on economics either. I haven't seen any campaign ads that state the ad was "paid for by the government". From my understanding, the MSM is the major component of the propaganda machine, which brainwashes America into thinking that things like torture, preemptive war, and supporting Israel are somehow patriotic. Oh, and that purchasing a magnet made in China equals supporting American troops abroad. The propaganda machine feeds the MIC by gaining the support of the people for such things and the MIC controls the money supply by co-conspiring with the Fed. Inflation finances war, right? And all the dirty politicians have their greedy little hands in the cookie jar. It is this dynamic that exists between the war profiteers and the pro-war media that serves to perpetuate the culture of corruption in Washington--and it's not just Republicans and it's not just Democrats. Polarizing the political discussion creates the illusion of choice, when it fact the name of the game is divide and conquer.Wade wrote:What is perhaps the epitome of propaganda are political campaign ads. The ads sway public opinion, usually to vote republican or democrat. The financing of the ads, money paid from the government to the media is what gets the campaign ads on the air. There is a money cycle between the government and the media, The Government giving the media significantly more money than the media gives the government.
I made the above graphic. I authorize everyone to use it freely on their websites and such, according to the freedom of information act. However, I reserve all rights for use of this image in any and all money-making propaganda scemes, such as t-shirts, stickers, coffee mugs, band-aids, refrigerator magnets, hats, ties, etc... unless I change my mind, so if you want to do that, get my permission first, maybe we can make some munny. But I digress...
The media is paid off. That is for sure. I'm surprised you didn't cite Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism in your article, I mean, Fox is probably the most obvious and obscene example of propaganda there is to found. But then, you were looking for something outside of the mainstream.
How about this guy:
Anyway, here are some thoughts about propaganda and art from an excellent book by Ben Mack, Poker Without Cards*:
*The link will take you to a full text version of the book you can read in .pdf format, not that I recommend it for your homework, but it is a good read nonetheless.Ben Mack wrote:Propaganda—The antithesis of E-Prime. The speaker or source presents reality as if they know what reality is,
objectively. Wait, that is only one type of propaganda. Propaganda is that which attempts to influence for the sake of
an agenda. If that is true, what then is art? If art is as Hegel describes, that which catapults someone to an altered state
of consciousness, then is art propaganda? Propaganda may be art. Is all art propaganda, trying to influence the viewer
according to the artists agenda? Often, the craftsman is being hired by somebody. Art might be any object that can
catapult a mind. Propaganda is that which is created with an end in mind. Commonly, propaganda is the intentional
propagation of false facts. Like, “anything opposed to your church is bad.” In short, propaganda is a fnord.
And I'll just leave it there. The main point I want to get across though, is that I think the scope of your document is too broad. You might want to narrow your focus a bit.