[Xmca-l] Re: Laws of evolution and laws of history

[Peter Smagorinsky]

Andy et al., I'd say that propaganda may also be used to shape the perspectives of insiders, which is how propagandists are able to gin up warmongering (Hitler most infamously, but plenty to go around). p

-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Andy Blunden
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2015 11:44 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: Laws of evolution and laws of history

Well, in the Communist tradition, Communist Education and Communist Propaganda are taken to be quite distinct activities.
Communist Education is directed at people who already count themselves as Communists, Propaganda to those who don't. Vygotsky of course worked at the Institute for Communist Education, under Krupskaya, not in the Propaganda department.
The Commission do propaganda fide  run out of the Vatican I think operates on the same distinction.

Andy
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*Andy Blunden*
http://home.pacific.net.au/~andy/


mike cole wrote:
> Oh! I see what you are discussing. The Park that used to celebrate the
> great achievements of the USSR on Peace Street.
>
> A really good Vygotskian analysis of the term, propaganda, would be
> fascinating to read.
> As I recall the word came into the English language from Latin and a Papal
> decision to "propogate the faith". Seems apt in the Soviet case.  At the
> level of social interaction where we are professionally involved and have
> some presumably, useful knowledge to propagate (why else do They pay for
> us?), how do we think of self presentation that is NOT propagating?
>
> When teaching, this topic comes up in seeking to get students to
> distinguish between education and propaganda, starting with the course they
> are taking from me on the history of communication and with it, the history
> of propaganda.
>
> So what is the difference between education and propaganda. My students and
> I often had difficulty distinguishing them.
>
>
> mike
>
> On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 5:24 PM, Annalisa Aguilar <annalisa@unm.edu> wrote:
>
>   
>> Hi Philip,
>>
>> Yes, because if we go by the rubric of [sign mediates internally with the
>> mind], and [tool mediates externally with the environment], which I do not
>> reject by the way, then propaganda (as intended), is a tool to the one who
>> produces it (because it is intended to influence the environment of others,
>> and a sign for those who consume it (the intended others to be influenced).
>>
>> My inquiry isn't exactly upon traditionally-considered political
>> propaganda; one could also see advertising as a type of propaganda as well.
>> Even punishment and humiliations can be a type of propaganda, "pour
>> encourager les autres."
>>
>> In a sense, propaganda is a kind of duck-rabbit. You see duck, I see
>> rabbit, depending upon what is externally projected/internally received;
>> nothing changes about the drawing itself, it's all perception.
>>
>> Is this too facile? I feel there may be problems, and appeal to the list
>> to correct me on this. :)
>>
>> Thinking out loud... your mileage may vary!
>>
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Annalisa
>>
>>
>>     
>
>
>