The article contrasts a philosopher’s hunt for a clean definition of 'propaganda' with a sociological view that studies what propaganda does in mass democracies. It argues the latter—via Lippmann’s stereotypes, Bernays’ 'engineering consent,' and Ellul’s ambivalence—better explains modern opinion‑shaping systems.
— Centering function clarifies today’s misinformation battles by focusing on how communication infrastructures steer behavior, not just on whether messages meet a dictionary test.
2025.10.07
100% relevant
McKenna’s synthesis of Lippmann, Bernays, and Ellul and his claim that definitions often smuggle in sociological assumptions.
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