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1984

In 1984, George Orwell describes in detail how the government of Oceania whipped up the people into regular frezies of hatred against their enemies, by the manipulation of the media. This is one of the best described incidents of mass hysteria that I have ever read, and what is more worring is how the descriptions could easily become truth.
Telescreens were the major form of media communication in Oceania, and they desiminated 'news' to the populace. However, as with all real dictatorships, this news was almost all false. Despite this, it was reverently believed by the vast majority of the population simply because of where the information comes from. An example of this happening in recent history is the case of Gulf War propoganda. All the major allied governments started the propoganda war very subtley. They showed special documentaries on news programs showing the Iraqi army as being strong and well organised. When...

Posted by: William Katz

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