In this digital world we’re swimming in a sea of information. News, social media, TV, and even the chatter around the dinner table all can shape the way we see the world. And while we like to think we’re getting the full story, deep down, we know better. Not everything we hear is the whole truth. Some of it is meant to steer us in a certain direction, make us feel a certain way, or nudge us into choices we wouldn’t have made if we had all the facts.

That’s propaganda. The art of influence disguised as information. Governments, corporations, and media outlets use it to sell ideas, form opinions, and control narratives. Sometimes, it’s about getting you to buy a product. Other times, it’s about guiding how you think about bigger issues. And if you don’t recognize it when it’s happening, you might find yourself believing things that aren’t true and making choices based on someone else’s agenda instead of your own.

Edward Bernays, often called the “father of public relations,” is considered a founding member of propaganda as we know it today. He wasn’t just a marketing genius, he was also the nephew of famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Bernays took Freud’s ideas about the subconscious mind and applied them to mass influence, forever changing advertising, politics, and even what we eat for breakfast.

Before Bernays did his thing, the typical American breakfast was light. Coffee, orange juice, and maybe a roll. Bacon wasn’t a big part of it, and the Beech-Nut Packing Company wanted to change that. So, they hired Bernays to increase bacon sales, and he didn’t just create an ad. He created an complete narrative.

Knowing that people trust expert authority figures, Bernays surveyed thousands of doctors and asked if they believed a larger breakfast was healthier. Many agreed in general terms, and Bernays spun this into a headline endorsement of bacon and eggs. He then had newspapers publish articles featuring “doctors recommend a hearty breakfast”, therefore crafting a very persuasive link between medical experts and the bacon makers.

The Propaganda Playbook

Bernays used several classic propaganda techniques to turn his vision into reality:

1. Creating a Narrative: He made bacon and eggs as the ideal breakfast, making it feel natural and necessary.

2. Using Authority Figures: He had doctors endorse a larger breakfast, making the claim seem medically sound.

3. Repetition & Association: He ensured that the benefits of a hearty breakfast were constantly repeated and always tied to bacon and eggs.

The campaign was wildly successful. Almost overnight, bacon and eggs became a staple of the American breakfast, not because of health science, but because of clever persuasion and psychological influence. Bernays didn’t just sell bacon. He sold a new cultural standard that exists to this day. It became a new American tradition.

What This Means for You

If Bernays could convince a whole nation to change how they eat, imagine what similar tactics are doing to your thoughts on politics, health, and world events. This is why understanding propaganda is key to making your own choices. Recognizing how narratives are put together allows you to think for yourself instead of being unconsciously steered in a direction you didn’t choose.

Next time you see a big shift or media push, ask yourself who benefits from me believing this? Because if history teaches us anything, it’s that what seems like common sense today may have started as a deceptive marketing campaign.

How to Recognize Propaganda in the Media: A Step-by-Step Guide

Propaganda is designed to manipulate emotions, control narratives, and influence public opinion. Recognizing it requires critical thinking and a careful approach to analyzing media messages. It’s really easy to spot after a little practice. And pay particular attention to what the media posts that supports your particular leanings. Here’s a step-by-step guide that I pulled out of AI to help you identify propaganda in the news, social media, and mainstream narratives.

Step 1: Identify Emotional Triggers Media:

A Propaganda often plays on strong emotions such as fear, anger, pride, or outrage to push a certain perspective.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Does the story make me feel extreme emotions (fear, hate, or blind loyalty) rather than presenting balanced facts?
• Is it pushing me to react quickly rather than think critically?

Red Flag: Sensational headlines with emotional words like “shocking,” “outrageous,” “must-see,” or “disaster.”

Step 2: Look for One-Sided Reporting

Balanced journalism presents multiple perspectives and allows the audience to form their own opinions. Propaganda pushes only one viewpoint while ignoring or discrediting opposing arguments.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Does this source include different opinions or just one side?
• Are experts with opposing views fairly represented?
• Are counterarguments dismissed or attacked rather than addressed with facts?

Red Flag: If an article uses labels like “crazy,” “evil,” “conspiracy theorist,” or “unpatriotic” to discredit opposing views without engaging their arguments, it’s likely propaganda.

Step 3: Check the Source & Who Benefits

Propaganda often comes from government agencies, think tanks, or organizations with vested interests in shaping public opinion.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Who owns or funds this media outlet?
• Does the journalist or expert have political, financial, or ideological ties to the subject?
• Does the narrative serve the interests of a particular government, corporation, or political party?

Red Flag: If a media source has ties to a political party, intelligence agency, or major corporate sponsor with an agenda, question its neutrality.

Step 4: Watch for Loaded or Manipulative Language

Propaganda relies on biased wording, exaggerated claims, or misleading statistics to shape public perception.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Are emotionally charged words being used instead of neutral, factual descriptions?
• Are vague terms like “experts say,” “many believe,” or “people are saying”used instead of citing real sources?
• Are facts cherry-picked to fit a specific narrative?

Red Flag: Phrases like “everyone knows,” “the people demand,” or “history proves” are often signs of manipulation.

Step 5: Examine the Use of Repetition

A common propaganda tactic is repeating a claim over and over until it feels like truth.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Have I heard this claim repeated across multiple outlets without much variation?
• Are identical talking points being echoed by politicians and the media without debate?

Red Flag: Repeated slogans like “safe and effective,” “a danger to democracy,” or “follow the science” can be used to discourage critical thinking.

Step 6: Check If the Story Demonizes or Glorifies a Group

Propaganda often divides people into heroes and villains to rally support or justify actions.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Is this article portraying one group as entirely good and another as purely evil?
• Is a group being blamed for a problem without clear evidence?
• Are historical comparisons (like Nazi references) being used to make a group seem more dangerous?

Red Flag: If a story dehumanizes a person or group (calling them rats, viruses, or cockroaches), it’s a major propaganda warning sign.

Step 7: Verify with Primary Sources & Fact-Check Independently

Propaganda thrives on misquoting sources, taking things out of context, or making false claims that sound believable.

✔ How to fact-check:

• Look for original documents, studies, or speeches instead of relying on someone else’s summary.
• Use fact-checking sites (but verify that they aren’t biased themselves).
• Cross-check claims using independent international media to see how different countries report the same event.

Red Flag: If the only proof for a claim is anonymous sources, an unnamed “expert,” or a single leaked document, it may be propaganda.

Step 8: Ask Yourself If It’s Encouraging Action Without Questioning

Propaganda often tells you what to think or urges immediate action without debate.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Is this source pushing me to believe something without considering other perspectives?
• Is it asking me to react emotionally rather than think logically?
• Does it discourage questioning or suggest that only bad people disagree?

Red Flag: If an article or speech ends with “We must act NOW before it’s too late!” without real debate, it’s likely manipulating urgency to shut down discussion.

What You Can Do About It…Call it out. If people do not recognize propaganda, they make decisions based on manipulation instead of facts. That can mean believing lies, supporting bad policies, or even turning against their own neighbors. History is full of examples of people being tricked into fear, anger, or even war because they were fed propaganda instead of truth. Again:

1. Ask Questions — When you hear something shocking, ask, “Where did this information come from?” and “Is there another side to this story?”
2. Look at Different Sources — Don’t get all your news from one place. Check different viewpoints, even ones you disagree with, to see the whole picture.
3. Think Before You Share — If you see something that makes you want to immediately hit the “share button,” stop. Take a breath. Again, ask yourself if it’s making you react instead of think.
4. Talk About It . If you see friends or family being fooled by propaganda, ask them questions. “Have you checked other sources on that?” can open up a real conversation without sounding like an attack.

The Bottom Line

Propaganda is sneaky. It works because people don’t realize it’s happening. But once you learn to spot it, you take back control. You get to think for yourself, make your own choices, and help others do the same. And with a media that’s constantly trying to shape what you believe, thinking for yourself is the way to go. Stay Aware, Alert, Survive, and Strive.

Bill Halford

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