The Latest Propaganda

The latest propaganda

1. Praises the reader by suggesting he has already acquired sufficient knowledge to follow the story that's coming:

• "As you know . . . .
• "As you have read elsewhere . . . .
• "It is common knowledge . . . .
• "Many sources have already reported . . . .

2. The latest propaganda proves difficult to refute because

• It protects the thrust of its argument by failing to cite real or accessible sources;
• stated positively, it may provide attribution or reference to people who are real but cannot be found, to officials who once held post but are no longer accessible through its channels, to institutions, reports, white papers and other documents nonexistent, defunct, or, if conspiratorial, assembled specifically to disinform;
• arranges or shapes verifiable information to suit its thesis but fails to mention (ignores or omits) contravening facts and reports.
• it exploits anger and sympathy through invective based on real events while providing the reader with hints and suggestions as to how he has been misled by other media

2. The latest propaganda confuses truthful reporting with fabrication by

• altering small but telling details in unfaithful paraphrase of sources to suit its course
• wrapping its invention in a sprinkling of well published and verifiable documentation

I'm going to hedge my own bets and not challenge by name "authors" with works in circulation, rather falling into the propaganda trap myself by doing so, but may note that where I may be reached through e-mail and met in person, some writers seem to have a less corporeal existence in the alternative press. They speak (often and with passion) but seem unable to hear from their readers. Perhaps they are too busy, too important, too invented themselves to have much to do with other journalists.

Who are they?

Find them yourself.