Propaganda (Vintage): The Formation of Men's Attitudes

This is an excellent book. It shows the subtleties of manipulation--both on the part of the manipulator who creates the propaganda, and especially on the part of those who are manipulated. That is, how the latter must be predisposed to believe the stereotypes/half-lies handed out by the propaganda.

Ellul is some one I've read many years ago. His stimulating thoughts and penetrating analysis makes an interesting read...and gives the reader how systems operate.

More people need to read this

Translated from French, Propaganda initially feels like one of those books you're forced to read for class. Thankfully even though the text remains somewhat cumbersome it continues to be a very good overview on the subject focusing on the subtlety of how propagandas are applied rather than any one totalitarian state's modus operandi.The sub-head is actually what the book is about - the formation of men's attitudes - which is a far more insightful for the children of propaganda - us.A fairly quick read, it is worth reading in conjunction with a good history of PR which are effectively one and the same thing - how to form attitudes/shape another's thoughts.

brilliant, devilishly difficult text, probably an overwhelming piece of propaganda itself!

Good book for people who want to know how we are managed 100% of the time and do not even know it.

It's OK, I obviously didn't expect it to be an enjoyable read but it's a tough book to get through.Although a brand new copy, it is a reprint and the print quality is poor. On some pages the text is faded, on others it's fine and on others there are letters and words that are double printed, darker than the surrounding text.The physical dimensions are smaller than a regular paperback. When I first received the book I was surprised that it was smaller.

What rubbish!! I started this warily, as it's by a mid 20thC French "Philosopher" and it all too soon degenerated into the usual French gumph, unfortunately. This is an incredibly tedious read. I tried to persist, but ended up flicking through chapters and parts, only to find the same old antiquated style, spiel and nonsense. But this was written in 1965, when tv, for instance, was only just beginning to get off the ground, so Ellul can almost be forgiven (nah-not really - Orwell was light years ahead of him!). I think I read that this book is still "taught" in some circles- I really hope not, unless it's an object lesson in how to get things so pompously inflated and in the style of 20thC French nonsensical, up its own posterior "Philosophy". There are plenty of points where he's obviously right, such as where he says that the media must end up dominated by a few hands, but it's written in such an absurd way. Steer well clear as this is the most unashamedly roundabout way of talking about a subject that is in reality far simpler. Stick to more modern and lucid stuff, such as Chomsky etc.

An enlightening read on the use of propaganda on populations, both by governments and other entities. Ellul was a French Intellectual and Political Philosopher who tried to warn the public about the use of propaganda methods to control their thinking. Anyone interested in how mass formation psychosis occurs in today’s times should include Jacques Ellul in their research and reading lists. (This version/print is fine, however, older prints of this book may include fewer editorial changes, will be more expensive than this copy, but could be better for more in depth research.)

To fully understand this book, one must first read the Technological Society by the same author. I read Propaganda prior to the Technological Society, and I remember the first 60 pages of Propaganda being like eavesdropping on a conversation that had already been going on for a while.The level of scholarship demonstrated by Ellul among authors having written about the propaganda phenomenon is second to none. Chomsky is a high school student next to a university professor in comparison. They approach the subject matter differently and both have different concerns. Chomsky is concerned with American manipulation of mass media and the manufacturing of public opinion in that country, hence his 'Manufacturing Consent: the political economy of mass media', whereas Ellul is concerned with Propaganda as a social phenomenon in the broadest sense and the sociological role it occupies in societies and the formation of attitudes & masses. Both authors study the phenomenon differently as well. Chomsky proposes a propagandist model of political economy which he proceeds to demonstrate quantitatively with the use of language: adjectives, tone, bias, framing, frequency, timing etc. Ellul uses a dialectical approach, which is no less rigorous but might leave some readers not totally satisfied in terms of proof; although I would disagree.Propaganda has completely changed my perspective on society and what it means to live in society today. Jacques Ellul is certainly one of the greatest intellectuals of the 20 century. IMO he will become as influential as Nietzsche, Heidegger, Marx, or Hegel and will be known as such in centuries to come.

One of the most interesting books I've read on propaganda, especially because Ellul doesn't reduce propaganda to simply governments telling lies. He explains it as something much broader: a system that works through media, culture, repetition, social pressure, existing beliefs, and even our own need to make sense of an overwhelmingly complex world.What I liked: the ideas feel remarkably relevant considering it was published in 1962. His argument that educated, information-consuming people aren't necessarily immune to propaganda is particularly thought-provoking.What I didn't like: it's dense, repetitive in places, and definitely not an easy casual read. Some sections also feel tied to the political and media environment of Ellul's time.

Jacques Ellul é sempre necessário. Nesse livro ele tenta jogar luz ao fenômeno da propaganda. Lendo ele e lendo o jornal do dia vemos que a propaganda nunca é óbvia e tenta nos convencer que certas ideias objetas são normais.Leia! Leia! Leia! Leia!

This book is a wake-up call. Ellul shows that we are often most vulnerable to propaganda when we think we are at our most independent. He doesn't offer easy answers, but he provides the tools to see the "totalitarian" nature of modern messaging. It is a challenging, heavy, but ultimately liberating read. A true 5-star classic that every citizen should own.