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> The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people’s minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize t

> The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people’s minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized. - Elmer Davis, director of the US Office of War Information

wolverine876 5y ago
Where is that quote from? I don't want to ironically get caught by propaganda (or misinformation) myself.
- slater 5y ago
  i think it's from > - Elmer Davis, director of the US Office of War Information
  - blacksmith_tb 5y ago
    I assume they wanted proper references[1]. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Office_of_War_Information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Office_of_War_In...
- lionsdan 5y ago
  Here's an article that includes it. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/how-hollywood-became-the-unofficial-propaganda-arm-of-the-u-s-military-1.5560575 https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/how-hollywood-became-the-unof...
- lelandfe 5y ago
  Fun one to track down. Had to hop through a couple papers and books, but this is what everything winds up referencing: > It was an organization designed not only to disseminate information and to clarify issues but also to arouse support for particular symbols and ideas. "The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people's minds," said Davis, "is to let it go in through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized." Koppes, C. and Black, G., 1977. What to Show the World: The Office of War Information and Hollywood, 1942-1945. The Journal of American History, 64(1), p.2, <https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888275 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888275> That paper then points to this ultimate source: > Elmer Davis to Byron Price, Jan. 27, 1943, Box 3, Records of the Office of War Information, RG 208 (Federal Records Center, Suitland, Md.) Dead end. I emailed the Archives but the entire facility is closed because of the pandemic. I also tried tracking down the paper's authors but both are retired. The document likely lives somewhere in this trove: https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=%22Records%20of%20the%20Office%20of%20War%20Information%20%22&f.dateRangeFacet=%221940%20-%201949%22&f.recordGroupNoCollectionId=208 https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=%22Records%20of%20the%... Anyway, I'm satisfied it's a real quote (both authors are reputable) though I definitely want the surrounding context now :)
  - wolverine876 5y ago
    C'mon, you didn't break into the Archive and open the box? Typical Internet nonsense. Seriously: very nice work; thank you. Above and beyond! > "The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people's minds," said Davis, "is to let it go in through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized." Now a nearly irrelevant second place to social media.

wolverine876 5y ago

Where is that quote from? I don't want to ironically get caught by propaganda (or misinformation) myself.

slater 5y ago
i think it's from > - Elmer Davis, director of the US Office of War Information
- blacksmith_tb 5y ago
  I assume they wanted proper references[1]. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Office_of_War_Information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Office_of_War_In...
lionsdan 5y ago
Here's an article that includes it. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/how-hollywood-became-the-unofficial-propaganda-arm-of-the-u-s-military-1.5560575 https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/how-hollywood-became-the-unof...
lelandfe 5y ago
Fun one to track down. Had to hop through a couple papers and books, but this is what everything winds up referencing: > It was an organization designed not only to disseminate information and to clarify issues but also to arouse support for particular symbols and ideas. "The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people's minds," said Davis, "is to let it go in through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized." Koppes, C. and Black, G., 1977. What to Show the World: The Office of War Information and Hollywood, 1942-1945. The Journal of American History, 64(1), p.2, <https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888275 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888275> That paper then points to this ultimate source: > Elmer Davis to Byron Price, Jan. 27, 1943, Box 3, Records of the Office of War Information, RG 208 (Federal Records Center, Suitland, Md.) Dead end. I emailed the Archives but the entire facility is closed because of the pandemic. I also tried tracking down the paper's authors but both are retired. The document likely lives somewhere in this trove: https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=%22Records%20of%20the%20Office%20of%20War%20Information%20%22&f.dateRangeFacet=%221940%20-%201949%22&f.recordGroupNoCollectionId=208 https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=%22Records%20of%20the%... Anyway, I'm satisfied it's a real quote (both authors are reputable) though I definitely want the surrounding context now :)
- wolverine876 5y ago
  C'mon, you didn't break into the Archive and open the box? Typical Internet nonsense. Seriously: very nice work; thank you. Above and beyond! > "The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people's minds," said Davis, "is to let it go in through the medium of an entertainment picture when they do not realize that they are being propagandized." Now a nearly irrelevant second place to social media.