Friday Forward - Modern Propaganda (#477)
Critical thinking has never been more essential—yet it's being undervalued at the very moment we need it most.
Last week, during my travels through Europe, I visited Terezín, a former fortress town, located about 30 miles north of Prague. I had visited the site nearly 30 years ago but did not fully understand its significance at the time.
Originally established in the late 18th century by Emperor Joseph II of Austria and named Theresienstadt in honor of his mother, Empress Maria Theresa, Terezín initially served as a military fortress. However, during their occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Nazis repurposed Terezín into a ghetto and concentration camp, where they interned political opponents—mainly communists—and, eventually, entire Jewish communities.
While many innocent people were murdered at Terezín, or died due to the horrible conditions, the camp's most insidious usage was as a propaganda tool. The Nazis orchestrated an elaborate facade, presenting Terezín as a "model" Jewish settlement to deceive the international community, eliding the fact that no one volunteered to be sent there and no one was permitted to leave. In 1944, the Nazis even invited the International Red Cross to visit, meticulously staging the camp to portray a thriving community. Prisoners were coerced under threat of death to act out scripted scenes, showcasing completely fabricated cultural activities and abundance.
The ruse was so convincing that the Red Cross delegation actually left before completing their inspection; they were persuaded by the façade and unaware of the horrors beneath it. Their premature departure exemplified how so many western countries and organizations were blind to the depth of the Nazis’ depravity.
Emboldened by their deception of the Red Cross, the Nazis also produced a propaganda film depicting Terezín as a utopian haven for Jews—even though 75 percent of the people depicted in the film were later murdered at Auschwitz. Notably, the Nazis did not plan to release the film in Germany. Instead, they sought to distribute it in neutral countries to win support during World War II. Fortunately, the Nazis’ defeat in 1945 prevented the propaganda from spreading.
The term "propaganda" itself has origins in the early 17th century, derived from the Latin "propagare," meaning "to spread" or "to propagate." It was first associated with the Catholic Church's efforts to propagate their faith, but it evolved to describe the dissemination of information—often biased or misleading—to influence public opinion.
While the Nazis were among the most notorious creators of propaganda, they were hardly the only ones. The Soviet Union later perfected propaganda, making disinformation a systemic part of psychological warfare and even coining the term "dezinformatsiya" (disinformation). One of the most infamous examples was Operation INFEKTION, a campaign in the 1980s that falsely claimed the CIA had created HIV/AIDS as a biological weapon. This approach became a cornerstone of their intelligence operations and, looking around today, has clearly influenced the information warfare practiced throughout the world.
In today's digital landscape, misinformation spreads faster and more easily than ever before. With just a smartphone and a TikTok account, anyone can broadcast narratives—some harmless, others far more insidious—to millions in seconds. And notably, the lie always spreads much further and faster than the factual correction of that lie.
We have become so inundated with misinformation, presented at such high velocity, that few people can clearly differentiate truth from lies anymore. This misinformation comes in every form, ranging from fringe conspiracy theories fired off by individual kooks to well-orchestrated propaganda pushed by governments such as Iran, China, or Russia. While some of these narratives exist to provoke or get attention, others are designed to manipulate public opinion, destabilize societies, or justify oppression.
History offers stark lessons on the dangers of unchecked propaganda. Propaganda was one of the most important tools for entrenching the Nazis’ power as they persecuted and exterminated millions of innocent people. Soviet propaganda fueled a decades long cold conflict with the United States that generated many proxy wars and millions of deaths. And I suspect we’ll eventually look back in horror at the actions the propaganda of today led us to take or condone.
Misinformation has always existed, but it spreads faster and further than ever now, thanks to technology. Critical thinking has never been more essential—yet it's being undervalued at the very moment we need it most. We must question sources, verify facts, and be wary of unsubstantiated information from those with an agenda. Remember that misinformation isn’t just misleading—it can have deadly consequences.
Quote of The Week
"Propaganda is the art of persuading others of what one does not believe oneself." - Abba Eban
Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, Bob, for pointing this out. Let me just add though that we must not only become aware of the misinformation and propaganda from "the other side" (Iran, China, Russia), in fact I believe that is the easy part because we are naturally suspicious towards them anyway, we must learn to be especially critical and suspicious with our own side and sources. There is no simple GOOD v/s Bad and it's not as easy as "us good" and "them bad"...
Not that you implied this notion! I only felt inspired to add this note when I saw you 3 examples Iran, China, Russia...
Thank you for speaking up about this and the truth and danger behind intentionally misleading propaganda.