Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda: Amazon.ca: Noam Chomsky: Books

Product Description

From Amazon

"Propaganda," says Noam Chomsky, "is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state"--in other words, the means by which leaders keep the masses in line. In this slim pamphlet, he looks at American propaganda efforts, from the warmongering of Woodrow Wilson to the creation of popular support for the 1991 military intervention in Kuwait, and reveals how falsification of history, suppression of information, and the promotion of vapid, empty concepts have become standard operating procedure for the leaders of the United States--both Democrats and Republicans--in their efforts to prevent citizens from raising awkward questions about U.S. policy.

Book Description

Beginning with the Creel Commission, the Woodrow Wilson-appointed committee that turned isolationist America into a war-hungry machine, master political analyst Noam Chomsky traces the history of American propaganda. Part of the Open Media Pamphlet Series.

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A thorough scrutiny of Media's pervasive role in society!, July 24 2002

By

Srebrenica Forever (Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Paperback)

Initially, I would like to say that this is without doubt the most intelligent book on the subject matter! It reveals the insidious methods commonly employed by the Media. Accordingly, these methods are used to manipulate and mislead the public's mind, especially in areas concerning foreign politics, domestic issues including racial discrimination and unjust distribution of wealth! People have to face the indisputable fact that the Media is controlled by the government. Unedeniably, the media frequently misrepresent the facts in order to protect the government from public discontent! I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to understand how the media control the public's mind. Buy this book immediately! Noam Chomsky is a master!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opening!, April 9 2002

By

"arabseadog" (FPO, AE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Paperback)

Just in case you thought you knew about how the media stinks get ready, you haven't seen anything yet. Unlike most political writers, Chomsky uses EXTENSIVE research in portraying the true power the media has on the way we think. Don't forget that this guy is a Linguistics professor at MIT so he definitely has a wealth of knowledge on the science of language and he applies this knowledge into his writings. You might never realize how much nonsense we get fed until you read this book or perhaps a book like it. Great read!!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Validation at last!, Nov 15 2002

By

Christopher B. Valenti (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Paperback)

A co-worker, who used to listen to me rant, recommended that I read Chomsky. I ignored the advice for several years thinking no one could understand or even know what it was that I was so positively enraged about in our so called 'free' country. I went on hunting for validation that never came. Until finally, I picked up this little gem! Ah! The fact that I felt isolated in my 'subversive' views is even a part of Chomsky's little essay. This little book is pure concentrate.
Chomsky's focus is on the foreign policies of the US, but one can easily extend his thesis to simple domestic uses of propaganda. In other words, the ways in which a person will champion certain rhetoric to gain support which in so doing gains power from people who willingly give up freedoms.
Remember three things:
1. All art is propaganda
2. Propaganda is to the free society what the iron fist is to the totalitarian society.
3. A free society is not necessarily defined by what one is free to do, rather what one is free NOT to do.
I have been a Chomsky-ite for years, but never knew it. This is an outstanding starting point to his other works.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 12 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Short and to the point -- a good "wake up" if asleep
This is a really short pamphlet in fact. The tone is very direct and highly legible (the texts being from talks I believe). Read more

Published on Sep 10 2002 by Sohrab Ismail-Beigi

4.0 out of 5 stars A polemical crowbar
This author's work is a little too sciolistic for my own personal taste, while the doctrine he promulgates is singularly unconvincing and is, to my mind, a purely bombastic... Read more

Published on July 30 2002 by olly_aginous