Top 10 Most Effective Forms of Propaganda

Not all propaganda is bad, but all of it does follow a select set of criteria:

1. It must attempt to make an influence. No matter the output's size, if it attempts influence, it's propaganda.

1a. If the influence is successful, opposition will arise against its support.

1b. Echo chambers will form, making both beliefs stand out as a result of that.

1c. Other sects of each belief will arise as well. Echo chambers will form for those sects too, no matter how big or small.

2. It works toward a select goal or goals. Although not exclusively political, propaganda is often most prominent in politics. Other examples include clickbait, which works toward the goal of profit through deceptive or intriguing means, and pop culture, which exemplifies what it deems "trendy." Manufactured (or heavily influenced by corporations) songs, films, anime, TV shows, and other media are often designed to boost trends to the forefront.

While some aspects of this are questionable, much of it is ultimately harmless in the long run. However, propaganda can have the opposite effect as well, as is true for all forms.

3. It must make something stand out. Whether it be an opponent, idea, figure, or anything else relevant to the message, effective propaganda emphasizes something repeatedly, often to the point of ad nauseam.

4. It doesn't have to be big or obvious. Sometimes propaganda can be subtle, invisible to the public eye, and taken into the comfort of the home.

5. It must have the potential to mislead the audience. However, exceptions exist for propaganda that is not meant to be taken at face value but is instead tied to the emotional aspects of a situation. In such cases, this point becomes invalid. A famous example of this exception is the Gettysburg Address.

A common misconception is that echo chambers spread propaganda. While true in some cases, this is not universally the case. For example, scientific evidence is grounded in our current understanding of the world. Communities surrounding scientific facts are not necessarily spreading propaganda. You could argue that they are being arrogant about their beliefs, but that is not the same as spreading propaganda.

Finally, this list covers the most effective forms of propaganda - and nothing else. Usage is irrelevant. This is about quality, not purpose. As a side note, while this list itself could be considered a form of propaganda, it is not meant to do anything other than highlight the effectiveness of propaganda.

And hey, if this list becomes popular, that would further prove its point.

Also, I don't like talking about this at such length, so this is the only list I'll provide on the matter.
The Top Ten
Appeal to Emotion
Cult of Personality

A personality cult is intended to replace religion. It's associated with state atheism. For example, the Nazis portrayed Hitler as a god in his cult.

This may seem absolutely stupid, but it works because it basically brainwashes the people.

Selective Wording
False Accusations
Transfer
Cherry Picking
Ad Nauseam
Half-truth

If you leave out half the story but they fact-check the other part and it is right, they ought to believe the rest of the statement. They might not look into what you have not included.

Straw Man
Deceptive Use of Statistics
The Contenders
Scapegoating
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