War of Narratives: How Propaganda Controls Minds
- Media as a Tool of Propaganda – Traditional and social media manipulate public perception by filtering information, spreading misinformation, and controlling narratives.
- Emotional and Psychological Manipulation – Propagandists exploit crises, fear, and unity to influence masses, often portraying a mutual enemy to justify actions.
- Critical Thinking as Resistance – Questioning narratives, cross-checking information, and analytical thinking are essential to counter propaganda and uncover hidden agendas.
Propaganda in the contemporary world can be referred to as the combination of tools employed to manipulate the general masses to achieve a set of goals that can either be political, military, social, or economic. The common people are led as mere cattle by moulding their opinions and thought processes. A mutual enemy is portrayed, and a sense of togetherness is invoked by words such as “we,” “us,” “our,” etc. The means, or the source by which propaganda is often proliferated, is media, traditional mainstream as well as social media outlets. It is used to mask the real motives of the propagandists.
The essential features comprising successful propaganda involve a war-like scenario. A potential and imminent crisis is presented before the public with a sense of urgency to persuade them against the targeted evil or the oppressors and to ensure the masses’ survival and their freedom. The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 under the pretext of possession of weapons of mass destruction was debunked years later, as it was all mere propaganda to make a strategic move, get the public opinion in favour of waging war overseas, and gain influence in the region’s resources and political influence. Likewise, the genocidal offensive on the Palestinians has shown the international community that propagandists know no limit to their ambition to accomplish their agenda, and no consideration on a human or legal basis can hamper their lust for power.
Usually, propaganda is state-sponsored, and certain public relations departments work to fulfil the desired objectives through a direct or an indirect organised campaign. The successful launch of Sputnik by the USSR in 1957 fanned the flames of the Cold War; ultimately, the United States responded by landing on the moon in 1969 to showcase its dominance in space technology, which till today is dubbed as propaganda and is perceived with scepticism by many. Similarly, India and Pakistan have reached nuclear parity, which obstructs the possibility of an all-out war between the two, but the Indian media has been deploying massive propaganda against Pakistan not only by the spread of false news but also by tarnishing the image of Muslims represented as loathsome terrorists at the state level and also through social media and a robust showbiz industry. These can be regarded as the agents of propagandists who aim to distort the facts and present a one-sided picture to the public.
Moreover, propagandists tend to filter out unwanted information by the use of censorship. The flow of information is strictly monitored, and any unfavourable chunks for oneself are held back; this is also known as gatekeeping in media studies. The target audience is struck by referring to their emotional appeals repeatedly to leave a lasting impression on their minds, thereby influencing and, to some extent, subverting public opinion. In the wake of 9/11, the joint venture by US-led Western media is to a large extent responsible for misrepresenting the image of Islam, just to continue their influence on the weaker states and justify their subsequent invasions.
Insurgents active in Baluchistan and other terrorist groups in Pakistan’s remote areas reach out to the underprivileged segments of society and exploit their grievances for their ulterior motives. This can be a prime example of the use of propaganda by non-state actors as they appeal to the emotions of the native youth by raising their patriotism or religious inclinations. The suicide bombers taking the lives of innocent fellow citizens are told to be fighting for a holy cause, devoid of any moral constraints. Unfortunately, such ideology is promulgated by their agents operating under the guise of Islam and by falsely exploiting the socio-economic and ethnic grievances.
Every day in this globalised world, we are bombarded with tonnes of messages through the use of visuals, ads, or news by mainstream and social media networks. These are the new devices used to inflict damage upon the adversary rather than resorting to open warfare. Often the victim is depicted as the perpetrator, but the reality is quite contrary. The matter of concern is that even educated people can also become prey to the tactics employed by propagandists. The only solution among many others is the skill of critical thinking, which can be attained by questioning and challenging the existing notions by addressing “why” and “how” rather than just “what”. It is not just for those in academia, but the citizens in general or the youth mainly need to take all perspectives into account so that they can connect the dots through in-depth analysis. The picture presented by media or other organizations needs to be cross-checked rather than assumed to be true. A clear illustration of this can be the recent denunciation of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza by the world community as it refused to believe the Western media narrative based on utter hatred, lies, and deception.
Given the immense popularity and the use of AI, it will have serious implications for the states as well as the individuals in this regard. It becomes hard to distinguish between right and wrong or real and fake. Refuting lies and fabricated evidence would be quintessential in all this chaos. As taught in social sciences, truth is not absolute; it is all a matter of perspective. To prevent falling into the trap of propagandists, critical thinking is a weapon to resist manipulation and enquire rather than just accept what is told to be believed, hence, reaching a sound conclusion after reflecting objectively.
The author is a freelance writer, having keen interest in politics and international affairs.
