AP Notes 91-92 Flashcards
PROPAGANDA: DISTORTION OF DATA or OUT OF CONTEXT or CARD STACKING or CHERRY PICKING:
This technique is used to convinced the audience by using selected information and not present the complete story. Examples: “A study was done that showed eating peanut butter causes liver cancer” (the fact that later the study was later shown to be flawed or funded by the peanut butter haters and therefore suspect, is not revealed). A variation would be “Raising the speed limit to 65 mph resulted in many fewer traffic fatalities”. Such statements need to be checked with how many people were driving before and after the change in speed limit. Fewer people may be driving after the speed limit change, even though the fatality rates (deaths per 100,00) may be higher, leading to the overall result of fewer fatalities.
PROPAGANDA-TESTIMONIAL
When some respected celebrity (or alternatively someone generally hated) claims that an idea or product is (or bad). This technique is used to convince us without examining the facts more carefully.
