Guy Evans

Edward Bernays’ Daughter Anne Discusses Life With The ‘Father Of PR’

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Anne Bernays
Anne Bernays

Anne Bernays is the daughter of the so-called ‘Father of Public Relations’, Edward Bernays. She is, in her own right, an accomplished novelist and teacher, currently on the faculty of Lesley University’s MFA program in writing.

She joined Guy Evans for Episode 120 of the Smells Like Human Spirit Podcast to talk about life with the man she called ‘Eddie’; discussing his intense dedication to his work, his contradictory personality, and above all, his legacy. Enjoy!

Click here to download this podcast.

(Direct mp3 download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/smellslikepodcast/SLHS120.mp3)

Guy Evans is the Founder and Host of the Smells Like Human Spirit Podcast, which covers a wide variety of social and political issues. He also writes a regular column on former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds’ independent news website, BoilingFrogsPost.com.

Before getting into the world of independent media, he spent three years lecturing in the United Kingdom, playing international basketball, and running his own business. He has been featured in several academic publications for his student-focused lecturing and coaching approaches; notably a chapter in the internationally-distributed book ‘Athlete-Centered Coaching’ (Kidman, 2010). Mr. Evans lives with his wife (and three cats!) in Brooklyn, NY.

Source SmellsLikeHumanSpirit  July 1 2014

 

Deconstructing Edward Bernays’ ‘Propaganda’ (Part 8)

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“The political leader of to-day should be a leader as finely versed in the technique of propaganda as in political economy and civics. If he remains merely the reflection of the average intelligence of his community, he might as well go out of politics.” ~E Bernays

EdwardBernaysGuy Evans finishes breaking down Chapter 6 (‘Propaganda and Political Leadership’) of Edward Bernays’ seminal text ‘Propaganda’. In a mammoth 93 minute edition of the show, find out how Bernays predicted that the politicians of the future would originate from the same social circles; discover how the techniques developed in his era to pique public interest in prominent personalities are still utilized today; and enjoy a special guest interview from Vasko Atanasoski of the Macedonian band ‘Bernays Propaganda’!

Click here to download this podcast.

Chapter 6 Transcript – “Propaganda And Political Leadership III”

THE great political problem in our modern democracy is how to induce our leaders to lead. The dogma that the voice of the people is the voice of God tends to make elected persons the will-less servants of their constituents. This is undoubtedly part cause of the political sterility of which certain American critics constantly complain.

No serious sociologist any longer believes that the voice of the people expresses any divine or specially wise and lofty idea. The voice of the people expresses the mind of the people, and that mind is made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes and by those persons who understand the manipulation of public opinion. It is composed of inherited prejudices and symbols and cliches and verbal formulas supplied to them by the leaders.

Fortunately, the sincere and gifted politician is able, by the instrument of propaganda, to mold and form the will of the people.

Disraeli cynically expressed the dilemma, when he said: “I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?” He might have added: “I must lead the people. Am I not their servant?”

Unfortunately, the methods of our contemporary politicians, in dealing with the public, are as archaic and ineffective as the advertising methods of business in 1900 would be to-day. While politics was the first important department of American life to use propaganda on a large scale, it has been the slowest in modifying its propaganda methods to meet the changed conditions of the public mind. American business first learned from politics the methods of appealing to the broad public. But it continually improved those methods in the course of its competitive struggle, while politics clung to the old formulas. Continue reading →

Deconstructing Edward Bernays’ ‘Propaganda’ (Part 7)

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“It is obvious that politics would gain much in prestige if the money-raising campaign were conducted candidly and publicly, like the campaigns for the war funds. Charity drives might be made excellent models for political funds drives. The elimination of the little black bag element in politics would raise the entire prestige of politics in America, and the public interest would be infinitely greater if the actual participation occurred earlier and more constructively in the campaign.” ~E Bernays

EdwardBernaysWhat does it mean to be a leader? According to Edward Bernays, the ‘Father of Public Relations’, a leader is most effective when acting as a dictator. In this episode of the Smells Like Human Spirit Podcast, Guy Evans begins to break down Chapter 6 of Bernays’ magnum opus ‘Propaganda’ – revealing the author’s distorted view of leadership, and his widely shared belief that the public’s apathy results in their own oppression. A great episode as ever so download, share with your friends, and peace!

Click here to download this podcast.

Chapter 6 Transcript – “Propaganda And Political Leadership”

The great political problem in our modern democracy is how to induce our leaders to lead. The dogma that the voice of the people is the voice of God tends to make elected persons the will-less servants of their constituents. This is undoubtedly part cause of the political sterility of which certain American critics constantly complain.

No serious sociologist any longer believes that the voice of the people expresses any divine or specially wise and lofty idea. The voice of the people expresses the mind of the people, and that mind is made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes and by those persons who understand the manipulation of public opinion. It is composed of inherited prejudices and symbols and cliches and verbal formulas supplied to them by the leaders. Continue reading →

Deconstructing Edward Bernays’ ‘Propaganda’ (Part 6)

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“Present-day politics places emphasis on personality. An entire party, a platform, an international policy is sold to the public, or is not sold, on the basis of the intangible element of personality. A charming candidate is the alchemist’s secret that can transmute a prosaic platform into the gold of votes.” ~E Bernays

EdwardBernaysWhat does it mean to be a leader? According to Edward Bernays, the ‘Father of Public Relations’, a leader is most effective when acting as a dictator.

In this episode of the Smells Like Human Spirit Podcast, Guy Evans begins to break down Chapter 6 of Bernays’ magnum opus ‘Propaganda’ – revealing the author’s distorted view of leadership, and his widely shared belief that the public’s apathy results in their own oppression. A great episode as ever so download, share with your friends, and peace!

Click here to download this podcast.

The great political problem in our modern democracy is how to induce our leaders to lead. The dogma that the voice of the people is the voice of God tends to make elected persons the will-less servants of their constituents. This is undoubtedly part cause of the political sterility of which certain American critics constantly complain.

No serious sociologist any longer believes that the voice of the people expresses any divine or specially wise and lofty idea. The voice of the people expresses the mind of the people, and that mind is made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes and by those persons who understand the manipulation of public opinion. It is composed of inherited prejudices and symbols and cliches and verbal formulas supplied to them by the leaders.

Fortunately, the sincere and gifted politician is able, by the instrument of propaganda, to mold and form the will of the people.

Disraeli cynically expressed the dilemma, when he said: “I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?” He might have added: “I must lead the people. Am I not their servant?” Continue reading →

Deconstructing Edward Bernays’ ‘Propaganda’ (Part 4)

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“If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it?” – Edward Bernays

Edward BernaysChapter 4 of ‘Propaganda’ by Edward Bernays is held under the microscope. Guy Evans examines how Bernays learned from his peers – Walter Lippmann, Gustave Le Bon, Graham Wallas, and Wilfred Trotter in particular, and subsequently advised governments to exclude their people from important affairs. Instead of encouraging active political participation, he adopted new theories on mass psychology that would reduce individuals to nothing more than consumers, never happy, and never satisfied. A great show as ever so enjoy, and peace!

Click here to download this podcast

Chapter 4 Transcript – “The Psychology Of Public Relations”

The systematic study of mass psychology revealed to students the potentialities of invisible government of society by manipulation of the motives which actuate man in the group. Trotter and Le Bon, who approached the subject in a scientific manner, and Graham Wallas, Walter Lippmann and others who continued with searching studies of the group mind, established that the group has mental characteristics distinct from those of the individual, and is motivated by impulses and emotions which cannot be explained on the basis of what we know of individual psychology. So the question naturally arose: If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it?

The recent practice of propaganda has proved that it is possible, at least up to a certain point and within certain limits. Mass psychology is as yet far from being an exact science and the mysteries of human motivation are by no means all revealed. But at least theory and practice have combined with sufficient success to permit us to know that in certain cases we can effect some change in public opinion with a fair degree of accuracy by operating a certain mechanism, just as the motorist can regulate the speed of his car by manipulating the flow of gasoline. Propaganda is not a science in the laboratory sense, but it is no longer entirely the empirical affair that it was before the advent of the study of mass psychology. It is now scientific in the sense that it seeks to base its operations upon definite knowledge drawn from direct observation of the group mind, and upon the application of principles which have been demonstrated to be consistent and relatively constant Continue reading →