Propaganda (book) 2370963 204391040 2008-04-09T05:25:44Z 76.15.144.17 This book is not in the public domain, and should not be available on the internet. The links provided on this wikipedia page were in violation of coyright law. [[Image:E l bernays-1928-propaganda.png|right|thumb|200px|The front cover of the [[1928]] edition]] [[Edward Bernays]], the author of '''''Propaganda''''', defined a practitioner of the profession of "counsel on [[public relations]]" as a "practicing [[social scientist]]" whose "competence is like that of the [[industrial engineer]], the management engineer, or the investment counselor in their respective fields." He states that to assist clients, public relations counselors use and apply their understanding of [[behavioral science]]s such as [[anthropology]], [[history]], [[social psychology]], and [[sociology]]. In ''Propaganda'', his most important book, Bernays argued that the [[scientific]] manipulation of public opinion was necessary to overcome chaos and conflict in society: :The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in [[democracy|democratic]] society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible [[government]] which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of [[human]] beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of [[politics]] or business, in our social conduct or our [[ethical]] thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind. [[Category:1928 books]] [[Category:Books about propaganda]] {{sociology-book-stub}} [[de:Propaganda (Buch)]]