The Declaration of Independence was in a way hard for me to understand. I do not know if it was the word usage or just the overall tone I picked up from the story, but I had a very hard time following what was happening.
As I was reading the Declaration of Independence, I picked up on some faulty propaganda that was used. One of the main ones I scoped out is called the name calling technique. In the name calling technique (Recognizing Propaganda), people are given a label, which sort of marks how other people perceive them. It is false because many people only get to see one side of a person, when there is always an underlying personality. The story tears the king down, which is one of the characteristics of name calling. Anyways, the name calling technique was used to bash the King of Britain basically (Thomas 123). There was a list included of past injuries and negative effects that led to a tyranny. Since the points sum up why the King of Brittain was bad, that is what people believe. Along with the bad things though, usually come some good things. The story forgets to mention the good things that the King of Britain has done. Another technique that I saw being used was using false information, almost contradiction (Recognizing Propaganda). It says in one part of the story that all men are created equal and that their rights cannot be taken away (Jefferson 122). I think that contradicts the point that if all men are created equal, then why are they bashing the king? Why is everyone not treated the same way? If we all have the same rights, shouldn't everyone be exposed to the same punishments and the same approval? I thought about these questions as I was reading the story. I think that the bandwagon technique is also used in the story (Recognizing Propaganda). Even though the list is not a positive one toward the king, the bandwagon technique builds up characteristics to make someone look good. Even though the list makes the king look really bad, it makes other people look really good. It is a persuasion technique the author uses to gain people to be on his side, rather than with the king who has supposedly cause them so much damage.
I think that the whole document is mainly based on emotions. They are trying to lay down facts, but the thing is no one really knows if the statements are true Therefore, people are basing their opinions on what they hear. When they hear negative comments, they tend to develop a negative perception of who someone is. Another technique that is in possible use is poisoning the well. I think this technique is used because it is almost like a stereotype. Putting people into a certain category that alters, or people automatically assume, what kind of person they are. The use of faulty logic works with this document though. Even though there is hidden meanings in some of them, th argument is very moving and persuasive. People listened and that is when changes were made. I think to solve the issue of faulty logic, there should be solid facts, with solid proof. No matter what, the speaker has to be able to back up what he is saying.
Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 120-124. Print.
Dspsweb@cuesta.edu. "Recognizing Propaganda--Guide to Critical Thinking--Academic Support." Academic.cuesta.edu. Cuesta College. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/404.htm>.
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