The title link takes you to the CTV page: Cdns. suspicious of a Tory hidden agenda: poll
For manipulation to be most effective, evidence of its presence should be nonexistent... It is essential, therefore, that people who are manipulated believe in the neutrality of their key social institutions. -- Herbert Schiller
The two most annoying words in the English language are: Hidden Agenda.
They are vague and mean nothing, yet they are potent and impossible to elude.
One can't disprove the existence of a secret agenda. A lack of evidence is simply a testament how crafty and cunning one is.
The phrase 'hidden agenda' is the perfect tool of manipulation. Paul Martin needn't suggest what is hidden. Nor is the onus on him to prove that anything is hidden at all. He only has to chant his mantra and the media has done the rest.
These words are more powerful and more destructive than: corruption, scandal, fraud, lies -- because those words all have clear meanings. Philip K. Dick said about propaganda: The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.
Propaganda by omission - as practiced by the Liberals, is perhaps more persuasive and more malicious than out-and out accusations. It allows the public to infer a meaning; a particularly exploitive move when confidence in all government is fragile.
Most of us have read about propaganda, media manipulation and the power of marketing (link to US Army PsychOps Manual) It works, or the advertising agencies wouldn't be making the big bucks and the corporations wouldn't shell out -- Those two words 'hidden agenda' have skillfully demonstrated to me, the magnitude of its force.
Everyone wants to get their message out, and most politicians use hyperbole and invective in the course of pursuing their goals. It can get messy and ugly, but the listener is in charge of accepting or rejecting the message.
Only the unscrupulous rely on propaganda by innuendo in the quest for governance. And it's because they haven't a legitimate avenue through which to pass.
Cheers,
canadianna
2 comments:
I guess it is kind of funny that the Liberals are accusing the Conservatives of having a hidden agenda, while there is plenty of evidence of a Liberal hidden agenda. Just think of the marriage issue... it was only '99 when McLellan stood up in the House and "reassured" the members that it was not the Gov's intent to change the definition of marriage.
Another example: ADSCAM! They used our money to indoctrinate Quebeckers!
The next? The National Daycare program... Just stay tuned. It is to become the number one Liberal indoctrination machine, producing faithful little party members in years to come.
Conservatives are traditionalists. If you want to know what their agenda is... ask your grandma. Nothing hidden. We believe in small government and time-tested values. That's it.
Very insightful article!
Oh, I like that -- ask your gramma. It's so true. I think the Toronto Star's server is down, but you should read Linda McQuaig today. She's singing the Liberal praises (as usual) but then she says, as though it's quite alright - that the Liberals campaign on the soft social issues on the hustings, but then listen to the corporate lobby when they govern. So it's not hidden, they deceive in plain site -- and it's a-okay.
Thanks for the kind words.
Cheers,
canadianna
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