Hitler walking up to the podium to deliver his speech in Buckëburg - 1934
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Arguably the most influential man of the 20th century. Here we see him about to deliver to the
masses another ingeniously crafted and perfectly atmospheric piece of propaganda. Propaganda to some, the truth to others.
We could go to the beginning and find psychological flaws in the his upbringing, we could trace mental traumas in his experiences of life. We could run through his book "Mein Kampf" and find connection and empathy to his struggle at a human level. It is of no doubt that the travesties acted against, mainly the Jewish community are full of disdain. My question is, what is the difference between taking a gun and shooting you or gassing you with hydrogen cyanide and giving you something that you love but I know will inevitably significantly shorten your lifespan with considerable suffering towards the end.
"answer that to yourself - in the meantime"
Adolf Hitler, in a nut shell. Was a WWI veteran, joined workers party, (blue collar stuff like our red beret EFF in South Africa), great leader of the radical wing but with rather communist attachments. Tried to seize Berlin via a coupe, which failed. (So even Hitler failed - never give up on your dreams). Was thrown in jail, thought long and hard, put it into Mein Kampf came out and ran for state. He won and turned republic to regime (dictatorship).
Remember the popularity of the German's Worker Party was majorly thanks to the sanctions and restriction placed on the once great Germany's bankrupt self, post WWI (Google: Treaty of Versailles). The people were hungry + sick + tired, that equals desperation on most calculators. So he just had to sell the right dream at the right time. Best of all after being elected, he delivered, increase in economy, more land for Germans (by invading other nations) and singling out a united enemy (Jews). This is the recipe for delicious propaganda.
Eventually after Germany took France (wow), Britain declared war, and German summoned allies, went after the Soviet Union and you know that has too many allies. It seemed all were involved from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada except USA. I can only wonder why.
Surely not because Coca Cola created Fanta such that it does not sell to the "enemy" (as Coca-Cola at least). Its not that Lockheed Martin was receiving unparalleled returns selling to both sides of the war its space age weapons of destruction. I doubt it was the American multinational food, agriculture and packing industries (They weren't getting blown up in the middle of the night) that had multi-billion dollar contracts to feed the soldiers on both sides. This was not always the case but enough to make luxury car salesmen in the land of the free red and white stripes very happy as many pockets went plump in this period.
Back to my question: The answer is TIME. The magazine plays a role in maybe how far it is willing to go to give the reader what the reader does not want to read (needs to) as opposed to whats comfortable. I am though talking about clock time, father time, the fleeting seconds of life. And maybe a physical mess will have to be taken care of. Essentially the gun kills you now (shocker). The other stuff, poisons you slowly and I watch get sick, take you to the doctor and treat you and you still get sick again, eventually when you die, its not a shock.
The point is many have fought the Tobacco industry and relatively won. The select few top five companies holding over 90% of the world tobacco stock and the handful of shareholders at their heads have killed more than both world world wars combined on both sides. The Chlorine and ammonia baths that our meat goes through processing (what we call hamburgers). The flavored Vaseline (margarine) made from the same stuff as petroleum jelly. The pesticides that are building up in the food chains. Ask yourself this: How many people do I know with diabetes? Ask five more people and decide whether you are comfortable with that. Almost all the maize and soy is genetically modified to produce more sugar, starch, last longer, resist certain pesticides and anything else our beautiful minds can foist in the pursuit of efficiency (which really means profit).
The USA reports that in the year 2014, an expected 1600 people will die from cancer, per day, yes, on average, everyday. The second best killer after heart disease, whose main causes are sugar, salt and fats. Wait, that sounds like the perfect fast food meal. In Africa we are fighting HIV/AIDS epidemic and newly discovered Ebola virus disease. All in the age of genetic modification. Well who ever brings forth, manufactures, patents etc the cure shall have nations at their feet and pools of money to swim.
We all have fundamental human flaws, in the sense that we will stand when 300 girls are taken in the night but will say nothing when mass media, popular beliefs and commercial culture teaches our daughters and sisters to feel worthless such that they may be treated similarly in their own homes as those girls kidnapped in the night. It is undoubtedly wrong and they should bring back our girls. When they come back, we better take treat them with care and all that stuff Emma Watson, UN ambassador, mentioned.
Who is the real Propaganda master today, from my perspective nothing much has changed, but as long as we keep our comfy couches, clean cars and honest homes, we can hold on till the grim reaper brings our time. Power has always ran the world, money is portable power, in your pocket, in the bytes on the ATM's server or in the perceived value of your assets. We all want it. At what cost will we pay?
Think about how you feel, what you do and why you do it. Everything lies in your hands, mine and ours.
Thank You for reading, it is extremely long. Now go and do something productive.