5 Steps to Effectively Use Propaganda

By Junelie Anthony Velonta
Ambassador, HAPI Youth | HAPI Scholar

1. Capitalize on the mistakes of others

Be aware of mistakes that the opposing side has committed. It does not matter if those mistakes were oversights that were not intended. A blunder, in any shape or form, however big or small, is a blunder all the same. Take note of those. List them down. Don’t forget them. You’ll need those in the future.

2. Strike Hard, Strike Fast

With those mistakes in hand, make a fuss on social media, or any other public and widespread platform. Air your musings there. Create a scene. Spread the “news,” or whatever you consider as news anyway. “Call out” the opposing side without actually providing avenues to communicate with them. Be extremely woke. Use words that don’t really sum up the situation. Not to worry, the people reading your musings probably won’t understand the words you are “spilling.” Throw context out the window.

3. Add Fuel to the Fire

Accuse the opposing party of things that they have not done, or are not planning to do. If they do something vague, something that you FEEL like does not conform to your ideals, accuse them of wanting to supersede you—replace you. A good intuition is needed for this. This also ties up steps one and two. Do this, even if the opposing side could not do so legally. Bonus points if you don’t actually try to communicate with the other side directly regarding the vagueness of their actions, but you proceed to have a rather emotional outrage over it anyway.

4. Make everything related to you

The world does not revolve around you. You can change that though. Relate yourself to whatever could be related. By doing so, you could create not only avenues from which you could do Step 1 but also with enough mental gymnastics you could proceed to Step 2.

5. Proclaim Irrelevancy

Life, like an onion, has many layers. So, if the opposing party is discussing another layer, proclaim to the world that their topics are irrelevant. It’s not as if those layers are equally important. Invoke the power of Step 4. Work your way backwards to Steps 2 and 3, and take notes of the opposing side’s retorts, especially the mistakes.

Be sure to follow these steps. You won’t be Thanos-snapping your opposition, but it sure as hell is the next best thing.
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Editor’s Note:

For those who didn’t get it, this piece deconstructs the way propagandists and bad-faith actors peddle misinformation on the internet – it does not endorse propaganda in any way.