An American guy and a Chinese guy were hanging out, talking about politics. The American guy says to the Chinese guy, "I'm really fascinated by Chinese propaganda. It's like every piece of media there has to in some way glorify the state, the party or their ideology." These Chinese guy says "Chinese propaganda is too on-the-nose. Everyone in China thinks it's corny, especially when they try to appeal to younger people. American propaganda is top notch though. It's so good, you don't even notice it!" The American guy laughs and says "what are you talking about? America doesn't have propaganda."
You missed the punchline. The Chinese guy smiles and says “Exactly“. Though first time I heard it was a European guy who was traveling to America to study American Propaganda
America is drenched in propaganda. This country is functioning in a vacuum of propaganda. The music, the arts, the movies, the commercial everything. The Hollywood the cinema the literally everything you engage with as media and art and whatever else see hear, think, deal, touch. It is ALL PROPAGANDA. American culture is the WORST CULTURE but I have no idea why it is being marketed as the best. The arts such the pop music sucks the media sucks the movies suck especially the horror non religious movies. It all SUCKS.
@@raylemus72well these days its iron curtain level, new york times is like the old pravda, there is no subtlety any more. Its full Orwellian newspeak, one words for our side, completely separate words to describe the same events for the other side, complete ignorance of reality, and never questioning state department statements.
I do the same I learned it in cooking. A chef told me "If you ask someone why you do something and they can't give you a good answer, they don't really know what they're talking about"
In Canada in the 90's we had a series of commercials from "Concerned Children's Advertiser's" and they were, quite frankly, pretty legendary among us. One standout in particular that virtually all Canadians of a certain age range will remember, are house hippos. They made a short, incredibly realistic "documentary" on tiny hippos that lived in houses, before they reveal that it was clearly not real, and that you should always question what you're being shown. It's stuck with me my entire life. I also took a media dissection course as an alternative to traditional English in grade 10, where we broke down and understood propaganda, music, printed media, etc. It was INVALUABLE and I've actually emailed our provincial government saying that course needs to become standard and taught at a younger age.
High school requirements NEEDED in today's society, but can only be taught from home. Small business startup and planning. This course starts as an LLC for the freshman and should be somewhat workable by 18. This include tax uses for an LLC and how seperate accounts are utilized. Understanding mass mind manipulation, media use in the subject, internet "Meme" effectiveness, etc. How the wealthy push the people to endlessly fight with each other and always blame "the other guy" for the corrupted governmental policies. Basic stock exchange, currency understanding and how actual gold and silver differ in this regard and Why. This includes how loan rates and inflation is caused and controlled Throw in "how to recognize a corrupt government" and different examples of rebellions in the past that failed and succeeded. Without this knowledge, the next generation will be doomed to repeat the sins of the previous generations of Sheeple Mentality
Fun quote from a guy who wrote a book of propaganda for the US military. I love starship troopers, I hate the underline messages he put in the book. Lol.
Hmmm. I wonder how this might apply to a recent major event in the U.S. The average person attempts to seek information to maintain their own preconceived opinions without critically thinking and judging with a broader spectrum of data. When something contradicts what's currently believed, they become irritated, and instead of digging deeper to find the truth, they switch the channel, looking for one that more closely backs what they currently believe, to stay in their comfort zone. How can we truly learn the truth about anything, if we do not challenge our current beliefs?
@@davidvillanueva7638 The "blob", the establishment, the "300", the "oberen 10,000" or whatever the "elites" are called in various parts if the world. MIMAC Military Industrial Media Academic Complex. Their ways are subtle. They can make us, the "plebs", believe ANYthing... How does a minority control a majority? The powerful use divide-and-rule. Divide the world with rulings. Siphon off the wealth of entire regions. Divide the people into political dichotomies: the left/right, the for/against, the Team A/Team B, the us/them... Because we the divided, argue like children. It starts with lies and hypocrisy and works its way up the path of escalation. Qui bono? The hypocrites lie, and the people start dividing themselves with the arguments. Lies and deceit are an integral part of a divide-and-rule world. Power players are the _"managers"_ and _"moderators"_ of lies and division.
Just want to add as someone recovering from religious abuse/cult brainwashing, it's important to take these concepts and apply them to religious services and discussions too. Just because a message comes from a person carrying the "brand" of your denomination doesn't mean it's a trustworthy message. Pay close attention - especially if they start playing emotional music to nudge you towards whatever "alter call" - there may be manipulative or malicious intent. (For anyone who might get mad at me for saying that - if your church has nothing to hide it should be able to withstand questions and logical scrutiny. ("Come let us reason together" and all of that.) If your knee-jerk reaction is to defend the church no questions asked or attack those who raise questions, that could be a sign there's some sort of lying, manipulation, brainwashing, or coercion going on.)
People are afraid to leave their flock and more over to feel like they have been bamboozled. There is no such thing as reasoning with religion because religion is made to manipulate people-thats the only cause of its existence. Once we discovered the printing press and more people started reading and writing AND ASKING QUESTIONS,it all slowly started crashing down. This goes for all western religions anyway.
I'm not religious but my folks were friends with many Christians so I grew up invited to Christmas or some other event on occasion. Most of them were fairly benign, but as an outsider the strong social connections backed by ritual was eerie. The people were friendly and well adjusted so I never felt the need to object or question the foundation of their beliefs, as a courtesy. However, in one event that I still remember quite vividly, they invited a guest speaker, a creationist, to one of their services. This man spoke with such conviction on things that were demonstrably false, almost asserting that red was green, that I was immediately repulsed, not even entertaining in my mind that this was some quaint cultural practice that I could pass off as harmless. I looked around at the people I knew and found them uncanny, grateful smiles plastered on their faces as they nodded to the near inversion of reality that came out of that man's mouth; classmates of mine who did well in classes that taught things this man was contradicting were among them. In another time, a different classmate had a period where she was trying to confirm her religious identity and invited me to go to a concert with her. I noted that the songs sung heavily relied on frequent choruses so that those who did not know the song could quickly pick up at least part of the lyrics and emotionally join with the masses. As these songs went on, the leaders would encourage the audience to stand, creating physical dissonance in any who stayed seated. The effect is quite powerful; surrounded by the singing standing, people are almost biologically compelled to follow. I've only ever looked at and experienced religion academically, so I can only imagine what it's like to have lived within it when it becomes at odds with a person's wellbeing. I always encourage people to find their personal spirituality separate from organized religion, as an alternative.
After being a churchgoer for over 4 decades and trying different ones b/c of moving around etc, I'm simply having to conclude that none of them are safe. They should be on the leading edge of science and psychology, how to relationship, how to heal from abuse etc, but they are hundreds of years behind. And that makes them dangerous and destructive. Not cool.
As a German, we also teach and learn about how statistics are created, and different ways that you can present the same facts visually. It's part of the mathematics curriculum, starting with 11-year-olds. You can mess with people's perception so much with the way you visually present your information...
My question is what is the connection between tiny Germany and the US? Wouldn't a European nation be a better sounding board? The two countries are so different, it's silly. Germany can fit inside several individual US states, lol. It's a vastly different population, Germany isn't nearly as diverse as the US, it not as populated as the US, a different language, a different currency....Other than people like to click and drag the US, what is the point?
@@1972Ray What's the point of your comment? The video is about how Germany teaches kids how to think critically about information that's presented to them. Why does the size of Germany matter? If the video was about how New Jersey teaches its kids critical thinking, would you complain that several New Jerseys could fit into Texas? Why does the difference in language and culture matter if the information itself is accurate? Physics work the same whether you're in Europe, Africa, or North America. Same with critical thinking skills.
@@1972Ray What does that have anything to do with the video ? The video isn't about land mass size and population size and diversity. It's about ways another society educate students about consuming info - and it's a skill that children need. Too often kids AND adults can be misled with false advertising, deceptive practices and appeals to their lack in judgment, breaking down their defenses and internal sense of ethics . It's a danger. You comment probably wasn't intended as a "red herring" argument, but it seems like one. A red herring is a logic fallacy that is intended to distract and be misleading on purpose.
@@1972Rayshe's one of those people who visits another country but refuses to try anything new. She's spraking Englisch because the average German isn't going to listen to her.
As a counterintelligence agent in the Army and a person with a masters in Intelligence studies where I had to take courses in deception, misinformation and propraganda, I especially find your videos on this topic very intriguing. Because my field heavily deals with deception and propraganda and I sometimes sit back and think holy crap we use so much propraganda on our own, and is it really meant to protect or subjugate?
@@t.g.7180 Might be time to sit down and have a think why all your favorite news sources refer to the Covid Vaccine as "tHe jAb" and you're afraid to even spell it normally in comments, bud.
@@OneTheBluemost of the huge guys would, but it wouldn't be instantaneous and I think we have plenty of solid medium-large- companies and leaders who would step-up.
@@OneTheBlueThey wouldn’t. They would just become robust and more fair. The only thing that would potentially crumble is the corruption and graft. Good riddance to that!
@@OneTheBlue same in india. the current party and its cronies would collapse if critical thinking becomes standard. this is why they use heavily divisive rhetoric to keep all groups afraid and confrontational.
Iman optometrist (retired). You'd be surprised how many research studied are underwritten by one of the pharma companies or contact lens manufacturers. When i see such a disclosure, i ignore the study. But lots of optometrists are intellectually lazy.
The amount of media claiming the CEO killer Luigi was insane, horrible, etc. Or that he had no right to be offended about healthcare if he didn't have United Health coverage, etc. because it didn't effect him personally- it's kinda strange. We can argue the ethics of his actions, but they are arguing that his actions invalidated any of his motivations- which is used to invalidate any protest of any issue. All by oligarch owned media.
Since when is the action of murder a sane response to an injustice? There are other ways to get results if this is such a big problem and it would need a community to take on that problem. Not one person deciding removing one life will fix it when someone else potentially as bad will take their place. It's not up to us to decide who lives or dies.
@@shelbyr14 Actually, in modern politics, there are many situations in which reformers find that there is no way to get results, even when a small powerful lobby is using their money, power and connections to exploit the general public. Political scientists like eg John Mearsheimer have been saying that the American government is controlled by lobbies. A community of people have been trying to reform the American health care system since the 1950s, mustered their facts, organized in all the ways described in high school civics books, and gotten nowhere in fighting the enormous wealth and influence of (in this case) the health insurance industry. Companies like UnitedHealth Care are largely responsible for our health care costing twice as much as other developed countries. I strongly oppose this killing, but health insurance companies are killing people all the time. I don't know whether Luigi Mangione's killing of Brian Thompson will be good or bad for the cause of health care reform, but the surprising public response may ironically lead to putting reform back on the public agenda again. Everything else seems to be failing. What solution would you propose?
@@shelbyr14in a violent country like the US, we need to be adults to evaluate the severity of loss of life and how much should we care. The person who swiftly ended the CEO ended one person, however that CEO was responsible for the miserable ends of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of individuals, all while sucking public funds away from public infrastructure. Sure WE have no right to decide on life, but it's happened already and in the aftermath you'd have to be naive to misunderstand why people are not on the CEOs side here.
Beyond how to spot - thank you for pointing out actionable strategies and reminding that these are skills to be cultivated by the habits we develop. Well done Aly. I like the longer format.
Excellent. Curiosity is key to understanding more. Thanks for what you are doing to educate and inform people, and help them understand what progressivism is about.
Learned about logical fallacies in high school (U.S.) years ago. Was part of a psychology class - that was an elective. Should have been a required course. Critical thinking and communication courses - so important in schools today. Ethics at the core.
Do you think he wants to rule the world? Like in a comic book villain way? I get the sense he’s emotionally immature enough, has too much time on his hands, lacks a fulfillment in his life, and has enough resources to attempt it because he doesn’t have anything better to do.
@@simplyixia3683 he probably wants the UK to pay for the charging stations for his cars, no us tariffs put for UK to put tariffs on china to stop their EVs in the UK market. Musk wants to create a monopoly wherever possible and want those government contracts.
He has reaso s beyond boredom. He thinks himself a superior person, his wealth entitles him to high regard, has bought his way to power completely undemocratically, stands to gain financially, feed his narcissism. It's disgusting
Asking the money question shouldn’t be enough. Tucker Carlson asks a lot of questions in which the answer is implied as being true when in fact there is no EVIDENCE for such a conclusion.
@@Rotting12 That's a broader discussion about the need for critical thinking and media literacy than about the failings of our news agencies and their biases. But yes.
@@Rotting12 What do you think Joe Rogan's "corporate bias" is? Equating personal opinion with corrupted bias seems disingenuous. I'm not at all suggesting he's right about everything or even anything, but he doesn't seemed biased in an equivalent sense as the corporately funded media.
There is something that has changed this approach about the "why do I see this everywhere" topic (sadly): algorithms. You don't see stuff all over again and again just because someone wants you to see it, but because you triggered an algorithm. And this makes it much more complicated to differentiate between real propaganda and just being trapped in your own bubble. What I try to make people aware of, is the difference between targeted ads or campaigns launched across multiple newspapers or news agencies vs stuff that's just in your feeds cause you interacted with or your friends did. A good starting point is usually: sign up freshly on a social network (ideally with a device you haven't used before, but that's not always possible, just to keep it in mind). It usually doesn't take long until your feed fills up with posts that just "work well" on a wide audience. Like nice phrases, some well known sayings etc, but also some more outrageous things will be quickly part of your feed. Like current political topics. But! Not in a way of a journalistic contribution, more on a very personal level. And this is the trap you can easily step into. The moment you start interacting with it, the more of that type you'll see. Because interaction is what all platforms look for. And if you don't know or understand that type of stuff, then it's easy to mix it up with propaganda from real targeting groups. Media education is really really important these days.
Good points! And I agree with pretty much everything, but I think it needs this addition: in many places, the algorithm has already swayed from giving the users what they signal they want to see to giving the users what the media wants them to see. On my facebook feed I now rarely get updates from most pages I have liked - on the other hand I get tons of posts that are sponsored, or from very popular creators gaining a lot of traction, neither of which I have liked. Once I started seeing it, it was glaringly obvious. I would say 1 in 5 posts are something I've liked or a post from one of my friends, the rest of it isn't. The algorithm gives me partly what I've signalled in some way that I want to see, but mostly what Facebook wants me to see.
@@AnneHelms-qd9eg but this is the algorithm. It's not about what you want. It's about what people "click" or interact with. Sometimes you might even see that your friends have already interacted with the post. The algorithm is to keep you on the platform. The stuff from your friends or interest you might already know anyway. So your feed is filled with stuff that kept others on the platform as well (or someone payed for). And this is the problem: it's not really made up propaganda (the paid stuff might, but it's more "organic stuff" usually in your feed), it's algorithms trying to make money with you by interacting or watching paid stuff. And we all know: a well researched article doesn't cause as much interaction as the next drama around the house. Sadly
Something I like to point out: The scientific method is about trying to prove YOURSELF wrong. Also, a lot of this can apply to entertainment. A good story will be misleading at times, emotionally manipulative, ect. Recognizing those can made it even more enjoyable (IMO at least), as well as provide sort of training for seeing similar stuff in the wider world
Exactly this. Within the parameters of a hypothesis a scientist frames an experimental setup to disprove the theory that leads to the hypothesis. The setup attempts to eliminate any known factors that lead to the outcome until only one conclusion remains that supports the hypothesis. You can only gain new information if you ask questions that give you negative information about the hypothesis. Simplest example: I have a very, very simple mathematical rule in mind. You get to ask me if a set of numbers fits the rule in my mind. You get simple yes or no answers to your questions. From that you have to formulate for hypothesis. Hypothetical scenario: Question 1, 2, 3. Yes, it fits. Question 4, 6, 8 Yes, it fits. Question 4, 8, 7 No, it doesn't fit. -1, -2, -3 No, it doesn't fit. The solution is to find multiple data sets that , ie number sequences. Until you get a no for an answer you are only confirming your own bias. With a no answer you get new information to work with. In this case the very, very simple mathematical rule is: increasing numbers, from lower to higher, no matter if negative or positive, large or small. They just have to be in ascending order. But unless you formulated a question that gets you a false answer no new information can be found. That's the very basic scientific method, obviously extremely oversimplified.
I lived in Germany for over a decade and trying to explain some things that are very apparent about the US once you live outside of the country can be very difficult. It can be really hard to learn how badly we've been brainwashed. Returning to the states almost 3 years ago I feel like I'm living in an alternate reality. If you are American and looking for some good news options in english I suggest DW in Germany. They have a youtube channel and most of their posts are in English. They cover all sorts of news and talk to a lot of experts as well. I'd also suggest checking out how different German documentaries or exposes are. We give far too much "opinion" in this country and not nearly enough facts.
DW is Deutsche Welle, it is literally funded by the Federal State to promote German propaganda outside of the Federal Republic of Germany. They once had also TV and radio programs in German for Germans abroad and the Germans in the German Democratic Republic, but those were abandoned long time ago.
@t.g.7180 to be fair her title explains exactly what she did in the video! She showed how to spot propaganda! So not nessasery! And she has now made video on the workbook specifically
We had a saying in my youth in the 1970's : Question authority. I never interpreted that as a call to arms, but rather a challenge to apply critical thinking skills everywhere.
Most important is the most challenging, when a message bolsters support for something you already believe, ask "why do they think I need to feel more strongly about this?" and really honestly try to debunk your own position. A good magician doesn't need to convince you of what they want you to believe, a good magician limits the options and tricks you into truly believing what you already think. Be careful here also to remember, just because you can disprove your own beliefs and change your view, it doesn't necessarily mean that the opposing views are correct. There might be equal amounts of truth and validity as there are lies and nonsense in all of the current arguments. The positions, especially in political arenas, are framed within certain parameters. Sometimes those parameters make all of the positions insufficient.
Exactly. It is those very stories that captivate we need to examine. It’s fine and enjoyable to be captivated, but knowing it’s happening gives us enough distance to see more clearly.
Wow, this is such a unique video. While the mainstream media and all popular channels are drowning in "in your face" propaganda or subtle messaging, this video gets straight to the point - question everything you see with "why". 👍
Trump is a poor example. He's says crap like the all the time, since the 80's. It means nothing, and most of what he says, like making Canada a US state, is not serious, and everyone knows it. Trump is in office because of overwhelming illegal immigration and the economy. Thats it. Everyone knows he's a nut, but he had no viable competition for the office.
Well Said..... I have done very specialized work for decades, and this is always the approached all work product and analysis was completed .... And all team members were trained in this approach as well
Yes! Creating a string of videos that align with propaganda education in Germany would be a great way of spreading awareness and helping people to wake up to the mass manipulation.
Agreed. The hook, line, sinker way that people fall for propaganda today is not only sad, it is dangerous. This is what gave us trump. What a horror show!
Being multilingual and being familiar with multiple media landscapes makes this so much easier. You can’t help but notice weird culturally accepted norms that somehow only exist in one languages media.
@@usa.mom.in.germany Yeah, for a first attempt, not bad. I think that you'll eventually be able to communicate your thoughts across better through this format of video, so you should keep going! Maybe you could upload the interview you had with a Geeman politician in full length? It's just an idea I had in mind.
The thing is with YT, the shorts get more attention. It's probably because of people's attention spans nowadays! I usually don't like the shorts at all, but Aly has won me over. It's similar with music, you used to listen to music on the radio, sometimes you liked it, sometimes you didn't. But it often opened up new horizons for you. Today people listen to a song on Spotyfy for 10 seconds that is suggested to them by the algorithm and then decide, sad. It's like judging a book by its cover. 😢 Pink Floyd or Dire Straits would no longer have a chance today. Internet and social media: Pandora's box is open! Now we have to learn how to deal with it, which is why schools should definitely establish how to deal with it as a subject. The Good, the bad and the ugly.
I’m a gen X 🇺🇸✌🏾and my childhood was excessively propagandized but while I was suspect, not many were. This info I’ve been saying to folks forever and often they’ve found me grating. Propaganda can be powerful, so everyone needs these tools if they are a human anywhere. A+ ✌🏾❤️
I became aware of deception, which had a profound effect on me, at an early age. I adopted critical-thinking as a hard-wired habit, so much so that my mother used to literally kick me out of the house for asking, "Why", too much. lol As a child, I remember watching Elvis movies, (yes, I'm that old), and thinking how odd it seemed, when in the midst of a scene, he would burst into song, ("am I watching a musical?"). So then later, when I would attend a public event, like a Hoe-Down, (yeah unfortunately, I live in that part of the country), a public official would get up to give a patriotic speech. But inevitably, it would devolve into a rant about the evils of socialism. Of course, I found this odd because we were always taught that Communism was our mortal enemy. "What is it about Socialism, in particular, that so universally inspires these inapropos diatribes?", I thought. It took years to connect the dots, but I found that my learning was reinforced by my own personal experiences, thus making my convictions even stronger. Of all the life skills, one can learn, I believe that critical-thinking is absolutely one of the most vitally important, particularly in current times. Thank you so much for all you do to bring this awareness to a wider audience!
And also, our history books! Thanksgiving was actually a massacre! Yet our kids are being taught right now, it was a wonderful dinner,sharing ....and caring .... I mourn that day- i don't celebrate it
You know, I almost skipped this video, thinking, "Great, another former U.S. citizen bragging about how amazing their life is now that they've left." But when I saw you were discussing propaganda, I decided to give it a chance. I'm really glad I did. I learned concepts like "follow the money" and many of the techniques you mentioned in school somewhere around the 2nd-4th grade when I was around 8-10 years old, but I never learned how to approach someone who had fallen for misinformation. That insight was really helpful. Thank you.
Asking 'why?' in the way you suggest is good in theory, but in many people leads them into personal conspiracy theories. The result is that many people escape one thinking fallacy (passively accepting what media say) only to fall into another one (thinking that we are geniuses at seeing the hidden motives behind the actions of others).
everyone should know how Edward Bernays is if you don’t already. He is foundational to the current propaganda we have now and the reason Freud became a household name. He even wrote an essay called Propaganda on how to influence the masses through media.
I grew up without internet (90s kid) and developed the Ambassador Kosh-approach for myself while figuring out the internet: "Who are you? What do you want?" Similar to the "follow the money"-game i guess. I didn't know Klett made actual textbooks about media literacy, we could have used those back at the turn of the millenium! Now i feel really old...
This is a book specifically used in English courses to look at American 🇺🇸 rhetorical strategies and media, but a lot of the questions asked in the book of students also speak to media literacy and propaganda analysis. It’s a good one for the basics 💚
Yes, but if I Google something, like, say, the Palestinian school curriculum, the first pages might be all Palestinian stuff about how great they are, but by page three I'll find independent analyses by the UN and others where I can see examples and arrive at a sort of truth whereby I can make up my own mind.
Thank you for these tips. I have put some of them to use in my discussions with friends and family about the media they consume. I just need to take a breath and be calm first. A lot of times I become frustrated at what people are willing to believe without questions and I go straight to lecturing or poking holes in their story. Later, when I’m calmer, I check reliably sources and find that information would have conveyed my skepticism better.
My partner and I can’t watch anything without pausing 15 times to discuss the obvious programming in the script. I am particularly good at pointing out product placement in tv shows.
Very pleased with your video. Media !iteracy begins at home, Gemany may be the exception. Don't expect media literacy to be taught in schools. Some student may be exposed to introduction to media studies. Some of us have understood what is wrong with free to air television and subscription television. Too many channels and nothing really interesting to watch. Mainstream media is interested in ratings . Encourage media literacy.
Germany is far from immune to that, as demonstrated by over 20% (in some eastern states even over 40%) of the votes going to either the AfD or BSW, the "two" parties being pushed like crazy by Russian interests, similar to MAGA in the US, For historic reasons, the German school system tries to teach awareness more than some other countries, but there's always those students who only pay attention during sports and recess and then go on to become prime targets for such propaganda.
It's very difficult to find unbiased media in the United States now. You almost have to go outside of news sources and look for other avenues to find information
Same in Germany. I understand English and Italian and it's not funny how much information is left out in German media if you read the original source in English or Italian.
Just a heads up about the audio, it is pretty difficult to listen to the whole of this with the tinny earpod microphone noise interfering with your voice. They're expensive, but a better microphone is always worth it in terms of subscribers and audience - Thank you for the info and sharing this book with all of us
Great question! When someone says they’re ‘100% sure,’ I think there’s an opportunity to spark curiosity without challenging them directly. You could respond with something like: ‘That’s interesting! I wonder how you came to that conclusion.‘ This approach invites them to share their reasoning while modeling curiosity. Or, suggesting ‘I wonder if there’s another angle we haven’t considered yet?” Of course, these strategies are only useful to engage people who have at least some interest in discussing in that moment.
@usa.mom.in.germany I'll try that. Thanks. I also have a hard time saying I'm not sure when I am more than unsure, how do I do this when I'm sure something is incorrect. Does this still work if I just jump to "that's interesting. What made you come to that conclusion"?
My father was a very mean man, a mean husband and generally an unhappy, pretty sinful angry guy. BUT. He was former military, a federal employee, from 1st generation immigrated farmers and he is the only person who taught me to be curious. Never afraid to show me the truth, always made alternative narratives available and most importantly made sure we knew the government. The military the police are all corrupt. God bless and forgive him for that. I had a headstart at a young age with very minimal deprogramming required 🙏 lead me into journalism, then public health, epidemiology, race/racism, studies of empire. So thankyou for your service to our youth, and adults, because it's never too late to be curious!
Critical thinking and the scientific method definitely combat manipulative messaging, but emotionally charged stories that speak directly to our sense of identity and meaning will almost always win the day when it comes to decision making. In the last 150 years, especially here in the states, we have become uprooted and dissociated from the deeper cultural identities that have been at the center of human society since we were cave dwellers. In the absence of deep story, we thirst for its return, and, in my opinion, this thirst is the basis of modern capitalistic society. Being cut adrift from a sense of belonging in the world and cosmos of our lives is ESSENTIAL for the wheels of industry to continue to grow.
Seems obvious to me. but so many people just sail thru life unexamined. I'm too much of a critical thinker! They say people who are 100% sure of themselves are not that bright. People like me can never be certain as there is always something that could go wrong~!
Where do you live in Germany exactly I was born in Australia left in my late teens now living in Southern Europe. I have a sister who works in Germany.
@@Gramsciwastoo No, not all of the media is propaganda. Teaching people to distrust the media is a key element of establishing an autocratic government. They tell you "don't believe what those people write about me/us, you can only believe me/us when we talk to you." all the while taking more control for themselves, making citizens unwilling, then unable, to question them, and eventually giving them the ability to suppress the news. Please keep that in mind as you watch or read the news.
Indeed, the propaganda on display while watching Fox is disturbing at the very least. It practically oozes out of their mouths! I find it shocking that people can watch that as some sort of legitimate news source, as the manipulation is excessive and glaringly obvious!
Thank you for your insights and strategies for educational purposes as well as the own life and for the people surrounding each one of us (who also might got trapped)! In my childhood Sesame Street was an all-day companion and its German tbeme went like this: "Wer, wie, was, wieso, weshalb, warum? Wer nicht fragt bleibt dumm!" This message stayed important...
What is "chocolate"? Hersh**s with 7% cocoa + lots of sugar + whatnot? Or Chocolate with 70% cocoa +little sugar +nothing weird? And how much of either per week is good or bad for your health?
I've been playing "Follow the Money" for years. It often fails on round 1 because a lot of studies in the U.S. don't report their funding, which makes the studies even less trustworthy.
Some great techniques to help me communicate with my personal training clients when they say things like “I can’t eat carrots because they have too much sugar” or “bread is toxic.” I’ve really learned to meet them where they are and just get more curious.
Great tips and advice here. Unfortunately, way too many Americans are too lazy to put the effort into looking into false claims, and will just take what they hear as truth. And, if someone hears false information on a right wing social media source, and it is repeated again by another social media source, and it eventually makes its way to FOX News, there are three “reliable” sources that they heard it from, so it “must be true”. All good points to strive for here though and try to model.
Agreed, hard to make sense through it all when you were born into the center of it. Like trying to swim to the shoreline when you're so far out you can't even see it.
Excellent content!!! Great exercise in critical thinking skills. If there were more content like that dominating internet, imagine how different the world would be.
You mean like your new secretary of homeland security? Or the Trump boys proclaiming that all their funding come out of Russia? Trump proclaiming that Vladimir told him that there was no Russian interference in the 2016 election? Russian agents paying Tim Poole and co. millions to air their talking points? Enough Republican representatives wanting to stop support for Ukraine immediately? Or before the war started, Trump freezing aid because Selenski wouldn't fabricate dirt about the Bidens? Or President Musk talking to Putin regularly? But I understand where you're coming from, having been indoctrinated by the Red Scare and McCarthyisms since the 50s, all through the cold war and the fear that your neighbours might be sleeper agents can't be an easy thing to shake.
Ever since I was a child.... I have seen these patterns and always wondered why others can't see the manipulation. Now that psychological manipulation on steroids is everywhere, it's maddening.
Can you honestly imagine any of this being ALLOWED in American classrooms? There would be a SCOTUS injunction because it was 'restricting the rights of corporations' within a month. That's if you could get the kids to engage with it at all.
Quick guide to "scientists say ...": This only works for simple empirical siences like psychology or medicine. Won't help you to understand a physics paper. Can you find the paper from the article? Ideally there should be a direct link, at most it should need googling name and university of author + topic. if no => trash Okay, so you have found the paper, let's read the abstract: 1) small sample size (everything under 100 almost definitively belongs here) => trash 2) no control group => trash 3) no good measure (like SMD or Cohen's D in the "choclate makes smart" or "xyz cures depression" cases) => trash It's probably trash by now. In case it isn't, you'll actually have to do some reading.
That's a great guideline to which i would like to add 0) look up the journal the paper was published in. If it's a predatory journal (Beall's list is a good source for checking) => trash
Wow, this was GREAT. I studied mass communication and propaganda in university. You are doing God's work by educating people throughout the USA and world(I hope!).
You should know that over half is not the amount of Americans that vote, there are many disenfranchised voters as well who has been weeded out of the system dude to many various racist and classist reasons. You should probably use your critical thinking skills to understand that.
@PhillyDove maybe you should think before jumping to conclusions. By over half, I do not just include those that voted for Drump but the ones who actively chose to sit this election out. There were about 152,000,000 votes cast. There are about 263,000,000 voting age people in the US. That means around 110,000,000 didn't vote. While some of those were disenfranchised voters, I seriously doubt it was a majority, let's be gracious and say that 10,000,000 were disenfranchised. That still leaves around 100,000,000 voters who did not participate. Half of 263,000,000 is about 131,000,000. When you add the number of Trump votes to the voters who did not participate, you get in the neighborhood of 177,000,000. Now, where I come from, 177,000,000 is more than half of 263,000,000.
@@PhillyDove if the people who sat the election out had critical thinking skills or the ability to use logic, they would have voted for the lesser of 2 evils, as that would be in their best interest, rather than sitting at home saying, "whatever happens, happens".
@@PhillyDove furthermore, not to belittle the fact that some Americans are disenfranchised due to racist and classist reasons, but that does not mean that they, in fact, do have critical thinking skills or the ability to use logic.
This is a 7:52 minute long video of how you can get labelled a right wing conspiracy theorist. The truth is not very popular these days and I live in "the land of free press" in Finland.
You mean people using those techniques to detect how the one they're talking to is a right wing conspiracy theorist, right? PS: The site isn't allowing me to reply. If someone wants me to answer, send me an email.
@@rilius7138 In MAGA circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc. It's meant as watching videos and reading blog posts made by people one considers moral authorities. One walks around in circles within ever increasing levels of confirmation bias. A main example is with the question of trans rights. The scientific research on the biological basis of trans identities (neuronal connectome, genetics, epigenetics etc.), and the treatments for associated issues, is well developed, but whenever I talk with deeply ideologically-bound right-wing individuals, they refuse to read any of that research, defaulting to conspiracy theorizing about hidden motives and agendas, trying to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards some rhetically advantageous talking point, while simultaneously refusing to consider the reasons behind the immense funds invested into advancing this conspiracy theorizing they subscribe to. This behavior isn't exclusive to the right, mind. I observe the same pattern in the radical left, when it comes to talking about patriarchies and imperialisms, which is their own brand of anti-scientific conspiracy theorizing. Structurally both sides function and operate in very similar ways.
@@rilius7138 It's hard, because this site's auto-filters removes what I want to say, so I need to be vague. In RW circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc. It's meant as watching videos and reading blog posts made by people one considers moral authorities. One walks around in circles within ever increasing levels of confirmation bias. A main example is with the question of T individuals. The scientific research on the biological basis of T identities (neuronal connectome, inheritance, epigenetics etc.), and the treatments for associated issues, is well developed, but whenever I talk with deeply ideologically-bound RW individuals, they refuse to read any of that research, defaulting to CP theory about motives and agendas, and to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards rhetorically advantageous talking points, while simultaneously refusing to consider the reasons behind the funds invested into advancing this CP theory. This behavior isn't exclusive to the RW. I observe the same pattern in the LW, when it comes to talking about Empires and their Patter Archies, which is their own brand of unscientific CP theory. Structurally both Ws function and operate in very similar ways.
@@rilius7138 It's hard, because this site twice removed what I said, so I need to be vague. In riwi circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc., but as watching videos and reading texts by those seen as moral authorities. A main example is with the tr question. The scientific research on it, and on the associated treatments, is well developed, but whenever I present it to those they refuse to read any of that, defaulting to cting about motivations, and to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards rhetorics. This isn't exclusive of riwis. I observe the same pattern in the lewis when talking about Empires and Pater Archie, which is their version of this. Structurally both function in a similar ways.
Regardless of the country, you should always be mindful of the motivation behind what people are trying to tell you. If it's coming from a company, their motivation is money. If it's coming from the government, the motivation is less clear, almost no politician speaks without pushing their political views. Getting opposing opinions helps you find the reality that usually lies somewhere in the middle. If they are a social media influencer, they are trying to get views, so they appeal to what they think their audience wants to hear. Always fact check from a reliable source. If its coming from official media, then does the country have state governed media or not? If they do, then you need to treat the media in the same way you would treat a politician and wait to believe until you can check the facts through other means. If they don't have state governed media, like the US, then find out if the media station is unbiased, or if it's being used as a way for a political party to push their views on the public. Fox News is a good example of right-wing propaganda, and MSNBC News or The New York Times are examples of left-wing propaganda. You often need to read both sides opinions to figure out what the real truth is, at least if the story isn't covered by an unbiased news source.
This reminds me of a media literacy class I took back in the 1980s. America was heading into a deep nostalgia phase (remember the "shining city on a hill" political ads from the 1984 election?) and it appeared that it was easier to lull people into a false sense of the past being better and that progress was robbing us of something. All the homespun, Norman Rockwell imagery obviously were emotional triggers and was used to sway opinion. After taking that class, I could see that clearly and refuted it when I saw it. I also started muting commercials when watching tv with my family. They complained about it but couldn't give a coherent reason why they needed to be bombarded with commercials. It's such a family tradition to mute tv commercials that my nieces and nephews do it.
So strange...I've been using these critical thinking questions and techniques (a/k/a healthy pessimism) since I was 8 yesterday old. Thanks for making this video. It gave me a small sense of affirmation.
One of the little questions: why do you tube videos Show in "mirror" view? The book that you showed had the title mirrored... And, a subtle thing, most people have some left/right asymmetry in their faces, so that you look a bit different in a mirrored view. But, always nice to see your work!
Used a phone to record it, probably in selfie mode (front facing camera), unawareness of settings that might address it or lack of skills to use a video tool to flip it back to a proper view would be my guess.
This is such an important message for life. I always look for direct evidence. What is it that I know, I have witnessed and know to be true which corresponds with the advertising and what do I have to take on trust. Once it becomes a game you play advertising just loses its power because it is usually hyperbole. Great things sell by word of mouth because they work. That's good evidence in itself.
Everyone should be conscious of propaganda. Regardless of whether it's "good" or "bad," being aware of its influence and trying to eliminate biases is good for everyone. I think we would have healthier societies if the general population of the world were better informed.
This is a program for grade school kids in Germany, and it would be too challenging for the average adult American. The problem of literacy has to be addressed just as much as the problem of media literacy.
@@koschmx Your claim is that with lower ability to read and understand they rank higher than a nation that can read and understand. That's a tough point to argue I'd think.
An American guy and a Chinese guy were hanging out, talking about politics. The American guy says to the Chinese guy, "I'm really fascinated by Chinese propaganda. It's like every piece of media there has to in some way glorify the state, the party or their ideology."
These Chinese guy says "Chinese propaganda is too on-the-nose. Everyone in China thinks it's corny, especially when they try to appeal to younger people. American propaganda is top notch though. It's so good, you don't even notice it!"
The American guy laughs and says "what are you talking about? America doesn't have propaganda."
You missed the punchline. The Chinese guy smiles and says “Exactly“. Though first time I heard it was a European guy who was traveling to America to study American Propaganda
Good way to put it.
America is drenched in propaganda. This country is functioning in a vacuum of propaganda. The music, the arts, the movies, the commercial everything. The Hollywood the cinema the literally everything you engage with as media and art and whatever else see hear, think, deal, touch. It is ALL PROPAGANDA. American culture is the WORST CULTURE but I have no idea why it is being marketed as the best. The arts such the pop music sucks the media sucks the movies suck especially the horror non religious movies. It all SUCKS.
@@sunriselotusWhy do you think that is? Are you sure?
@@raylemus72well these days its iron curtain level, new york times is like the old pravda, there is no subtlety any more. Its full Orwellian newspeak, one words for our side, completely separate words to describe the same events for the other side, complete ignorance of reality, and never questioning state department statements.
My mom always taught me to ask "why?" and to never stop until you get a real answer. It's my favorite word.
I wish she were my mom. My mom only believed in thought-stopping clichés.
It's important that you know that the real answer is not necessarily the one you agree with.
I do the same I learned it in cooking. A chef told me "If you ask someone why you do something and they can't give you a good answer, they don't really know what they're talking about"
@SlightyStuupid the irony in your username using one of the best ways to learn.
@@thesingerintheshowerwell put! Mine too. 😢
In Canada in the 90's we had a series of commercials from "Concerned Children's Advertiser's" and they were, quite frankly, pretty legendary among us. One standout in particular that virtually all Canadians of a certain age range will remember, are house hippos. They made a short, incredibly realistic "documentary" on tiny hippos that lived in houses, before they reveal that it was clearly not real, and that you should always question what you're being shown. It's stuck with me my entire life. I also took a media dissection course as an alternative to traditional English in grade 10, where we broke down and understood propaganda, music, printed media, etc. It was INVALUABLE and I've actually emailed our provincial government saying that course needs to become standard and taught at a younger age.
Oh Canada! I have skills! Can I live in your woods?
Seriously, I have a resume.
@@katanaki3059 You'll have to make your own igloo.
High school requirements NEEDED in today's society, but can only be taught from home.
Small business startup and planning. This course starts as an LLC for the freshman and should be somewhat workable by 18. This include tax uses for an LLC and how seperate accounts are utilized.
Understanding mass mind manipulation, media use in the subject, internet "Meme" effectiveness, etc. How the wealthy push the people to endlessly fight with each other and always blame "the other guy" for the corrupted governmental policies.
Basic stock exchange, currency understanding and how actual gold and silver differ in this regard and Why. This includes how loan rates and inflation is caused and controlled
Throw in "how to recognize a corrupt government" and different examples of rebellions in the past that failed and succeeded.
Without this knowledge, the next generation will be doomed to repeat the sins of the previous generations of Sheeple Mentality
Ah, yes, the "House Hippo". There's even a Wikipedia article about it!
Apparently there are house hippos in America but only on the east coast which explains why I've never seen them in my house.
Robert A. Heinlein - 'You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic.'
People commonly refer to this, maybe not in the same words, but then the same people can't tell logic apart from prejudices
Fun quote from a guy who wrote a book of propaganda for the US military. I love starship troopers, I hate the underline messages he put in the book. Lol.
@@NotaNinjaI don’t like the message of starship troopers either, but I fear, it is very valid
Hmmm. I wonder how this might apply to a recent major event in the U.S. The average person attempts to seek information to maintain their own preconceived opinions without critically thinking and judging with a broader spectrum of data. When something contradicts what's currently believed, they become irritated, and instead of digging deeper to find the truth, they switch the channel, looking for one that more closely backs what they currently believe, to stay in their comfort zone. How can we truly learn the truth about anything, if we do not challenge our current beliefs?
@@davidvillanueva7638 The "blob", the establishment, the "300", the "oberen 10,000" or whatever the "elites" are called in various parts if the world.
MIMAC
Military Industrial Media Academic Complex.
Their ways are subtle.
They can make us, the "plebs", believe ANYthing...
How does a minority control a majority?
The powerful use divide-and-rule.
Divide the world with rulings.
Siphon off the wealth of entire regions.
Divide the people into political dichotomies: the left/right, the for/against, the Team A/Team B, the us/them...
Because we the divided, argue like children. It starts with lies and hypocrisy and works its way up the path of escalation. Qui bono? The hypocrites lie, and the people start dividing themselves with the arguments.
Lies and deceit are an integral part of a divide-and-rule world.
Power players are the _"managers"_ and _"moderators"_ of lies and division.
Just want to add as someone recovering from religious abuse/cult brainwashing, it's important to take these concepts and apply them to religious services and discussions too. Just because a message comes from a person carrying the "brand" of your denomination doesn't mean it's a trustworthy message. Pay close attention - especially if they start playing emotional music to nudge you towards whatever "alter call" - there may be manipulative or malicious intent.
(For anyone who might get mad at me for saying that - if your church has nothing to hide it should be able to withstand questions and logical scrutiny. ("Come let us reason together" and all of that.) If your knee-jerk reaction is to defend the church no questions asked or attack those who raise questions, that could be a sign there's some sort of lying, manipulation, brainwashing, or coercion going on.)
People are afraid to leave their flock and more over to feel like they have been bamboozled. There is no such thing as reasoning with religion because religion is made to manipulate people-thats the only cause of its existence. Once we discovered the printing press and more people started reading and writing AND ASKING QUESTIONS,it all slowly started crashing down. This goes for all western religions anyway.
I follow Dan McKellen. And it is amazing how many common church beliefs are not biblical at all.
@@apersonlikeanyother6895 I find it amazing (and amusing) how many ways people find to misspell his name.
I'm not religious but my folks were friends with many Christians so I grew up invited to Christmas or some other event on occasion. Most of them were fairly benign, but as an outsider the strong social connections backed by ritual was eerie. The people were friendly and well adjusted so I never felt the need to object or question the foundation of their beliefs, as a courtesy.
However, in one event that I still remember quite vividly, they invited a guest speaker, a creationist, to one of their services. This man spoke with such conviction on things that were demonstrably false, almost asserting that red was green, that I was immediately repulsed, not even entertaining in my mind that this was some quaint cultural practice that I could pass off as harmless. I looked around at the people I knew and found them uncanny, grateful smiles plastered on their faces as they nodded to the near inversion of reality that came out of that man's mouth; classmates of mine who did well in classes that taught things this man was contradicting were among them.
In another time, a different classmate had a period where she was trying to confirm her religious identity and invited me to go to a concert with her. I noted that the songs sung heavily relied on frequent choruses so that those who did not know the song could quickly pick up at least part of the lyrics and emotionally join with the masses. As these songs went on, the leaders would encourage the audience to stand, creating physical dissonance in any who stayed seated. The effect is quite powerful; surrounded by the singing standing, people are almost biologically compelled to follow.
I've only ever looked at and experienced religion academically, so I can only imagine what it's like to have lived within it when it becomes at odds with a person's wellbeing. I always encourage people to find their personal spirituality separate from organized religion, as an alternative.
After being a churchgoer for over 4 decades and trying different ones b/c of moving around etc, I'm simply having to conclude that none of them are safe. They should be on the leading edge of science and psychology, how to relationship, how to heal from abuse etc, but they are hundreds of years behind. And that makes them dangerous and destructive. Not cool.
As a German, we also teach and learn about how statistics are created, and different ways that you can present the same facts visually. It's part of the mathematics curriculum, starting with 11-year-olds. You can mess with people's perception so much with the way you visually present your information...
My question is what is the connection between tiny Germany and the US? Wouldn't a European nation be a better sounding board? The two countries are so different, it's silly. Germany can fit inside several individual US states, lol. It's a vastly different population, Germany isn't nearly as diverse as the US, it not as populated as the US, a different language, a different currency....Other than people like to click and drag the US, what is the point?
@@1972Ray What's the point of your comment? The video is about how Germany teaches kids how to think critically about information that's presented to them. Why does the size of Germany matter? If the video was about how New Jersey teaches its kids critical thinking, would you complain that several New Jerseys could fit into Texas? Why does the difference in language and culture matter if the information itself is accurate? Physics work the same whether you're in Europe, Africa, or North America. Same with critical thinking skills.
@@1972Ray What does that have anything to do with the video ? The video isn't about land mass size and population size and diversity. It's about ways another society educate students about consuming info - and it's a skill that children need. Too often kids AND adults can be misled with false advertising, deceptive practices and appeals to their lack in judgment, breaking down their defenses and internal sense of ethics . It's a danger. You comment probably wasn't intended as a "red herring" argument, but it seems like one. A red herring is a logic fallacy that is intended to distract and be misleading on purpose.
You mean like 25% of Germanys 4th graders can't read/write or something like 20-22% of the population is in poverty.
@@1972Rayshe's one of those people who visits another country but refuses to try anything new. She's spraking Englisch because the average German isn't going to listen to her.
Everyone, especially kids need to know how to navigate media. Asking “Why” is such a good start.
It's always a good sign when you piss people off by thinking critically or "questioning" things.
@@axelkusanagi4139 yeah not having friends is awesome. I'm not mean I'm "just asking questions"
@@christofthedead It depends what questions, I guess.
But "why" shouldn't piss anyone off unless they don't know what they're talking about
As a counterintelligence agent in the Army and a person with a masters in Intelligence studies where I had to take courses in deception, misinformation and propraganda, I especially find your videos on this topic very intriguing. Because my field heavily deals with deception and propraganda and I sometimes sit back and think holy crap we use so much propraganda on our own, and is it really meant to protect or subjugate?
Bro, you work for the beast, and you still have to ask that?
You took the j a B I bet!!
@@t.g.7180 Might be time to sit down and have a think why all your favorite news sources refer to the Covid Vaccine as "tHe jAb" and you're afraid to even spell it normally in comments, bud.
@@t.g.7180 This is a non-sequitur. Why are you bringing that topic into this discussion?
@@OneTheBlue It completely relates. he said he took courses in deception, misinformatIon. & pr0paGanDa. Apparently he learned zilch
PLEASE go deeper! This is important content and there is too little of this kind of thinking in the mainstream. Indeed, there’s little to none.
I think the entire US economy and political apparatus would crumble if critical thinking became common in the USA.
@@OneTheBlue Oh bullshit. You'll have to do better than that.
@@OneTheBluemost of the huge guys would, but it wouldn't be instantaneous and I think we have plenty of solid medium-large- companies and leaders who would step-up.
@@OneTheBlueThey wouldn’t. They would just become robust and more fair. The only thing that would potentially crumble is the corruption and graft. Good riddance to that!
@@OneTheBlue same in india. the current party and its cronies would collapse if critical thinking becomes standard. this is why they use heavily divisive rhetoric to keep all groups afraid and confrontational.
Iman optometrist (retired). You'd be surprised how many research studied are underwritten by one of the pharma companies or contact lens manufacturers. When i see such a disclosure, i ignore the study. But lots of optometrists are intellectually lazy.
Just as most doctors
The amount of media claiming the CEO killer Luigi was insane, horrible, etc. Or that he had no right to be offended about healthcare if he didn't have United Health coverage, etc. because it didn't effect him personally- it's kinda strange. We can argue the ethics of his actions, but they are arguing that his actions invalidated any of his motivations- which is used to invalidate any protest of any issue. All by oligarch owned media.
Yes, that's the classic "look at it from the other person's point of view" exercise. Be prepared to lose a couple of friends.
Distraction: Notice ALL the attention on the supposed shooter and NONE on the CEO's upcoming Cases/Hearings where he needed to Testify.
Since when is the action of murder a sane response to an injustice? There are other ways to get results if this is such a big problem and it would need a community to take on that problem. Not one person deciding removing one life will fix it when someone else potentially as bad will take their place. It's not up to us to decide who lives or dies.
@@shelbyr14 Actually, in modern politics, there are many situations in which reformers find that there is no way to get results, even when a small powerful lobby is using their money, power and connections to exploit the general public. Political scientists like eg John Mearsheimer have been saying that the American government is controlled by lobbies. A community of people have been trying to reform the American health care system since the 1950s, mustered their facts, organized in all the ways described in high school civics books, and gotten nowhere in fighting the enormous wealth and influence of (in this case) the health insurance industry. Companies like UnitedHealth Care are largely responsible for our health care costing twice as much as other developed countries. I strongly oppose this killing, but health insurance companies are killing people all the time. I don't know whether Luigi Mangione's killing of Brian Thompson will be good or bad for the cause of health care reform, but the surprising public response may ironically lead to putting reform back on the public agenda again. Everything else seems to be failing. What solution would you propose?
@@shelbyr14in a violent country like the US, we need to be adults to evaluate the severity of loss of life and how much should we care. The person who swiftly ended the CEO ended one person, however that CEO was responsible for the miserable ends of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of individuals, all while sucking public funds away from public infrastructure.
Sure WE have no right to decide on life, but it's happened already and in the aftermath you'd have to be naive to misunderstand why people are not on the CEOs side here.
Beyond how to spot - thank you for pointing out actionable strategies and reminding that these are skills to be cultivated by the habits we develop. Well done Aly. I like the longer format.
1+for the longer format
Excellent. Curiosity is key to understanding more. Thanks for what you are doing to educate and inform people, and help them understand what progressivism is about.
Learned about logical fallacies in high school (U.S.) years ago. Was part of a psychology class - that was an elective. Should have been a required course. Critical thinking and communication courses - so important in schools today. Ethics at the core.
We had dissection of advertisement, text and media in our required Finnish high school literature class. But ethics was a philosophy class.
Logical fallacies are taught in required in English classes.
Follow the money: Elan Musk is paying for campaigning for a political party in the UK. Do you wonder why?
Do you think he wants to rule the world? Like in a comic book villain way? I get the sense he’s emotionally immature enough, has too much time on his hands, lacks a fulfillment in his life, and has enough resources to attempt it because he doesn’t have anything better to do.
@@simplyixia3683 he probably wants the UK to pay for the charging stations for his cars, no us tariffs put for UK to put tariffs on china to stop their EVs in the UK market. Musk wants to create a monopoly wherever possible and want those government contracts.
Be...cause he's a highly megalomaniacal malignant narcissist for whom power is an addictive drug?
He has reaso s beyond boredom. He thinks himself a superior person, his wealth entitles him to high regard, has bought his way to power completely undemocratically, stands to gain financially, feed his narcissism.
It's disgusting
Asking the money question shouldn’t be enough. Tucker Carlson asks a lot of questions in which the answer is implied as being true when in fact there is no EVIDENCE for such a conclusion.
Old joke: "Scientists have found that smoking is not harmful to health after all!" Signed Dr. Marlboro 😜
Guten Abend, lieber Arno!
@@sisuguillam5109 Guten Abend liiiiiieeeebe Sisu 🤗
@arnodobler1096 Mittwoch. Also fast Wochenende! Und das heißt ganz bald ist Weihnachten! 😃
@@sisuguillam5109 Ich wünsch dir dafür alles was du dir wünschst!
Oh und Weltfrieden, aber da kommt mein Sarkasmus durch.
Just remember that our news outlets have a strong corporate bias.
Also remember that many of our non-traditional news outlets have a strong personal bias.
I think we could even say that corporate bias is the only bias they have. As with our government.
It’s so much more than just news outlets, it’s joe Rogan and other comedians like him, it’s Instagram, UA-cam etc
@@Rotting12 That's a broader discussion about the need for critical thinking and media literacy than about the failings of our news agencies and their biases. But yes.
@@Rotting12 What do you think Joe Rogan's "corporate bias" is? Equating personal opinion with corrupted bias seems disingenuous. I'm not at all suggesting he's right about everything or even anything, but he doesn't seemed biased in an equivalent sense as the corporately funded media.
There is something that has changed this approach about the "why do I see this everywhere" topic (sadly): algorithms. You don't see stuff all over again and again just because someone wants you to see it, but because you triggered an algorithm. And this makes it much more complicated to differentiate between real propaganda and just being trapped in your own bubble. What I try to make people aware of, is the difference between targeted ads or campaigns launched across multiple newspapers or news agencies vs stuff that's just in your feeds cause you interacted with or your friends did. A good starting point is usually: sign up freshly on a social network (ideally with a device you haven't used before, but that's not always possible, just to keep it in mind). It usually doesn't take long until your feed fills up with posts that just "work well" on a wide audience. Like nice phrases, some well known sayings etc, but also some more outrageous things will be quickly part of your feed. Like current political topics. But! Not in a way of a journalistic contribution, more on a very personal level. And this is the trap you can easily step into. The moment you start interacting with it, the more of that type you'll see. Because interaction is what all platforms look for. And if you don't know or understand that type of stuff, then it's easy to mix it up with propaganda from real targeting groups. Media education is really really important these days.
Wow! Good tips, thank you.
Is there a difference between “triggering” an algorithm and “owning” or “controlling” an algorithm.
Good points! And I agree with pretty much everything, but I think it needs this addition: in many places, the algorithm has already swayed from giving the users what they signal they want to see to giving the users what the media wants them to see. On my facebook feed I now rarely get updates from most pages I have liked - on the other hand I get tons of posts that are sponsored, or from very popular creators gaining a lot of traction, neither of which I have liked. Once I started seeing it, it was glaringly obvious. I would say 1 in 5 posts are something I've liked or a post from one of my friends, the rest of it isn't. The algorithm gives me partly what I've signalled in some way that I want to see, but mostly what Facebook wants me to see.
@@AnneHelms-qd9eg but this is the algorithm. It's not about what you want. It's about what people "click" or interact with. Sometimes you might even see that your friends have already interacted with the post. The algorithm is to keep you on the platform. The stuff from your friends or interest you might already know anyway. So your feed is filled with stuff that kept others on the platform as well (or someone payed for). And this is the problem: it's not really made up propaganda (the paid stuff might, but it's more "organic stuff" usually in your feed), it's algorithms trying to make money with you by interacting or watching paid stuff. And we all know: a well researched article doesn't cause as much interaction as the next drama around the house. Sadly
Something I like to point out:
The scientific method is about trying to prove YOURSELF wrong.
Also, a lot of this can apply to entertainment. A good story will be misleading at times, emotionally manipulative, ect. Recognizing those can made it even more enjoyable (IMO at least), as well as provide sort of training for seeing similar stuff in the wider world
Exactly this.
Within the parameters of a hypothesis a scientist frames an experimental setup to disprove the theory that leads to the hypothesis. The setup attempts to eliminate any known factors that lead to the outcome until only one conclusion remains that supports the hypothesis.
You can only gain new information if you ask questions that give you negative information about the hypothesis.
Simplest example: I have a very, very simple mathematical rule in mind.
You get to ask me if a set of numbers fits the rule in my mind. You get simple yes or no answers to your questions.
From that you have to formulate for hypothesis.
Hypothetical scenario:
Question 1, 2, 3.
Yes, it fits.
Question 4, 6, 8
Yes, it fits.
Question 4, 8, 7
No, it doesn't fit.
-1, -2, -3
No, it doesn't fit.
The solution is to find multiple data sets that , ie number sequences.
Until you get a no for an answer you are only confirming your own bias. With a no answer you get new information to work with.
In this case the very, very simple mathematical rule is: increasing numbers, from lower to higher, no matter if negative or positive, large or small. They just have to be in ascending order.
But unless you formulated a question that gets you a false answer no new information can be found.
That's the very basic scientific method, obviously extremely oversimplified.
This! “Here’s my theory. Let’s see if we can debunk it.”
I lived in Germany for over a decade and trying to explain some things that are very apparent about the US once you live outside of the country can be very difficult. It can be really hard to learn how badly we've been brainwashed. Returning to the states almost 3 years ago I feel like I'm living in an alternate reality. If you are American and looking for some good news options in english I suggest DW in Germany. They have a youtube channel and most of their posts are in English. They cover all sorts of news and talk to a lot of experts as well. I'd also suggest checking out how different German documentaries or exposes are. We give far too much "opinion" in this country and not nearly enough facts.
What’s DW…? 🤷🏻♀️
I’m sincerely interested.
@@willowwhyte1104 DW is Deutsche Welle. (The Voice of Germany? I think it translates something like that)
@@joeblow3990 Thank you!🥹
@@joeblow3990 It literally translates as " German Wave" but it's a news and current affairs show not really The Voice of Germany.
DW is Deutsche Welle, it is literally funded by the Federal State to promote German propaganda outside of the Federal Republic of Germany.
They once had also TV and radio programs in German for Germans abroad and the Germans in the German Democratic Republic, but those were abandoned long time ago.
I would also love for you to talk specifically about the book about american propaganda and what it says.
On it! 💚
Exactly, per the title!! Click bait
@t.g.7180 to be fair her title explains exactly what she did in the video! She showed how to spot propaganda! So not nessasery! And she has now made video on the workbook specifically
Rhetoric
Propaganda by Edward Bernays? not a book but an essay written by the man who invented public relations
We had a saying in my youth in the 1970's : Question authority. I never interpreted that as a call to arms, but rather a challenge to apply critical thinking skills everywhere.
This video is solid gold! Thanks for making it 😊
Most important is the most challenging, when a message bolsters support for something you already believe, ask "why do they think I need to feel more strongly about this?" and really honestly try to debunk your own position. A good magician doesn't need to convince you of what they want you to believe, a good magician limits the options and tricks you into truly believing what you already think.
Be careful here also to remember, just because you can disprove your own beliefs and change your view, it doesn't necessarily mean that the opposing views are correct. There might be equal amounts of truth and validity as there are lies and nonsense in all of the current arguments. The positions, especially in political arenas, are framed within certain parameters. Sometimes those parameters make all of the positions insufficient.
Very well put. Agreed. 🫡
Maya is constant
If a message speaks to you on a visceral level, approach it carefully
Exactly. It is those very stories that captivate we need to examine. It’s fine and enjoyable to be captivated, but knowing it’s happening gives us enough distance to see more clearly.
These are the kind of basic critical thinking skills that should be taught at school and at home!
Really the job of society. A parent lacking critical thinking skills is useless...and, in fact, harmful.
Wow, this is such a unique video. While the mainstream media and all popular channels are drowning in "in your face" propaganda or subtle messaging, this video gets straight to the point - question everything you see with "why". 👍
Donald Trump is a great example “They are eating our dogs they are eating cats, they are eating our pets.”
It breaks the “don’t eat my oxytocin object” rule. Oxytocin reduces stress. So it triggers stress
Trump is a poor example. He's says crap like the all the time, since the 80's. It means nothing, and most of what he says, like making Canada a US state, is not serious, and everyone knows it. Trump is in office because of overwhelming illegal immigration and the economy. Thats it. Everyone knows he's a nut, but he had no viable competition for the office.
He certainly has the repetition of lies down pat.
I'm concerned for your propaganda sniffing abilities if you think this is a great example.
@@benthomas4544 okay, do you have one?
Yes, definitely more advanced videos please!
You got it!
@@usa.mom.in.germany subscribed from the US.
Well Said..... I have done very specialized work for decades, and this is always the approached all work product and analysis was completed .... And all team members were trained in this approach as well
Yes! Creating a string of videos that align with propaganda education in Germany would be a great way of spreading awareness and helping people to wake up to the mass manipulation.
Agreed. The hook, line, sinker way that people fall for propaganda today is not only sad, it is dangerous. This is what gave us trump. What a horror show!
Hope the video goes viral! Keep my fingers crossed for it, Aly!🤞
I seem to be doing a lot of things right, actually all of them.
👍🥰
Put succinctly in a simple formula:
Glaube wenig.
Prüfe alles.
Denke selbst.
Believe very little.
Check everything.
Think for yourself.
The basis of the scientific method and enlightenment philosophy...and something the right wing abhors.
We need to teach this in American schools
But we will teach skydaddy lessons instead.
@@sunnybunnyfeeling7062- They don't teach religious lessons in public school, which most kids go to. It would be nice if they did though.
Being multilingual and being familiar with multiple media landscapes makes this so much easier. You can’t help but notice weird culturally accepted norms that somehow only exist in one languages media.
You should totally make more long-form videos in your freetime!
Yeah? You like it ok? I’m not going to lie, I was all nerves posting this today 😆
@@usa.mom.in.germany Yeah, for a first attempt, not bad.
I think that you'll eventually be able to communicate your thoughts across better through this format of video, so you should keep going!
Maybe you could upload the interview you had with a Geeman politician in full length? It's just an idea I had in mind.
It’s already up 🙂 Please feel free to give feedback on what you’d like to see me improve. I’m super open to feedback!
The thing is with YT, the shorts get more attention. It's probably because of people's attention spans nowadays!
I usually don't like the shorts at all, but Aly has won me over.
It's similar with music, you used to listen to music on the radio, sometimes you liked it, sometimes you didn't.
But it often opened up new horizons for you.
Today people listen to a song on Spotyfy for 10 seconds that is suggested to them by the algorithm and then decide, sad.
It's like judging a book by its cover. 😢 Pink Floyd or Dire Straits would no longer have a chance today.
Internet and social media: Pandora's box is open! Now we have to learn how to deal with it, which is why schools should definitely establish how to deal with it as a subject. The Good, the bad and the ugly.
I’m a gen X 🇺🇸✌🏾and my childhood was excessively propagandized but while I was suspect, not many were. This info I’ve been saying to folks forever and often they’ve found me grating. Propaganda can be powerful, so everyone needs these tools if they are a human anywhere. A+ ✌🏾❤️
I became aware of deception, which had a profound effect on me, at an early age. I adopted critical-thinking as a hard-wired habit, so much so that my mother used to literally kick me out of the house for asking, "Why", too much. lol
As a child, I remember watching Elvis movies, (yes, I'm that old), and thinking how odd it seemed, when in the midst of a scene, he would burst into song, ("am I watching a musical?"). So then later, when I would attend a public event, like a Hoe-Down, (yeah unfortunately, I live in that part of the country), a public official would get up to give a patriotic speech. But inevitably, it would devolve into a rant about the evils of socialism.
Of course, I found this odd because we were always taught that Communism was our mortal enemy. "What is it about Socialism, in particular, that so universally inspires these inapropos diatribes?", I thought. It took years to connect the dots, but I found that my learning was reinforced by my own personal experiences, thus making my convictions even stronger.
Of all the life skills, one can learn, I believe that critical-thinking is absolutely one of the most vitally important, particularly in current times. Thank you so much for all you do to bring this awareness to a wider audience!
I like the fact that this is teaching critical thinking. Analytical people do this naturally, but it can be taught to everyone.
And also, our history books! Thanksgiving was actually a massacre! Yet our kids are being taught right now, it was a wonderful dinner,sharing ....and caring .... I mourn that day- i don't celebrate it
It's great to see media that's focused on teaching and sharing knowledge.
You know, I almost skipped this video, thinking, "Great, another former U.S. citizen bragging about how amazing their life is now that they've left." But when I saw you were discussing propaganda, I decided to give it a chance. I'm really glad I did.
I learned concepts like "follow the money" and many of the techniques you mentioned in school somewhere around the 2nd-4th grade when I was around 8-10 years old, but I never learned how to approach someone who had fallen for misinformation. That insight was really helpful. Thank you.
Asking 'why?' in the way you suggest is good in theory, but in many people leads them into personal conspiracy theories. The result is that many people escape one thinking fallacy (passively accepting what media say) only to fall into another one (thinking that we are geniuses at seeing the hidden motives behind the actions of others).
The best way to recognize propaganda is to realize that practically everything you see and hear is the propaganda of one side or another.
Exactly and I turn it all off . I don't watch Fox , CNN, cncb , BBC or anyone wearing a suit or camo.
This is desperately needed and I would love a more advanced/in depth video of this!
Also, I would like a more advanced video like the one you mentioned at the end of this video, please.
I have the easiest guide for propaganda:
Is it on TV? If so, it's propaganda.
everyone should know how Edward Bernays is if you don’t already. He is foundational to the current propaganda we have now and the reason Freud became a household name. He even wrote an essay called Propaganda on how to influence the masses through media.
Edward Bernay was Jewish
I grew up without internet (90s kid) and developed the Ambassador Kosh-approach for myself while figuring out the internet: "Who are you? What do you want?" Similar to the "follow the money"-game i guess. I didn't know Klett made actual textbooks about media literacy, we could have used those back at the turn of the millenium! Now i feel really old...
This is a book specifically used in English courses to look at American 🇺🇸 rhetorical strategies and media, but a lot of the questions asked in the book of students also speak to media literacy and propaganda analysis. It’s a good one for the basics 💚
Nice B5 reference!
I thought the Kosh approach was to lurk around being mysterious all day.
Google is captured as well. So “looking something up” doesn’t always get you to the truth.
Yes, but if I Google something, like, say, the Palestinian school curriculum, the first pages might be all Palestinian stuff about how great they are, but by page three I'll find independent analyses by the UN and others where I can see examples and arrive at a sort of truth whereby I can make up my own mind.
Thank you for these tips. I have put some of them to use in my discussions with friends and family about the media they consume. I just need to take a breath and be calm first. A lot of times I become frustrated at what people are willing to believe without questions and I go straight to lecturing or poking holes in their story. Later, when I’m calmer, I check reliably sources and find that information would have conveyed my skepticism better.
My partner and I can’t watch anything without pausing 15 times to discuss the obvious programming in the script. I am particularly good at pointing out product placement in tv shows.
“Partner”? Are you in the oil business?
Immediately subscribed.
I want more and I know I’m not alone.
Hello, What is the name of the book? Thanks!
Wonderful teaching. Very Eurocentric in your statements. I liked it!
Very pleased with your video. Media !iteracy begins at home, Gemany may be the exception. Don't expect media literacy to be taught in schools. Some student may be exposed to introduction to media studies. Some of us have understood what is wrong with free to air television and subscription television. Too many channels and nothing really interesting to watch. Mainstream media is interested in ratings . Encourage media literacy.
Germany is far from immune to that, as demonstrated by over 20% (in some eastern states even over 40%) of the votes going to either the AfD or BSW, the "two" parties being pushed like crazy by Russian interests, similar to MAGA in the US,
For historic reasons, the German school system tries to teach awareness more than some other countries, but there's always those students who only pay attention during sports and recess and then go on to become prime targets for such propaganda.
In America we don't call it propaganda. We call it public relations and advertising
Very well done.
_So_ many good suggestions in this video. Thank you.
It's very difficult to find unbiased media in the United States now. You almost have to go outside of news sources and look for other avenues to find information
Same in Germany. I understand English and Italian and it's not funny how much information is left out in German media if you read the original source in English or Italian.
Just a heads up about the audio, it is pretty difficult to listen to the whole of this with the tinny earpod microphone noise interfering with your voice. They're expensive, but a better microphone is always worth it in terms of subscribers and audience - Thank you for the info and sharing this book with all of us
Gut gemacht!
Danke 🙂
@usa.mom.in.germany Gerne doch!
Very relevant topic. Thank you for sharing.
Good advice, but i often hear back after saying "I'm not sure about that" "you're not sure. well, i am sure. 100% sure." can i still foster curiosity?
Great question! When someone says they’re ‘100% sure,’ I think there’s an opportunity to spark curiosity without challenging them directly. You could respond with something like: ‘That’s interesting! I wonder how you came to that conclusion.‘ This approach invites them to share their reasoning while modeling curiosity. Or, suggesting ‘I wonder if there’s another angle we haven’t considered yet?”
Of course, these strategies are only useful to engage people who have at least some interest in discussing in that moment.
@usa.mom.in.germany I'll try that. Thanks. I also have a hard time saying I'm not sure when I am more than unsure, how do I do this when I'm sure something is incorrect. Does this still work if I just jump to "that's interesting. What made you come to that conclusion"?
My father was a very mean man, a mean husband and generally an unhappy, pretty sinful angry guy. BUT. He was former military, a federal employee, from 1st generation immigrated farmers and he is the only person who taught me to be curious.
Never afraid to show me the truth, always made alternative narratives available and most importantly made sure we knew the government. The military the police are all corrupt. God bless and forgive him for that. I had a headstart at a young age with very minimal deprogramming required 🙏 lead me into journalism, then public health, epidemiology, race/racism, studies of empire.
So thankyou for your service to our youth, and adults, because it's never too late to be curious!
Critical thinking and the scientific method definitely combat manipulative messaging, but emotionally charged stories that speak directly to our sense of identity and meaning will almost always win the day when it comes to decision making.
In the last 150 years, especially here in the states, we have become uprooted and dissociated from the deeper cultural identities that have been at the center of human society since we were cave dwellers. In the absence of deep story, we thirst for its return, and, in my opinion, this thirst is the basis of modern capitalistic society. Being cut adrift from a sense of belonging in the world and cosmos of our lives is ESSENTIAL for the wheels of industry to continue to grow.
I wish that more people were talking about things like this 😅 Happy to see more content discussing this topic
CANADA NEEDS THIS BADLY RIGHT NOW as the right wring propaganda takes hold.
Thanks for doing this, so needed. And you have such a pleasant personality. Sure we’ll listen to you! ❤
Seems obvious to me. but so many people just sail thru life unexamined. I'm too much of a critical thinker!
They say people who are 100% sure of themselves are not that bright. People like me can never be certain as there is always something that could go wrong~!
As an American living in Germany, thank you for the wonderful content you produce ❤
Where do you live in Germany exactly I was born in Australia left in my late teens now living in Southern Europe.
I have a sister who works in Germany.
Just watch FOX you can’t miss all the propaganda!
@@Gramsciwastoo No, not all of the media is propaganda. Teaching people to distrust the media is a key element of establishing an autocratic government. They tell you "don't believe what those people write about me/us, you can only believe me/us when we talk to you." all the while taking more control for themselves, making citizens unwilling, then unable, to question them, and eventually giving them the ability to suppress the news. Please keep that in mind as you watch or read the news.
@@Gramsciwastoo the worst: Dayly Wire, Ben Shapiro & Co.
@@arnodobler1096Joe Rogan, Theo von almost any big media names are full of propaganda. Especially the right wing
@@arnodobler1096 All US MSM is like this now complete rubbish only certain AM are telling you the truth.
Indeed, the propaganda on display while watching Fox is disturbing at the very least. It practically oozes out of their mouths! I find it shocking that people can watch that as some sort of legitimate news source, as the manipulation is excessive and glaringly obvious!
Thank you for your insights and strategies for educational purposes as well as the own life and for the people surrounding each one of us (who also might got trapped)!
In my childhood Sesame Street was an all-day companion and its German tbeme went like this: "Wer, wie, was, wieso, weshalb, warum? Wer nicht fragt bleibt dumm!"
This message stayed important...
What is "chocolate"? Hersh**s with 7% cocoa + lots of sugar + whatnot? Or Chocolate with 70% cocoa +little sugar +nothing weird? And how much of either per week is good or bad for your health?
The first is the rubbish chocolate in the US the second is the real chocolate mostly from Europe.
I've been playing "Follow the Money" for years. It often fails on round 1 because a lot of studies in the U.S. don't report their funding, which makes the studies even less trustworthy.
American propaganda is Israeli propaganda
Some great techniques to help me communicate with my personal training clients when they say things like “I can’t eat carrots because they have too much sugar” or “bread is toxic.” I’ve really learned to meet them where they are and just get more curious.
One thing I’m still really working on is my facial expressions when they share who they got their information from.
Great tips and advice here. Unfortunately, way too many Americans are too lazy to put the effort into looking into false claims, and will just take what they hear as truth. And, if someone hears false information on a right wing social media source, and it is repeated again by another social media source, and it eventually makes its way to FOX News, there are three “reliable” sources that they heard it from, so it “must be true”. All good points to strive for here though and try to model.
They are not lazy, that simplifies the cognitive impact of propaganda.
Agreed, hard to make sense through it all when you were born into the center of it. Like trying to swim to the shoreline when you're so far out you can't even see it.
Excellent content!!! Great exercise in critical thinking skills. If there were more content like that dominating internet, imagine how different the world would be.
Meanwhile, back in the U.S., we're on the lookout for Russian propaganda. Some of us are, anyway. Good video!
You mean like your new secretary of homeland security? Or the Trump boys proclaiming that all their funding come out of Russia? Trump proclaiming that Vladimir told him that there was no Russian interference in the 2016 election? Russian agents paying Tim Poole and co. millions to air their talking points? Enough Republican representatives wanting to stop support for Ukraine immediately? Or before the war started, Trump freezing aid because Selenski wouldn't fabricate dirt about the Bidens? Or President Musk talking to Putin regularly?
But I understand where you're coming from, having been indoctrinated by the Red Scare and McCarthyisms since the 50s, all through the cold war and the fear that your neighbours might be sleeper agents can't be an easy thing to shake.
Ever since I was a child.... I have seen these patterns and always wondered why others can't see the manipulation. Now that psychological manipulation on steroids is everywhere, it's maddening.
Can you honestly imagine any of this being ALLOWED in American classrooms?
There would be a SCOTUS injunction because it was 'restricting the rights of corporations' within a month.
That's if you could get the kids to engage with it at all.
This is not true.
Quick guide to "scientists say ...":
This only works for simple empirical siences like psychology or medicine. Won't help you to understand a physics paper.
Can you find the paper from the article? Ideally there should be a direct link, at most it should need googling name and university of author + topic. if no => trash
Okay, so you have found the paper, let's read the abstract:
1) small sample size (everything under 100 almost definitively belongs here) => trash
2) no control group => trash
3) no good measure (like SMD or Cohen's D in the "choclate makes smart" or "xyz cures depression" cases) => trash
It's probably trash by now. In case it isn't, you'll actually have to do some reading.
That's a great guideline to which i would like to add
0) look up the journal the paper was published in. If it's a predatory journal (Beall's list is a good source for checking) => trash
@@PaulinaMeyer-yf1cm good addition
That's the basis of the good scientific method true, if it has none of these then it is indeed rubbish .
Wow, this was GREAT. I studied mass communication and propaganda in university. You are doing God's work by educating people throughout the USA and world(I hope!).
You're approaching this as if Americans have any concept of logic or critical thinking skills. Over half do not, as demonstrated by the 2024 election.
You should know that over half is not the amount of Americans that vote, there are many disenfranchised voters as well who has been weeded out of the system dude to many various racist and classist reasons. You should probably use your critical thinking skills to understand that.
@PhillyDove maybe you should think before jumping to conclusions. By over half, I do not just include those that voted for Drump but the ones who actively chose to sit this election out. There were about 152,000,000 votes cast. There are about 263,000,000 voting age people in the US. That means around 110,000,000 didn't vote. While some of those were disenfranchised voters, I seriously doubt it was a majority, let's be gracious and say that 10,000,000 were disenfranchised. That still leaves around 100,000,000 voters who did not participate. Half of 263,000,000 is about 131,000,000. When you add the number of Trump votes to the voters who did not participate, you get in the neighborhood of 177,000,000. Now, where I come from, 177,000,000 is more than half of 263,000,000.
@@PhillyDove if the people who sat the election out had critical thinking skills or the ability to use logic, they would have voted for the lesser of 2 evils, as that would be in their best interest, rather than sitting at home saying, "whatever happens, happens".
@@PhillyDove furthermore, not to belittle the fact that some Americans are disenfranchised due to racist and classist reasons, but that does not mean that they, in fact, do have critical thinking skills or the ability to use logic.
THANK YOU for this. I used to teach this in my U.S. classroom, and it ought to be taught in every U.S. school.
This is a 7:52 minute long video of how you can get labelled a right wing conspiracy theorist. The truth is not very popular these days and I live in "the land of free press" in Finland.
You mean people using those techniques to detect how the one they're talking to is a right wing conspiracy theorist, right?
PS: The site isn't allowing me to reply. If someone wants me to answer, send me an email.
@AlexanderGieg Wanna give me an example?
@@rilius7138 In MAGA circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc. It's meant as watching videos and reading blog posts made by people one considers moral authorities. One walks around in circles within ever increasing levels of confirmation bias.
A main example is with the question of trans rights. The scientific research on the biological basis of trans identities (neuronal connectome, genetics, epigenetics etc.), and the treatments for associated issues, is well developed, but whenever I talk with deeply ideologically-bound right-wing individuals, they refuse to read any of that research, defaulting to conspiracy theorizing about hidden motives and agendas, trying to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards some rhetically advantageous talking point, while simultaneously refusing to consider the reasons behind the immense funds invested into advancing this conspiracy theorizing they subscribe to.
This behavior isn't exclusive to the right, mind. I observe the same pattern in the radical left, when it comes to talking about patriarchies and imperialisms, which is their own brand of anti-scientific conspiracy theorizing. Structurally both sides function and operate in very similar ways.
@@rilius7138 It's hard, because this site's auto-filters removes what I want to say, so I need to be vague.
In RW circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc. It's meant as watching videos and reading blog posts made by people one considers moral authorities. One walks around in circles within ever increasing levels of confirmation bias.
A main example is with the question of T individuals. The scientific research on the biological basis of T identities (neuronal connectome, inheritance, epigenetics etc.), and the treatments for associated issues, is well developed, but whenever I talk with deeply ideologically-bound RW individuals, they refuse to read any of that research, defaulting to CP theory about motives and agendas, and to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards rhetorically advantageous talking points, while simultaneously refusing to consider the reasons behind the funds invested into advancing this CP theory.
This behavior isn't exclusive to the RW. I observe the same pattern in the LW, when it comes to talking about Empires and their Patter Archies, which is their own brand of unscientific CP theory. Structurally both Ws function and operate in very similar ways.
@@rilius7138 It's hard, because this site twice removed what I said, so I need to be vague.
In riwi circles, research isn't meant as reading scientific papers, in particular meta-analyses, considering p-values, weighted evidence, statistical distributions etc., but as watching videos and reading texts by those seen as moral authorities.
A main example is with the tr question. The scientific research on it, and on the associated treatments, is well developed, but whenever I present it to those they refuse to read any of that, defaulting to cting about motivations, and to steer the conversation away from the evidence towards rhetorics.
This isn't exclusive of riwis. I observe the same pattern in the lewis when talking about Empires and Pater Archie, which is their version of this. Structurally both function in a similar ways.
Regardless of the country, you should always be mindful of the motivation behind what people are trying to tell you. If it's coming from a company, their motivation is money. If it's coming from the government, the motivation is less clear, almost no politician speaks without pushing their political views. Getting opposing opinions helps you find the reality that usually lies somewhere in the middle. If they are a social media influencer, they are trying to get views, so they appeal to what they think their audience wants to hear. Always fact check from a reliable source. If its coming from official media, then does the country have state governed media or not? If they do, then you need to treat the media in the same way you would treat a politician and wait to believe until you can check the facts through other means. If they don't have state governed media, like the US, then find out if the media station is unbiased, or if it's being used as a way for a political party to push their views on the public. Fox News is a good example of right-wing propaganda, and MSNBC News or The New York Times are examples of left-wing propaganda. You often need to read both sides opinions to figure out what the real truth is, at least if the story isn't covered by an unbiased news source.
This reminds me of a media literacy class I took back in the 1980s. America was heading into a deep nostalgia phase (remember the "shining city on a hill" political ads from the 1984 election?) and it appeared that it was easier to lull people into a false sense of the past being better and that progress was robbing us of something. All the homespun, Norman Rockwell imagery obviously were emotional triggers and was used to sway opinion. After taking that class, I could see that clearly and refuted it when I saw it. I also started muting commercials when watching tv with my family. They complained about it but couldn't give a coherent reason why they needed to be bombarded with commercials.
It's such a family tradition to mute tv commercials that my nieces and nephews do it.
So strange...I've been using these critical thinking questions and techniques (a/k/a healthy pessimism) since I was 8 yesterday old. Thanks for making this video. It gave me a small sense of affirmation.
One of the little questions: why do you tube videos Show in "mirror" view?
The book that you showed had the title mirrored... And, a subtle thing, most people have some left/right asymmetry in their faces, so that you look a bit different in a mirrored view.
But, always nice to see your work!
Used a phone to record it, probably in selfie mode (front facing camera), unawareness of settings that might address it or lack of skills to use a video tool to flip it back to a proper view would be my guess.
This was very helpful, thanks!
Thank you for this video. I want to learn more
This is such an important message for life. I always look for direct evidence. What is it that I know, I have witnessed and know to be true which corresponds with the advertising and what do I have to take on trust. Once it becomes a game you play advertising just loses its power because it is usually hyperbole. Great things sell by word of mouth because they work. That's good evidence in itself.
This is so epic! It’s weird but I am proud of you! ❤
Yes please - a more advanced explanation is welcome! 😊
Hello!!! Migrating from TikTok ❤
Everyone should be conscious of propaganda. Regardless of whether it's "good" or "bad," being aware of its influence and trying to eliminate biases is good for everyone. I think we would have healthier societies if the general population of the world were better informed.
Amazing ✨️ thank you
This is a program for grade school kids in Germany, and it would be too challenging for the average adult American. The problem of literacy has to be addressed just as much as the problem of media literacy.
They are a natural fit to teach together I would say
@@koschmx Your claim is that with lower ability to read and understand they rank higher than a nation that can read and understand. That's a tough point to argue I'd think.