BLOCK 2 RESEARCH-Edward Bernays: Engineering of Consent

Ive just been reading an essay today by Bernays from the nineteen fiftys. It was called 'The engineering of consent'. It focused on public relations at the start of the twentieth century. Edward Bernays is known for being the founder of public relations as we know it. For his whole career he critically evaluated the publics views on advertising, propaganda and social patterns and pioneered public relations as a subject to be taught at universities. 

His essay evaluates the expansion of communication due to progression in the ways ideas could be broadcast. By the fifties everybody had a radio. newspapers were easily available and advertising space was much more available. 'The United States has become a small room where every whisper is magnified thousands of times' 


At the start of the essay Bernays talks about how the world is connected by a web of communication. 'This web of communications, some- times duplicating, crisscrossing, and overlapping, is a condition of fact, not theory. We must recognize the significance of modern communications not only as a highly organized mechanical web but as a potent force for social good or possible evil. We can determine whether this network shall be employed to its greatest extent for sound social ends.' I find this very interesting for it comes from a man fifty years ago who has described the internet of today 'social good or possible evil'.

I also read another journal of his which is titled 'propaganda' the parts i looked at talked about the regimentation of public opinion. Bernays states that it is impossible for man to make ethical, political and economical decisions by himself.

'In theory, everybody buys the best and cheapest commodities offered him on the market. In practice, if every one went around pricing, and chemically tasting before purchasing, the dozens of soaps or fabrics or brands of bread which are for sale, economic life would be hopelessly jammed. To avoid such confusion, society consents to have its choice narrowed to ideas and objects brought to it attention through propaganda of all kinds. There is consequently a vast and continuous effort going on to capture our minds in the interest of some policy or commodity or idea'

Bernays' claims that propaganda is not as demonising as it was at the height of world war two. 'Propaganda makes the world safe for democracy' Propaganda is advertising to a group with the same stance in a community. Even though Propaganda was seen as a weapon in World war two for its manipulative and jingoistic capabilities, it is in its original use, neutral. It has, right up to the modern day been used as a tool for public health reccomendations  and to encourage people to participate in census. Even today political parties use forms of propaganda for public manipulation. does this necessarily mean its demonising?