Perphaps Goebels succeeded utterly in hijacking the word "propaganda," but in the 70 years or so since that hijacking, no one has really come up with a word to serve the original quite neutral or even positive meaning of the term -- namely, truthful writing intended to deepen the understanding of those who have already grasped the truth of that which is being explained but require a deeper understanding if they are to act successfully on the basis of that truth. "Education" or "political education" works in some contexts, but is not always or ususally satisfactory. I think it's worthwhile to cling to the term (with whatever parenthetical explanation is necessary) whenever that is at all possible.
Carrol Michael Pollak wrote: > > On Thu, 14 Nov 2002, Devine, James wrote: > > > > Do most economics principles texts count as fiction? > > > > No, they count as propaganda. > > It's possible for something to be both, even to be great at both, to be > great literature and great propaganda. Shakespeare's _Richard III_, for > example. > > Michael
