Creating compliant consumers

Edward Bernays: Creating compliant consumers

In Propaganda (1928), his most important book, Bernays argued that the manipulation of public opinion was a necessary part of democracy:

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind."

Good find.

But what makes Bernays think that we are manipulated "largely by men we have never heard of"?

I posit that the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes, especially in 1928, were women, not men.

Women have always been pulling the strings behind the scenes ever since men have dominated Politics and Commerce. Surely you've heard the age-old adage "Behind every good man is a good woman". Men have been puppets and pawns to women for far longer than we would care to admit.

When I was in High School I was a Young Republican of America. In Debate I was unparalleled and knew no equal. That is until I met two cute female foreign exchange students from Germany. They got me to see the error of my ways and converted me to their liberal cause. All for the low, low price of the promise of affections.

Right after High School I was working for the Sheriff's Department and preparing to join the FBI Academy when I met two cute female goth girls who convinced me to come over to the "darker-side" and forsake my life plan. Again, for the low, low price of the promise of their affections, I acquiesced and decided to go to College to study Anthropology instead.

I have lived my life without apology. I do as I want to do, when I want to do it, how I want to do it. I answer to no authority other than my conscience. However, once an attractive female is involved, I am putty to be shaped according to their will. My life has been one long string of being molded and sweetly manipulated by one woman after another. My social conduct, ethical thinking, are indeed dominated by a relatively small number of persons, but not by any organized invisible government, but by the whims and wills of those females I meet.

And, I have never met a single man who is so steadfast in his ways that he doesn't become pliant when meeting a member of the fairer sex!

Our habits and opinions are indeed manipulated consciously and intelligently, but not by men we have never heard of, but by the women that we meet.

Now whomever can manipulate the habits and opinions of the female masses, would indeed control society.

Originally posted by fraterormus
Good find.

But what makes Bernays think that we are manipulated "largely by men we have never heard of"?

I posit that the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes, especially in 1928, were women, not men.

Women have always been pulling the strings behind the scenes ever since men have dominated Politics and Commerce. Surely you've heard the age-old adage "Behind every good man is a good woman". Men have been puppets and pawns to women for far longer than we would care to admit.

When I was in High School I was a Young Republican of America. In Debate I was unparalleled and knew no equal. That is until I met two cute female foreign exchange students from Germany. They got me to see the error of my ways and converted me to their liberal cause. All for the low, low price of the promise of affections.

Right after High School I was working for the Sheriff's Department and preparing to join the FBI Academy when I met two cute female goth girls who convinced me to come over to the "darker-side" and forsake my life plan. Again, for the low, low price of the promise of their affections, I acquiesced and decided to go to College to study Anthropology instead.

I have lived my life without apology. I do as I want to do, when I want to do it, how I want to do it. I answer to no authority other than my conscience. However, once an attractive female is involved, I am putty to be shaped according to their will. My life has been one long string of being molded and sweetly manipulated by one woman after another. My social conduct, ethical thinking, are indeed dominated by a relatively small number of persons, but not by any organized invisible government, but by the whims and wills of those females I meet.

And, I have never met a single man who is so steadfast in his ways that he doesn't become pliant when meeting a member of the fairer sex!

Our habits and opinions are indeed manipulated consciously and intelligently, but not by men we have never heard of, but by the women that we meet.

Now whomever can manipulate the habits and opinions of the female masses, would indeed control society.

1928 women are pulling the strings?? Joke?

Bernay felt that way because it was documented fact and he wasn't an ignorant sheep. The real people of power, international bankers who exist far above all public figures like presidents in the power structure. For hundreds of years maintained a strict policy of having the males of the family continue the business.

You speak of the lowest level of the pyramid. Perhaps millionaire men have the women calling the shots these days, but we're not talking about millionaires. The billionaires and trillionaires have always been the ones calling the shots and it's documented fact that they have been consciously, and intelligently guiding public perception for hundreds of years.

It's also undisputed fact that 90% of Americans have never heard of, or ever will hear of anything about these people who literally dictate their life.

reply to post by fraterormus


Something not mentioned about Bernays is that he was the nephew of Sigmund Freud.

As to this:

But what makes Bernays think that we are manipulated "largely by men we have never heard of"?

Bernays WAS one of these men. He could have easily meant the term "men" as collective for men and women.

Here are things Bernays was responsible for in regards to the consumers consciousness and democracy:

In the 1920s, working for the American Tobacco Company, he sent a group of young models to march in the New York City parade. He then told the press that a group of women's rights marchers would light "Torches of Freedom". On his signal, the models lit Lucky Strike cigarettes in front of the eager photographers. The New York Times (1 April 1929) printed: "Group of Girls Puff at Cigarettes as a Gesture of 'Freedom'". This helped to break the taboo against women smoking in public. During this decade he also handled publicity for the NAACP.[4]

Bernays used his uncle Sigmund Freud's ideas to help convince the public, among other things, that bacon and eggs was the true all-American breakfast.[5]

# # Bernays helped the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) and other special interest groups to convince the American public that water fluoridation was safe and beneficial to human health. This was achieved by using the American Dental Association in a highly successful media campaign.

In the 1930s, his Dixie Cup campaign was designed to convince consumers that only disposable cups were sanitary.

Originally posted by king9072

1928 women are pulling the strings?? Joke?

Bernay felt that way because it was documented fact and he wasn't an ignorant sheep. The real people of power, international bankers who exist far above all public figures like presidents in the power structure. For hundreds of years maintained a strict policy of having the males of the family continue the business.

It was tongue-in-cheek but certainly not a joke.

If I were to recount all of the instances where "powerless" women who were denied a voice in Government or Commerce, unable to own property, were considered property themselves, yet still found a way to start wars, affect the fate of nations, and manipulate the masses, I would run out of room even in hundreds of posts!

Yes, it is very much true that International Bankers (who were men) have held a tight reign on Economics and the rise and fall of Nations since the birth of International Banking in the 12th Century by the Knights Templar. There is a reason these clandestine Bankers are jokingly referred to as "The Gnomes of Zurich"...because they work in secret which silence cannot express.

However, unless a man is both celibate and chaste, having forsaken the company of women entirely, then even those Gnomes who are the invisible International Bankers controlling things from the shadows are going to fall prey to human nature and have lovers or wives who influence and control them.

Never underestimate the power of a woman over a man! I hear Adam made that mistake (and by some accounts, not once, but twice! The first time with Lilith and the second time with Eve). I'm not saying women are the source of evil like some religions would posit, but they hold a powerful sway over men...and although in Western Civilization for the past 1000 years they have previously held a submissive role to men, that hasn't stopped them from dominating from their previously subservient position!

It doesn't matter how many Millions or Billions or Trillions of dollars you have. Money doesn't buy you exemption from the sway of feminine charm and guile! Nor can money and power exempt you from human nature. If anything, the more money and power you have, the more imprisoned you will become by your human nature!

However, I did not mean to derail your thread with a gender based argument, but rather wanted to posit an idea to consider. If freedom from manipulation is the key, it is sagacious to know who is pulling the strings of the one pulling your strings.

Back on topic though...

As to the faceless puppeteers whose names we are not aware who pull our strings, one need only look to the Moneylenders of Amsterdam in the 16th century and trace their activities from there to find the majority of their number. There is another old adage of "Follow the Money", which couldn't be more true in this particular instance. If one follows what nations financed what and from whom, it all narrows down to a small handful of Moneylenders who are still around today. In the last 400 years they may have gotten craftier and hide behind major Banking Institutions and Businesses that are subsidiaries of fronts which are run by these original Moneylenders, but it still can be tracked.

I wish I could remember the domain, but there was a real-time application on a website that tracked the money and CEOs of every Multinational Corporation and showed graphically how they were connected and where the money flowed...to but 6 families. If I can dig it up again, I'll post it. It basically proves Bernays comments with an interactive flowchart.

(However, I still assert that it's the women that control those 6 families, and thereby all of the world, even if those Corporations those 6 families control are run by the men! *WINK*)

Originally posted by brocket99
Something not mentioned about Bernays is that he was the nephew of Sigmund Freud.

I didn't know that, although that would explain why his Propaganda and Public Relations Campaigns were always so successful. He was able to apply his uncle's theories of Psychology and Sociology to practical use.

This would also allow him to see how others used applied Psychology and Sociology to manipulate.