Propaganda onion

Today, Western propaganda has matured in sophistication


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Propaganda onion
by tinoush
14-Nov-2007
 

At the beginning of October, I wrote an op-ed piece on Iranian.com about the nature of Voice of America and Radio Farda as propaganda outlets. What compelled me to write it was the regular regurgitation of the pseudo-news broadcast on VOA by its listeners. I received many supportive emails and comments about that piece, and I thank all those who took the time to write. There was also something to be learned from the critical comments and emails. Actually, the lack of substance in the criticism was disappointing. However, that was to be expected from those particular critics, who often write on Iranian.com and exhibit a very myopic view of Iran’s political problems and challenges.

To begin with, not a single person disputed that VOA disseminates propaganda. That’s not surprising since I listed US laws that say it does. However, I would like to respond to two points that were raised. The two common counterpoints were that even though VOA and Radio Farda are US government propaganda stations, their broadcasts are still beneficial to Iranians everywhere. And, people, especially Iranians with their level of education, are smart enough to sift through the propaganda and see it for what it is.

Nothing could be farther from reality! The British government, with its vast colonial experience, has written the cookbook on the use and application of propaganda. One fundamental rule that they prescribe to is that it is best to make the educated, influential class of a society the target of propaganda. “It is better to influence those who can influence others than attempt a direct appeal to the mass of the population,” a British document from WWI advises.

This rule precisely shows the danger in thinking that people are smart or educated enough to see propaganda as what it is. It has nothing to do with intelligence or education. Propaganda is designed to be sophisticated, and by its nature takes advantage of the predilections that a smart, educated person may have. It takes time and dedication to unmask propaganda and when a society is under internal and external pressure, this task becomes even harder.

Besides, it’s also a point of equality. What is good for an Iranian is good for an American, an Arab, a Chinese, etc. And what is bad for an American, as the US Congress has clearly stated in case of VOA, is bad for an Iranian and everyone else. Ironically, it’s the ultimate manifestation of smart, educated minds rotten by propaganda that when they know VOA and Radio Farda are sources of propaganda, they still approve of their broadcasts.

Today, Western propaganda has matured in sophistication. At the heart of the system is real and overt racism. Western leaders engaged in outright aggression and terrorism are given a free pass. They are rarely if ever held accountable. The moral, ethical, and legal standards of guilt are far higher (practically unachievable) when a Western country terrorizes a non-Western country.

As George Orwell wrote in Animal Farm, “all animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others.” And, how is such an immoral and inhumane standard sold to the world? It is wrapped in layers of propaganda like an onion. VOA is the very outer layer of the US government’s variety of the propaganda onion.


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Tinoush gohi

by gholi (not verified) on

tinoush naneh babaye razlet behet yad nadadan tohin nakoni? Madar Ghahbeh? bacheh akhund. mother fucker didn’t I tell you not to give me a girly name? FUCKER. who is this fucking girl? khahare jenadat?


tinoush

Sheema Gholi, it's time to stop

by tinoush on

This is rediculous! You let the cat out of the bag, and anyone who is smart enough to compare your comments with your other writing can put two and two together. Now, your leaving comments to yourself under my name, after you have gone berzerk on 'Niki?'

You already shamed yourself by sinking to the level of the rest of the 'Arazel va Obash.' It's time to stop and save some dignity.


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tinoush joon be my mama.

by gholi (not verified) on

tinoush joon, be my mama.


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tinoush jan, you are located

by gholi (not verified) on

tinoush jan,

you are located at room 145, yes? i will come to pick up my gift.

ye boose labi bede beh baba,
gholi


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I knew it!

by gholi (not verified) on

thanks Tinoush jan
see you soon


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CASMII and Tinoush

by Nader1 (not verified) on

Chances are Tinoush is a member of the bogus CASMII. What can you say? His brain is built differently. He justifies IRI at any chance he gets. A curious creature, an apple brain! He thinks to question is to answer. Read his brainy quotes. Rather laughable.


tinoush

To Jamshid...

by tinoush on

I probably only looked at the stuff since the new format. Here is a full list of what I have written:

//iranian.com/moulaei.html

I have condemned IRI's human rights record, suppression of free speech, treatment of women and minorities, and violation of international law. I have also defended Iran (NOT IRI) when I thought it was needed. So, I don't know what else one's bona fides needs not to be labeled by the Orange County ilk.

This also says one of two things about you Mr. Jamshid, and I mean this sincerely. Either, you are not careful and meticulous in your research and therefore forming your opinions, or that you are single minded. Either you were not careful enough to check what I have written before you accuse me, or it matters not what anyone says. If my opinion is not in line with yours, I must be whatever you accuse me of.


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Tinoush the he or Tinoush the she?

by gholi (not verified) on

Niki joon I changed my mind. You are too much a leftie to sign your big ass sis or big boob in-law’s name instead of mine. It’s the TUMBLE on TV boy, Tinoush Molaie.

Moulaei jigar, have you changed your sex recently? Now you are Tinoush the she instead of a he?

What do people say at Frederick?


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A Question for You

by hamidgh (not verified) on

A bank account in Chevy Chase has worked well so far for you? Well here is a question for the reliable source on onion. Tinoush, is garlic as good as onion to reduce cancer cells? What do you think would be good to reduces regime cells like you in the U.S.?


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To Jamshid..........

by KavehP (not verified) on

you hit the nail right on the head.......


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come on niki khiki

by gholi (not verified) on

niki jigar,

i find it to be such great pleasure to find that after almost 28 years, the mere mentioning of the word of IRI, lands such sharp thorns in the eyes of the Islamists and leftists like yourself, making you groan and roll in pain. it gives me pleasure. it is the way it should be. i will have it no other way.

gholi

(don't change my name jigar. who is sheema? another khiki in your family? your big ass sis? or raed jarrar's big boobs mama?)


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Tinoush IS NOT an IRI agent

by bacheh porroo (not verified) on

because they are much much cleverer than to let a moron like him to handle their public relations!


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come on Niki

by gholi (not verified) on

come on, tell us what are your goals and event calendar when the regime is gone.

Sheema.


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Bavafa, VOA/radio farda are

by boogh (not verified) on

Bavafa, VOA/radio farda are TV/radio stations. They don't KILL OR TURTURE. The IRI does. Tune up your moral values. U.S. is a free country and the MEDIA over here NEVER torture or abuse prisoners. The IRI's best station has "just kill more" on its 24/7 playlist.


Bavafa

missing the point

by Bavafa on

It is simply amazing how so many people, if in fact those comments are written by different folks and not a "VOA/Radio Farda agent", are missing the point. This article or the pervious one does not say or defend the IRI in any shape or form. It just points out the nature of these two stations and the fact that they are illegal to air the same misinformation/garbage in the US. So it seems that some of you are taking the same approach as the GWB that "you are either with us or against us"

Mehrdad


Jahanshah Rashidian

Broadcastin is needed

by Jahanshah Rashidian on

I agree with realistic views of Fred and Jamshid.  The IRI allows only voice of its devoted missionaries; any voice of freedom, deemed a speech of enemy, anti revolutionary, or ”goat!” is baffled or forced underground. The erosion of freedom is reinforced by IRI’s propaganda machinery calling any outside voice “treachery, mercenary… ”. Under today’s conditions, any protest or critical voice from abroad is welcome to millions of people in Iran who are daily bombed by Mullahs’ propaganda networks.

If you have a look at GOOYA.COM, you will find a bunch of sites linked with the IRI or IRI's factions. Whatever  seeds these sow, as long as they spread some idea of protest and inform people about some censured news, grass roots people are relatively CONTENT with them.   


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It's ironic that the chief

by Anonymous88(( (not verified) on

It's ironic that the chief propagndists of the left persuasion for the corrupt and murderous Islamic republic has the gall to talk about *matured propaganda*. The mullahs, lining their bulging pockets, and religious clergies in general, are masters at the art of propaganda, brainwashing, and manipulation. They have 1400 years of experience to fall back on. The US and the West have a long way to go to become as sophisticated and efficient as the butcher mullahs. In fact, Quron and Islam are nothing but instruction manual for behavior and thought control...The caliber of authors on this site have drastically reduced into bunch of IR's cronies and their leftist allies. What a shame.


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Locate him, report him to the authorities

by Qumars Bolourchian = IRI Agent (not verified) on

Let them give him waterboarding treatment and deport him to the Islamic Republic! He is a burden on the US taxpayers!

Tinoush is a bacheh akhoond ( a shaved version without ammameh!)


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Tinoosh Is Right!

by shahram (not verified) on

I think every Iranian abroad should let his/her family, relatives, and friends inside Iran know the evil purpose of these propeganda machinery from the West!


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dysfunctional niki

by gholi (not verified) on

niki is a lefti, married to that iraqi baathist guy.

only little of what are documented as frequent tortures in Iran is for you a complete benefit, and money clique over here in the U.S. by no other than regime officials.

tell us what are your goals and event calendar when the regime is gone.


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Qumars B. you are pro IRI.

by Ali23 (not verified) on

Qumars B. you are pro IRI. Those working for VOA are not traitors. YOU ARE.


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Keep on trucking

by Fred (not verified) on

What these ersatz intellectuals with dubious motives do is akin to imagining French in Diasporas during the darkest days of Nazi occupation of France spending their time arguing back and forth the nuances and motives of BBC French service. Listen up, Iran is under the tyranny of the worst kind, fundamental Islamists jockeying to impose their beliefs in the occult beyond the Iranian borders. The world is not going to stand for it and soon or later will take action which almost certainly will result in biblical devastation to Iran and Iranians. If the almost daily public hangings, home invasions and beatings by masked officials and the rest of the sad story of oppression of Iran is not a clue enough for some to get it, then keep on trucking


MeyBokhor_Manbarbesuzan

House slaves

by MeyBokhor_Manbarbesuzan on

The way the pseudo-Iranians of the US are behaving is quite natural and known. Harriet Beecher Stowe novel Uncle Tom's Cabin describes the behaviour of such house slaves...


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The VOA and BBC are a

by LOVE (not verified) on

The VOA and BBC are a propoganda tool used several times with success in defining and shaping public opinion in Iran. Their success was due to one simple fact - THE MORONIC IRANIAN PEOPLE . . . I hate IRI and all its bearded stooges . . . So please stop the IRI Agent Crap . . . A fact is a fact - IRANIANS ARE MORONS - NEED TO BE STEPPED ON - SPAT ON - AND LYNCHED JUST LIKE IRI IS DOING NOW - ENJOY IT - IRI SINCE FEBRUARY 1979 GAVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVED - WAR - SHOOTING - HANGINING - WAITING IN LINE FOR BREAD AND CHICKEN ;-))) WHAT A SAD PEASANT NATION IRANIANS ARE . . . BBC AND VOA HELPED BRING THE MULLAHS - AND DUMB IRANIANS LISTENED TO THE PROGRAMS AND WERE MOVED BY IT ;-)))))))) BUZGHALEH NATION - SHAH IS GONE - LAUGHING IN HIS GRAVE AT THIS NAMAK NASHNAS NATION - ENJOY THE SCREW


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i think the author is too

by BABAK123 (not verified) on

i think the author is too concern about voa nad radio farda, nobody in iran is listening to it.
there are 4 channel in iran that every body watches. first is tapesh, second is pmc persian music channel. third is spice platinum and forth is fation tv. nobody watching voa and any other political program. they are just too boring


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Tinoush: Your comparison is wrong

by AAJ Sr. (not verified) on

You can not compare CNN with VOA.
VOA is founded by US government for a certain propaganda benefiting US agenda, however CNN is an enterprise, created for making money through selling advertising. Doesn't matter what is right or wrong, what is important or not, what's selling is important.
If Iranian government with exclusivity control/rights for radio and TV has benefited brainwashing 70 million people for 30 years, and recently broadcasting in English throughout the world (Pres TV) with "our" petro-dollar, while lots of Iranian are starving, there should be a counter balance against it.
I see your point arguing about democracy and freedom of speech, but please understand, you are living in a society that what you spend must bring something back as a reward, in another word, nothing is free.
Therefore I consider your article unthoughtful, unidirectional and naive. You may have meant well but it come across as defending IRI against VOA.


Q

Tinoush is right, VOA is a cruel joke...

by Q on

I don't know why a vocal minority of our dear hamvatans feel like America is in love with them and is doing THEM favors by trying to overthrow the Mullahs, so they can return to Iran. US and it's propaganda operation have not now nor ever given 2 bits about Iran. It's their own interests they are pursuing. The traitors who work for VOA or take it as "truth" are ignorant fools.

 

Most Iranians know this, even the Tehrangelesi kind. That's why the others feel like they have to attack you so hard and log in with multiple fake names. Don't mind them. We are with you.


jamshid

Re: Tinoush

by jamshid on

I read your reply. You claim that your articles in the past would show that you are not an IRI supporter. So I looked at your other articles just to see. They do not indicate that you are anti-IRI, and to me and to the people of Iran, THAT IS BEING PRO-IRI.

 

How could not being anti-IRI make one pro-IRI? Don't ask me this question. Ask the tens of thousands who are being tortured by "torture specialists" in IRI's prison. Ask the thousands that are either quitely or publicly getting hanged for committing the crime of wanting freedom. Ask the women who are quitely getting raped by the ruling class and have nowhere to go. Ask the millions upon millions of deprived and curshed Iranians from whom the very "joy" of living itself has been taken away. Ask them, I am sure they will have a better answer than me.

 

Now moving on... Answer this question: What has the VOA said that is a lie? That makes you so fevereshly dislike it so much? What has the IRI broadcasts have said that is a lie?

 

Could you give me a weight? What percentage of VOA broadcasts are lies and what percent of IRI broadcasts are lies? Don't tell me that is not the issue. IT IS THE ISSUE.

 


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Chai?

by chailover (not verified) on

I think we should all sit down, and have a nice chai? anyone with me? Asghaaar, ghando biyar...


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Tinoush is not an IRI agent. Stop labeling

by X_muslim & X_Comie (not verified) on

You just need to read all articles written by Tinoush that clearly shows Tinoush's anti-IRI positions.

Now, this article only points to VOA and Radio Farda as not democracy conduits for spreading democracy in Iran. You either agree or disagree.


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