Propaganda We (Are) Falling For
Creator Congress: Issue 19
The viral trend this week is all about propaganda. Not the Internet Research Agency kind (Russia's nation-state propaganda project that influenced and continues to influence political outcomes around the world), but rather, this propaganda explored the kind of things that try to capture us, convince us, woo us - “beige” as a fashion concept, 9-5 jobs, trad-wifing, Crocs.
But what is propaganda, why are we falling for it, and do both sides fall for it at the same rate?
Propaganda is the influence campaign of ideas, usually using tactics that are meant to mislead you. It relies on charged emotional appeals, crafty rhetoric, or misleading statistics. Judging from the writing on misinformation, it seems like it's everywhere, pervading our internet ecosystem en masse, but the reality is a little more complicated. From a study earlier this year, there is evidence that misinformation is present across the internet but not broadly consumed by the public. Rather, it's specific electoral groups who are the most likely to believe and share propaganda and misinformation.
Which electoral groups those are, however, is up for some debate.
There is some argument that it is simply populist, or anti-elite, rhetoric that leads people to be more likely to believe misinformation campaigns. Others argue that this is too broad and that it stems from disdain for democratic institutions and is therefore more pervasive in right-wing ideologies. It certainly appears that there is payoff for right-wing campaigns to engage in misinformation campaigns, but is the reason this doesn't happen in progressive campaigns because they are less likely to engage in spreading misinformation, or because their base is less likely to believe it? It's virtually impossible to say when working with large anonymous datasets.
Like with most things, it feels that the answer is likely somewhere in the middle, caught between a self-righteous progressive movement that doesn't believe in the art of information warfare and a base of people who believe themselves too smart to be subject to propaganda at all—cynical to the point of not believing much of anything and therefore subject to propaganda that aligns with their mistrust. While the right-wing propaganda emphasizes distrust in media and institutions but places truth in the hands of their leaders as infallible and beyond reproach.
This is an untenable political reality. If right-wing party loyalty creates a system where supporters only believe what comes from their party leaders and disregards facts, while the left-wing party develops broad skepticism to the point of not believing anything from their party leadership, both factions become dangerous political actors (with the most fascistic sides of the debate ultimately benefiting the most from this arrangement).
On the left, our cynicism is not a benefit but a cost when trying to rally power and influence.
So, let’s fight the man when it comes to pushing “beige” on all of us. It should barely even count as a color. But in politics, our cynicism is our greatest weakness, and a demon worth excising when we confront the need for collective action and solidarity.
News by Creators
Tariffs remain as part of the “BBB” (Big Beautiful Bill) to help it pass (despite those tariffs not actually being in effect) as well as completely non-budget related items like putting in a loophole that protects Trump from being held accountable for ignoring nationwide injunctions //
The only video that restores our faith about the male loneliness epidemic was by this kid - give this kid a podcast // @tristanryanperkins
Shocker - when we take out the 1% and look at the 99% of people and compare the living outcomes in U.S. and France, guess which country comes out on top? (It’s not the US) // @michael__mezz
A woman in Georgia who suffered a stroke and is not long alive, is being kept on life support to keep her potentially non-viable pregnancy, this, of course, is not happening with consent from the family and the child and family will receive no additional care or resources after the forced birth // @_reesebuttercup
The “BBB” is headed to the senate to kick orphans and sick people off of their health insurance and passed by exactly one vote the same week that Rep. Connolly, chair of the finance oversight committee (appointed over AOC - a Rep who was famously not dying of cancer and old age), died - O’Henry would weep // @pearlmania
News about Creators
Political creators are skyrocketing in popularity since 2020 and especially when Democrats decided to spend tens of millions developing their own Joe Rogan in a vat, but what does that mean for regulations? Great research exploring the grey area of political and social influence.
Democrats are looking to cash in big on political new media ecosystems thought some people have questions about the efficacy of going back to a well of organizations who were part of the failed 2024 campaign.
Updates about Creator Congress
Creator Congress has been able to start proper creator briefings and we hope to do more! Your participation and support are so valuable as we explore the ways we can support the new media ecosystem through sustainable organizing practices that rely on relationships over profits.
If you are a Creator and have not yet filled out the application, please do. Link here.
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In solidarity,
Rynn