The astonishing thing about this propaganda machine is not that it is technically proficient. It is not in any way; it is technically crude. It's just a fairly direct political control by state of the TV and papers, and for on-line, just hiring people to spread propaganda on forums.
What is astonishing is its psychological effectiveness. It seems to encompass all levels of Russian society, especially the poorer people who are cut off from anything but the state TV, but also the middle classes. And the elite is wise to shut up and pretend to believe though they surely know what goes on. The conformity to social norms is so important: if you don't condemn the Kiev Nazis, you are a fascist yourself. Any disagreement will make even friends and family members turn against you, regardless of how good evidence you have for what you say.
I know Russians who live abroad and/or are net-connected and understand what goes on, but they are simply staying quiet, because they don't want to loose contact to their relatives and long-time friends. In a way, it's an example of "The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil."
It has exceeded the level of the Soviet Regime during its later years because it's quite effective. Soviet Regime was falling apart so in the last few years of it everybody paid lip service to propaganda, but nobody really believed it because it was quite obvious that the system was falling apart. This is not really the case now in Russia. Yet
FYI, russian propaganda machine routinely uses videos from videogames and movies as "documents" in TV broadcasts. [1] Despite the fact that reports debunking these "proofs" appear in the next day or so, there's no backlash or retractions. Hell, even russian defense ministry used insanely crude photoshopped images in it's reports, and still - no backlash, at all. [2]
My point is, if you just want to brainwash the population, these new technologies are overkill. People aren't generally smart enough to require this sophistication from a fake.
I think many Russian people, especially those who watch or read mainly Russian news, hold such views with complete sincerity. The internal propaganda is quite effective.
Russian propaganda is really good and works rather effectively. Which is no surprising as they use techniques mastered during 70 years of communism.
A colleague from work who works on integration a of a translation service in our product said that he needed a brain wash to clean up the propaganda after reading all those Russian news translated with the service.
Power of propaganda is truly terrifying. Many, if not majority, of my American and Israeli acquaintances of Russian origin think that Putin is heroically liberating Ukraine from Nazis. They watch Russian TV channels.
I think you underestimate the sheer power of propaganda, when it's well organized and all-penetrating. Moreover, how many Russians can read anything but Russian?
It is. It is fascism and it is very effective. Frighteningly so. Twitter videos conducting interviews with Russian citizens on the streets are easy to come by. Many of them wholly support their president and his actions.
They don't try that hard to hide it. Russia had an open internet until this month and still foreigners can participate in unblocked social networks (unlike China where not only everything has been blocked for over a decade but they make it very difficult for foreigners to participate or even read discussions). Russian propaganda works by assaulting credibility in general. Just imagine if every network and authority in the country is constantly calling everything "fake news" then basically people decide nothing anyone says is that believable, and they are free to believe whatever they want or what makes them feel right.
There is now another 'form' of propaganda that seems to be being used:
> We characterize the contemporary Russian model for propaganda as “the firehose of falsehood” because of two of its distinctive features: high numbers of channels and messages and a shameless willingness to disseminate partial truths or outright fictions. In the words of one observer, “[N]ew Russian propaganda entertains, confuses and overwhelms the audience.”[2]
> Contemporary Russian propaganda has at least two other distinctive features. It is also rapid, continuous, and repetitive, and it lacks commitment to consistency.
> Interestingly, several of these features run directly counter to the conventional wisdom on effective influence and communication from government or defense sources, which traditionally emphasize the importance of truth, credibility, and the avoidance of contradiction.[3] Despite ignoring these traditional principles, Russia seems to have enjoyed some success under its contemporary propaganda model, either through more direct persuasion and influence or by engaging in obfuscation, confusion, and the disruption or diminution of truthful reporting and messaging.
For a history of propaganda, the book Munitions of the Mind by Philip M. Taylor may be of some interest (the third edition was published in 2003, so covers up to 9/11):
I wouldn't have thought it that hard to figure out where Russia learned that propaganda model from.
Did we think Russians can't watch FOX or listen to AM radio? I mean, our 'PR' is clearly far more advanced, but I don't know how you can talk about all that for an entire paper and not once look in the mirror.
Russian TV is a great example of propaganda.
Truths viewed from special angle plus subtle lies...
The problem is that a lot of people still believe in everything that the see in the TV :(
I'm Russian. And while I agree that we have a propaganda, I can't say that the situation is any better in the West.
When I was living in UK for a while, I was amazed by how some really smart people have 100% level of trust to national media, so that they can't even perceive another point of view. All arguments were based on the fact that their media is historically old and never lies because it can't risk its reputation. And all Russian media is propaganda and controlled by Putin. It was 2014 and I can't say how much I was asked what I think about Putin. Honestly I didn't know what to answer because I don't like to talk about politics.
But since that time I know that if you look around the world you will notice the same BS but in different boxing. And people are equally vulnerable to buy it.
Distinctive Features of Contemporary Propaganda
1. High-volume and multichannel
2. Rapid, continuous, and repetitive
3. Lacks commitment to objective reality
4. Lacks commitment to consistency
This just strikes me as modern. It's not only Russia that does this. There are online movements that use the exact same technique.
I mean I actually watch Russian propaganda, as well as various other propaganda sources. It's rather clear what they're doing, and fully consistent with citizen behavior. Remember how just a few days ago Wagner took control of a 1M city, and citizens didn't care whatsoever?
The same patterns can be observed in the West, but to a much weaker degree. BTW, I'm not American in case this matters.
One way to explain it is that institutions (universities, courts of law, scientific research, parliaments) are not trusted by some (growing) number of people here. In Russia nobody believes in any institutions whatsoever, for example if the FSB rackets your business and takes over your apartment, well that's just part of life (complete lack of belief in any justice system). Like they won't even try to resist in any way.
Another way to explain the difference: there is no there there in modern Russian propaganda. It comes from absolutely nothing, no consistent philosophical system, no consistent policy, be it foreign or domestic, no consistent support or rejection of particular people or organizations. Should they lose the war then propaganda will just say that Ukraine is now denazified (if this term lasts that long), and will pretend like nothing bad happened, while on the next day will scream about how NATO is trying to kill Russia, then on the third day will pretend the topic doesn't exist, and so on and so on, without any pattern or rhythm.
What is astonishing is its psychological effectiveness. It seems to encompass all levels of Russian society, especially the poorer people who are cut off from anything but the state TV, but also the middle classes. And the elite is wise to shut up and pretend to believe though they surely know what goes on. The conformity to social norms is so important: if you don't condemn the Kiev Nazis, you are a fascist yourself. Any disagreement will make even friends and family members turn against you, regardless of how good evidence you have for what you say.
I know Russians who live abroad and/or are net-connected and understand what goes on, but they are simply staying quiet, because they don't want to loose contact to their relatives and long-time friends. In a way, it's an example of "The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil."
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