Throughout history, propaganda has been used to misdirect, misinform and deflect truth and reality from people in order to create behavior and inspiration for political, religious and economic ideas. Language, art and music are the primary tools used for communication, and they have been used for both good and bad effect, often encouraging people to make stupid decisions. This program explores human gullibility, the pitfalls of language and communication, famous propagandists in history and how it affects us today in a world of social media, 24-hour “news” outlets, political pundits, politicians, friends and family.

Instructor: Steve Pollack lectures on culture, history, music and art in area schools, libraries, and community & continuing education groups.