Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Glenn Diesen: The Science of Political Propaganda
Nov 20, 2025
Explore the fascinating science behind political propaganda, where subconscious group instincts often overpower rational thought. Discover how Freud's theories were adapted by Edward Bernays to manipulate public opinion, famously influencing women's smoking habits and U.S. foreign policy. Learn about the modern demand for simplified narratives in complex societies and how framing conflicts as good versus evil shapes perceptions. Delve into the impact of propaganda on the Ukraine crisis and the critical distinction between propaganda and public relations.
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Propaganda Targets The Subconscious Herd
- Propaganda manipulates the audience by appealing to subconscious group instincts rather than rational arguments.
- Glenn Diesen explains that humans balance rationality with powerful herd instincts that propaganda targets to override critical thought.
Bernays Turned Marketing Into Political Propaganda
- Edward Bernays built political propaganda from Freud's group psychology and applied marketing tactics to politics.
- Glenn Diesen recounts Bernays' marketing campaigns, including convincing women to smoke via the 'Torches of Freedom' campaign.
Propaganda And The Guatemala Coup
- Bernays also worked for United Fruit to cast Guatemalan leader Jacobo Arbenz as a communist threat.
- Glenn Diesen describes how this manufactured narrative helped justify US intervention and regime change.