I hear it used all the time, but noticed I don’t know exactly what it means. The actual definition of it is very broad.
“The spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.”
However, this doesn’t quite feel like how the word is often used. I’ve only ever seen it used with a negative connotation. If I were to spread information about climate change for the planet, am I spreading propaganda?
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Propaganda is not inherently bad, no. If you were spreading ideas about climate change to try to help the planet, yes, that would be propaganda and people would probably not argue that it’s bad. Propaganda has a bad reputation, though, because it’s *often* misleading or outright untrue. Even if it is true, it’s often intrusive or aggressive.
People don’t really like being told what to think. Propaganda *feels* manipulative…because it is. It might be manipulating you for a genuinely good cause that will improve your life and the world around you. It still *feels* icky.
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