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Propaganda of the 'Big Lie'
One of the main theories of the totalitarian propaganda machine of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany was that of the 'big lie,' or the theory that if one told a lie that was 'big enough,' the lie was more likely believed by the public. This was put into action during Hitler's reign in numerous instances, such as when Hitler's political opponents were blamed without evidence for the burning of the Reichstag, to justify Hitler's assumption to power, as well the regime's frequent attribution of various unsubstantiated crimes to minorities deemed to be enemies of the government.
Although American consumers might like to think that they are above such credulous behavior, consider how the 'big lie' is often put into effect in many advertisements. Advertisements for dietary supplements and weight loss pills often make claims that sound ridiculous, such as 'take Pill X and lose 40 pounds in 30 days.' However, many consumers buy such drugs, often with the rationale that 'they couldn't make such a sweeping claim if there wasn't some truth to it,' going by the faulty logic that 'when there is smoke, there is fire.' This is one of the ways the 'big lie' works upon the human mind. A smaller lie or exaggeration might be dismissed, or fail to make an impression upon the listener's consciousness, but a big lie both attracts attention and is so shocking it is assumed that it must be valid, at least in part.
The use of the 'big lie' has no utilitarian justification. It fulfills no greater good, as it is based upon unsound evidence. It preys upon the fears and needs of the public. Hitler justified such lies because he rationalized that it would create support for an ideology that would supposedly save Germany from its post-World War I shame. Advertisers use the 'big lie' to draw attention to their product, and because other, competing products also lie, thus causing a kind of competition between who can tell the most arresting 'big lie.' But this supposed need to draw attention to a product does not excuse advertisers taking advantage of the public. Even if the public should know better, the most discerning minds are likely to doubt their own sound logic, if the truth is assaulted enough on a daily basis, as occurred in Germany.
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