For my second visual argument I decided that nothing said Pathos like good old fashioned communist propaganda! For those who don't know the Ministerium fur Staatssicherhet (Ministry for State Security) or more commonly referred to as the Stasi, is widely regarded as one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies in the world and was headquartered in East Berlin from 1950 to 1989. The Stasi controlled almost every aspect of political behavior in the GDR(East Germany). The Stasi used mass propaganda to oust any aspect of the west and made it a point to find any who spoke against the government. The pathos of the Stasi came in the form of fear and respect. Signs like the one I'm bringing to class were shown everywhere encouraging support for the Stasi, and many in order to avoid the wrath of the Stasi became informants and spies, many giving up those close to them. Pathos like these are uncommon in most of todays country, but the memory of them shows the power of arugement and what it can be used for.
Monday, September 1, 2008
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3 comments:
I really enjoyed your post and especially what you had to say in class today when you presented the Stasi sign to us. I agree with you when you say that nothing quite shouts out Pathos like propaganda. Signs are everywhere you look and they all stand for something and most people know what that something is just by looking at it. For example, just by seeing a red light, or a red stop sign, people know what they are supposed to do. Some signs, like the one you brought to class, create a sense of fear in people just by looking at them.
I think you use a great example of pathos. You really can't get much more pathos than a propaganda add from a communist nation. They were great at getting people to view things the way they want you to view them whether it was from fear or any other means. I enjoyed reading your post.
I like the use of propaganda. It works so well and is so easily communicated and recognized. The sign was a great example of some very organized people. Good job.
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