Book review: Crystallizing Public Opinion

“It is manifestly impossible for either side in [a political] dispute to obtain a totally unbiased point of view as to the other side. . . . . The only difference between ‘propaganda’ and ‘education’, really, is in the point of view. The advocacy of what we believe in is education. The advocacy of what we don’t believe in is propaganda. . . . . Political, economic and moral judgments, as we have seen, are more often expressions of crowd psychology and herd reaction than the result of the calm exercise of judgment.” Edward Bernays, Crystallizing Public Opinion, 1923

“Intolerance is almost inevitably accompanied by a natural and true inability to comprehend or make allowance for opposite points of view. . . . We find here with significant uniformity what one psychologist has called ‘logic-proof compartments.’ The logic-proof compartment has always been with us.” Edward Bernays, Crystallizing Public Opinion, 1923

“The relativity of truth is the commonplace to any newspaperman, even to one who has never studied epistemology; and, if the phrase is permissible, truth is rather more relative in Washington than anywhere else. . . . . most of the news that comes out of Washington is necessarily rather vague, for it depends on assertions of statesman who are reluctant to be quoted by name, or even by description.” Edward Bernays, Crystallizing Public Opinion quoting Elmer Davis in his book, History of the New York Times, 1921

“The public and the press, or for that matter, the public and any force that modifies public opinion, interact. . . . . The truth is that while it appears to be forming public opinion on fundamental matters, the press is often conforming to it. . . . . Proof that the public and the institutions that make public opinion interact is shown in instances in which books were stifled because of popular disapproval at one time and then brought forward by popular demand at a later time when public opinion had altered. Religious and very early scientific works are among such books.” Edward Bernays, Crystallizing Public Opinion, 1923

Book review: Edward Bernays (1891-1995), nephew of Sigmund Freud, coined the term “public relations.” He advocated use of shrewd, sophisticated, science-based propaganda to both conform to and shape public opinion to sell products and ideas. Bernays arguably was among the 30 most influential but least well known Americans of the 20th century. He was instrumental in establishing public relations as a necessary component of commercial, political and other important interests in building acceptance of what the PR person’s client was selling.

Products Bernays helped sell in his lifetime ranged from consumer products, commercial ideas and a stage play designed to inform the public about a serious public health issue (syphilis) to coaxing Americans into a patriotic fervor about, and support for, entry into World War I. Consumer products he successfully sold included bacon, hair nets and silk. Commercial ideas he successfully sold included public support for private ownership of electric utilities and, against a prevailing public belief that jewelry was useless, public acceptance of the idea that jewelry was really valuable and desirable. One commentator credited Bernays with being a key influencer in the conversion of the American public’s mind set from one of needs-based, buy only what you need, to one of desires-based, buy what you want.



In coaxing the American public into accepting entry into World War I, Bernays worked for the U.S. Committee on Public Information, a federal government propaganda agency dedicated to building American public support for the war. Before then, Americans were skeptical about entering the war. After realizing how amazingly successful this propaganda effort was in changing public opinion in both the US and Britain, Bernays realized that since science-based propaganda could be used to sell political ideas, it should also work for consumer and commercial products and ideas.

Bernays was right.

In his 1923 book, Crystallizing Public Opinion, Bernays lays out his argument that propaganda and public relations were both critical and good in democratic governance. People who strongly shaped Bernays’ thinking included his uncle, Freud, social psychologist Wilfred Trotter who coined the term ‘logic-proof compartment’ and authored the 1916 book, The Instincts of the Herd in Peace and War, British political scientist and social psychologist Graham Wallas (Human Nature in Politics, 1908) and the reporter and political commentator Walter Lippmann (a socialist who invented the concept of ‘stereotype’ as it is now understood in modern psychology) who has been called the ‘Father of Modern Journalism’ by some commentators.[1]

Bernays professed to hold as a core concept the role of ethics in propaganda. Until the end of his life, he never felt that propaganda was a means to deceive, but instead was to inform or educate, thereby shaping public opinion. He never wavered in his belief that he was always on the side of good and right. Among other things, his later book Propaganda (1928) was his attempt to rehabilitate the term propaganda from synonymous with deceit and lies to its original meaning of educating. Ironically, Bernays’ work for the U.S. Committee on Public Information (CPI) was part of what helped lead the US public to think that propaganda meant deceit and lies. That meaning still prevails today.

In the introduction to Crystallizing Public Opinion by Stewart Ewen (2011), Ewan observes that “In many ways, the experiences of the First World War challenged many mainstream intellectuals’ faith in the possibility of direct democracy.[2] The propaganda efforts of the CPI reinforced a growing belief that ordinary men and women were incapable of rational thought. For democracy to work effectively, public opinion needed to be guided by what historian Robert Westbrook has characterized as ‘enlightened and responsible elites.’”

As Bernays alludes to in Crystallizing Public Opinion, basic definitions can be basically impossible to articulate. Thus, what’s an ‘enlightened and responsible elite’ to one person can easily be an uninformed and irresponsible dolt to another.

Nuts and bolts: Crystallizing Public Opinion is a short, easy to read book (155 pages). This book review is based on the edition with an excellent 30 page introduction by Stuart Ewen (2011). For anyone interested in politics and the science of politics, this book is highly recommended. It provides an outstanding history and context for modern American politics and commerce in the words of a key influencer.

Footnote:
1. Lipmann was pivotal in convincing president Wilson to establish the Committee on Public Information, which rejected the term propaganda. The CPI considered it's content to be educational and based on facts with no other argument involved. History has shown that self-delusion to be blatantly false. Lipmann worked with Bernays on the CPI.

2. It’s not clear if Ewen really means true direct democracy in the old Athens Greece sense or whether he refers to American indirect democracy.

B&B orig: 5/18/17