How Not to Be Fooled
Instructor: Mark McDonald
This course starts in September. First class meeting is Wed Sept 6 at 6:00 PDT
Syllabus (Subject to Change)
Course Description
Since 2020, the manipulation of mass perception of reality has become increasingly obvious to many people in the US, however, most people do not have a context within which to interpret this phenomenon. In this course, all aspects of the pathological basis, effects and tools of mass perception manipulation will be explored with a focus on historical and recent examples.
Section 1: A History of Propaganda
Seminar 1: Overview—Defining Terms
Seminar 2: The Role of Language
Seminar 3: The Role of Censorship
Seminar 4: China—a Case Study
Section 2: Propaganda in the Present
Seminar 5: Pandemic of Fear—The Wuhan Virus
Seminar 6: Fact Checkers
Seminar 7: Technology
Seminar 8: The United States
Section 3: The Future of Propaganda
Seminar 9: Politics
Seminar 10: Business
Seminar 11: Media
Seminar 12: Education
Section 4: Protection From Propaganda—Countering Dependency and Control
Seminar 13: Fostering Critical Thinking
Seminar 14: Fostering Curiosity
Seminar 15: Fostering Independence