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