Documentary News Letter (1942-1943)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER JANUARY 1942 THE BRAINS TRUST ON PROPAGANDA OR A LITTLE PRACTICAL HELP FOR THE M.O.I. Reprinted by the courtesy of the B.B.C. mccullogh : The next question comes from Mr. Hudson, who is in Queen Mary Hospital, Roehampton. He asks: "Why is propaganda so much more successful when it stirs up hatred than when it tries to stir up friendly feeling'" Campbell: Mind you, I think propaganda a very deadly weapon, and in the ordinary way, propaganda has an object, and it is much easier to point to something and get people to hale it. I think, than to get them to think well of it. If you've got something there, say either— any particular thing — a person or a creed, it's quite easy to use words to make them hate it, or much easier to make them care for it. So propaganda seems to me to be much easier on the evil side in fact I think it is one of the most evil things in the world today. If we could get rid of propaganda, the world would be a much better world, I think : and it seems to be always directed to the evil side of things, because that's a delinite object as against a sort of nebulous good object. That's the impression I get of propaganda. mccullough: Thank you. Lord De La Warr? de la warr: I think the question is based really on a half truth. We all of us as human beings have our — what we call our friendly side and our more hostile side. Take it in the case of (here the remainder of this sentence was inaudible because of someone coughing) ... in countries where we develop the friendly side to a very considerable degree, it's to some extent at the expense of suppressing the more hostile side. which then can very easily be appealed to at given moments, by propaganda. But similarly. 1 think if you took a country; take Germany, where the hate side has been developed very strongly, one hopes sooner or later certainly, for the future happiness of this world, at some time that the moment may come, ruined by propaganda, when we can haul out the friendly side that's been suppressed there. joad: Well, you know there is a very good definition of propaganda which says that you can always propagate a propaganda if you have the "proper geese". Now of all creatures known to man, the goose is the most indignant and the most given to hatred. I've often wondered whether that is what's at the basis of the proverb. I think that the real answer is this — that propaganda is successful in so far as it appeals — is it to the highest common factor or the lowest common multiple — I never can remember which — but whichever it is. to human feelings. Now I think the feeling o\' hatred and anger, and the desire to hurt, tends to the lowest common multiple, or highest common factor. It's a thing which we tend all of us, perhaps to have in common. especially in wartime. Whereas feelings of kindness and compassion, and, perhaps let me add, of good sense and the desire for truth, are things in respect of which we differ. Above all, propa ganda which appeals to hatred and appeals to malice tends to appeal to more people than propaganda which appeals to. what you might call, the nobler emotions. [ddendum, December 21s/. 1941. rOAD: The last thing and most difficult of all— and I have no time to deal with it— our most unfortunate answer to that question about propaganda. We gave the impression. I think, that propaganda was most successful when it appealed to man's lowest feelings. It seems to me that this week presents us with one outstanding example to the contrary, namely, the message of peace and goodwill— propaganda wasn't it'.' It germinated from Bethlehem two thousand years ago. more honoured you will say in the breach than in the observance — well, I agree, in the present situation, much would justify such a view. You know it is not wholly true, not wholly true that nobody ever responds to the noble appeal. Let those who believe that the Christmas spirit means nothing at all read A Christmas Carol again and read it every Christmas. It does seem to me nonsense to say that nobody has ever been moved by an appeal to what's best or to take the risk of a noble hypothesis being for once true and then to act on that risk. It is precisely that willingness which at times has transfigured the whole face of society. Think, for example, of the propaganda for the abolition of the slave trade or think of the propaganda which has moved so many of us today — the propaganda to fight for freedom and for human dignity. SCIENTIFIC FILM SOCIETIES The third session of the Aberdeen Scientific Film Club is now in full swing. Membership has not yet quite attained las' year's record, but is regarded as very satisfactory at a time when everincreasing demands are being made upon leisure time. The figure now stands at over two hundred. A new development not without significance is the affiliation to the club of the Regional Field Naturalists' Association. Programmes so far have included. Turn of the Furrow, Shipbuilding, Defeat Diphtheria, The I oi i/nvoini, hist Hint ion. Volcanoes, Ken sal House. Sex in Life, and The Gieat Tit. Following up the plan o[' former sessions the audience were asked to award marks to the various films. Here are some of the results: Volcanoes, 60",,: Kensal House, 63%; Distillation. 85",,: Sex in Life. 90%; The Great Til. 77",,. Many of the scientists present expressed the opinion that Distillation. considered from the point of view of the presentation of a subject requiring a considerable degree of technical understanding, was one of the most ingenious films that they had seen. The Workers' Educational Association have this winter experimented with a film show as part of their programme. On the IXth of last month Mrs. Nan Clow, of the Aberdeen S.I .< ., took a show of scientific films to Fraserburgh. Silent films only could be used but a varied programme was shown including The House Fly, Arabia and Islam, Volcanoes, and The Making ol Stained Glass. It is expected that further developments in this direction will take place. For the last programme of the present year the S.I .('. intend to show The Development of Railways. Crystals. Malaria. First Principles of Lubrication, and The fern. If these programmes show anything they show how quickly a film society working over a number of years consumes the existing first-class scientific films. Why are there so few films on technical subjects like Distillation, and endless pseudo-geographical films which almost invariably get adverse criticisms'.' Some knowledgeable person might through the good offices of the D.N.L. inform lis where the Fault lies. The Ayrshire Scientific Mini Society, alter one year's successful operation in Ayr, has recently expanded its activities and now covers six centres throughout the County. This development has been occasioned by the almost embarrassing demand from other County towns for information and guidance on the formation of Societies. So great was the enthusiasm that Dr. George Dunlop, Secretary of the Ayr Society, undertook the heavy job of showing a programme of scientific films at Troon, Kilmarnock. Ardrossan. Prestwick and Dalmellington, in addition to the normal Ayr show, all during one week, to test the possibilities of the situation. Result— Societies formed at Ardrossan, Prestwick and Dalmellington. The response at Troon did not justify continuing. At Kilmarnock, the hall was packed. In addition to the centres mentioned, requests to be included in the scheme were received from an army encampment and an R.A.F. station. This was agreed to. In all. therefore, six centres with a total membership to date of over 600, are having fortnightly shows quite a pleasing situation. The possibilities of further expansion are good. While each of the centres now formed will be a distinct Society, it became evident after the second meeting that some form of coordination was necessary. An ad lux committee, consisting of two members from each Society has been appointed to consider (a) formation of a County federation, (b) immediate co-ordination of film bookings to prevent overlapping. So much for the recent history of the Scientific Film Movement in Ayrshire. What of the problems now raised'.' Of all the difficulties, choice of films will now be the greatest. While Ayr was the only centre, the membership was fairly well classified under the following sections [a) agriculture. (/>) medicine, (c) laymen interested in any or all aspects of science. This being so. films were chosen from within fairly narrow limits, with occasional diversions to nature films. What now? Membership of the new Societies embraces all branches of science from chemistry to anthropology, from engineering to dietetics, from paleontology to micro-biology. A single booking of films passed on each night from Society to {Continued on page 14)