Propaganda and Some...

I liked the propaganda activity because it was engaging. I think students would learn a lot from the same activity because they are so impressionable and don't realize it. It's sad that some of those forms of propaganda are allowed to exist, but it is important to remember that society lets them exist because it falls for each technique. To me, bashing an opponent, be it political or business, immediately reveals the basher's inferiority. Resorting to putting other people / products down only shows that you can't think of enough positive things to say about yourself/your product for 30 seconds; that is sad. However, millions of Americans tune into those types of commercials and listen, but do not evaluate what they have heard. Thus dishonest forms of propaganda continue.

On the business side of things, propaganda is necessary for success. My dad owns his own business, and even as a child I observed his salesmanship and critiqued his overly abundant honesty about his products. I coached him not to lie, but not to be the first to point out the negatives either. Focus on the positive. As you take in different forms of propaganda, it is necessary to assess what you are being told versus what is being sold in order to come to a balanced evaluation of what is really going on...

As far as listening in general, there is a reason friends who are "good listeners" derive such acclaim. It's hard to listen without anticipating speaking. We are all the center of our own universe and therefore selfish - which bleeds into our listening skills. It's okay, it's human, but we can't expect much in the form of listening from students unless we coach them and serve as a role model for good listening.