Propaganda Methods (VII.)
This is the last propaganda device that we wish to introduce to our readers in this series.
The Band Wagon
"The "Band Wagon" is a device to make us follow the crowd, to accept the propagandist's program en masse. Here his theme is: "Everybody is doing it." His techniques range from those of medicine show dramatic spectacle. He hires a hall, fills a great stadium, marches a million men in parade. He employs symbols, colors, music, movement, all the dramatic arts. He appeals to the desire, common to most of us, to "follow the crowd." Because he wants us to "follow the crowd" in masses, he directs his appeal to groups held together by common ties of nationality, religion, race, environment, sex, vocation. Thus, propagandists campaigning for or against a program will appeal to us as Catholics, Protestants, or Jews, as members of the Nordic race or as negroes; as farmers or as school teachers; as housewives or minors, All the artifices of flattery are used to harness the fears and hatreds, prejudices and biases, convictions and ideals common to the group; thus emotion is made to push and pull the group to the Band Wagon. In newspaper articles and in the spoken word, this device is also found. "Don't throw your vote away. Vote for our candidate. He's sure to win." Nearly every candidate wins in every election.... before the votes are in. (Propaganda Analysis, Vol. 1)
I feel certain that every one of us is very familiar with the Band Wagon device of propaganda. None of the devices that we have studied are by any means new. They have been in use by man for centuries. They are used in politics, in advertising products for the public, in religion and in most every walk of life. Sometimes the Band Wagon appeal is made to a large group and sometimes it is simply an appeal to a select group. Maybe some distillery wants you to get on the "Men of Distinction" Band Wagon. Or perhaps a tobacco company wants you to get on the "Thinking Man's" Band Wagon.
Every parent is very familiar with the "Everybody is doing it, "Band Wagon appeal as presented by so many children with regard to the activities of their peers. This means a lot to a child. We have to begin then to teach them that Christians do not follow the crowd and that we do not jump on every Band Wagon that comes along.
Last Monday evening several of us gathered in the home of brother Farris Dillard to discuss with two Mormon elders. At the beginning of the discussion the group in Salt Lake City and the Reorganized group in Missouri The answer was that the group in Missouri was a much smaller group and was diminishing in size while the group they were with was much larger and growing rapidly. The point was that if you want to be with an up and coming group then jump on the Band Wagon with the Salt Lake City Mormons, Even brethren use this device. We like to advertise that we are the fastest growing group in America. Certainly this is nice to know if it is true, but do we advertise it out of pride and for the purpose of swaying people's thinking or just as a matter of record. Those who are promoting most of the grandiose projects among us like to make the Band Wagon appeal. In its latest issue of the GOSPEL DEFENDER, J. Porter Wilhite refers to those who oppose these things as "erring brethren" who are "now on the want." In other words, if you want to be a part of the group that is really going places--then you had better fall in line with all the schemes that brethren concoct. Get on the Band Wagon brethren.
The trouble is that too many brethren have gotten on the Band Wagon. They have succumbed to the lure of the promotional schemes of the denominational world and to the methods of the Madison Avenue hucksters. While once these same brethren would have made light of such antics if the Baptists or Methodists performed them, they now out-perform the most promotional Baptist Church anywhere. James W. Adams points out in the latest issue (July 2) of his bulletin that the church is now sponsoring Hootenannies. C. Dale Brooks had published an article in his bulletin of June 21 showing that one of the denominations had had a "Holy Hootenanny" and he points out that perhaps he has now heard everything. But he hasn't. Brother Adams shows that the church of Christ in Jal, New Mexico advertised for the young people to get together for a great---B--I--G "Hootenanny." Many brethren are on a Band Wagon but it is the Wagon that they used to preach against and know to be wrong. It is sad indeed to see brethren traveling a path they know to be wrong.
Let us ever be careful that we do not heed an appeal simply because "everybody is doing it." Let us not follow a crowd to do evil. Weigh the facts and do not decide the issue on emotional appeal.
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