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Pakistan. The major stages of propaganda include; the ideology and foundations of the
propaganda, the situation where the propaganda happens, the propagandist, the organizational
arrangement of the propaganda, the audience, the media techniques, other specific techniques,
the reaction, a counter-propaganda based on the reaction and the effects of it all (Jowett 213).
Irrespective of the technique used, the criteria are that it is perceived, understood, recalled and
reacted to. This approach is like that of advertising. Propaganda against Pakistan started with the
social proof. Given that the ordinary citizen does not understand the nuclear technology, the
media propagated that Pakistan was having strong relationships with countries commonly known
as enemies of the USA. An article in the Washington Post highlighted that an Iranian Minister
had congratulated Pakistan on their achievement and that it was a win for all Muslims. This
made the public aware of the close relationship between Iran and Pakistan. This ended up
creating a negative opinion over Pakistan in the US that before did not exist. Therefore,
propaganda influences public opinion.
Exaggerations
An exaggeration is the use of a statement to make something seem as more than it really
is, either positively or negatively. The media use exaggerations when trying to make a point. The
data provided in the Dust Bowl Odyssey indicating that a huge percentage of the population was
affected by the incident is an exaggeration as research shows that only 2% of the population was
affected by the Dust Bowl (Hornbeck 1479). Additionally, the immigrants are described as being
in bad shape, in the novel but they settled into better lands than they originally were in and their
overall life was more productive. In the Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck uses detailed imagery and
other writing techniques to push the audience. Steinbeck later concedes that “I’ve done my
damnedest to rip a reader’s nerves to rags.” (Chilton).The reaction to this book was as