There is a profound difference between the language used to convey information, and the language used to convey propaganda. Here is a trivial example.
Information: Right now (1:06 PM on March 6, 2018) I am holding my cat. He has curly black fur, gold eyes, and he is purring.
Propaganda: People everywhere are enjoying the immense benefits of pet ownership.
The information statement includes specific subjects and verifiable details, and leaves room to ask follow-up questions that can further identify the subjects and ground the information in time and space. The propaganda statement invokes poorly-defined subjects ("people everywhere"), a relatable emotion (enjoyment), and something to desire ("immense benefits").
What happens in your head when you read the propaganda statement? If I imagine someone else saying it out loud, I can trace my own physiological responses and most likely thoughts (assuming I hear it while in an unguarded state).
"People everywhere..." (I am part of people everywhere!) [Receptive, ready to relate]
"...are enjoying..." (I want to enjoy things) [Imagining feeling enjoyment]
"...the immense benefits..." (I could seriously use some immense benefits) [Imagining feeling healthier]
"...of pet ownership." (Oh cool! I own a pet. That makes me one of the smart people enjoying immense benefits. Keep talking, you're making me feel good about my life choices.) [Feeling validated]
I think language has powerful effects on our state of mind and emotional well-being. I don't know how common it is for people to develop the self-awareness to notice those shifts as they happen, but I think it's mission critical to aspire to that self-awareness.
The above was intended to be a benign example. However, propaganda language can be (and, I think, often is) used to place an audience in a negative emotional state (such as fear, anger, dissatisfaction) and then tell the audience how to fix the problem. So here's my goal: every time I hear a propaganda message (from any political origin) and feel my emotions start to shift under my feet, take a few deep breaths and tell myself, "I am happy." Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.
Meaningful action need not be contingent on negative emotion.
