The media is completely disconnected from reality. We’ve all known it for a while. The challenge becomes—if we don’t trust the news—where do we source information? How do we filter it? How do we discern the truth? 

When did spreading propaganda begin? When did the news become a source we could no longer trust? Michelle Stiles wrote the book, “One Idea To Rule Them All: Reverse Engineering American Propaganda,” to answer these questions. It’s written to expose the realities of the world we live in, in terms of the role of propaganda and manipulation. Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation. 

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• What propelled Michelle to study propaganda [3:34]
• George Creel’s WWI propaganda [6:57] 
• Le Bon: The origins of mass persuasion [10:47] 
• Bernays: The idea of stagecraft [13:45] 
• The infrastructure of belief [16:35] 
• Why do we trust the propaganda? [23:37] 
• Deconstructing what we’ve been told [30:25] 
• Michelle’s research on the American Red Cross [37:47]

Resources & People Mentioned

• The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind
• Propaganda by Edward Bernays
• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

Connect With Michelle Stiles

• Michelle’s website: Smart Sheepe
• Get the book and study guide
• One Idea To Rule Them All: Reverse Engineering American Propaganda

Connect with Emerson Fersch

• Capital Investment Advisers
• On LinkedIn

Subscribe to Upthinking Finance

Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK