Political Goebbelism: Repeat A Lie, Rely On Rhetoric And Believe The Masses To Be Perennially Credulous

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 1 May 2024 The More Often A Stupidity Is Repeated, The More It Gets The Appearance Of Wisdom. Voltaire Ahamaqon Ki Baatein Bhi Sach Maaloom Hoti Hain Kai Ahmaq Milkar Jab Unhein Dohrane Lagte Hain Ayaaz Jhansvi (Statements of fools appear to be authentic when other fools repeat them frequently) Voltaire's quote and Urdu poet Ayaaz Jhansvi's couplet illuminate an essential truth about human behaviour and the power of perception. In these astute observations, Voltaire and Ayaaz highlight the tendency of individuals or society to accept falsehoods as truths simply due to their constant repetition. This idea suggests that, over time, misinformation or illogical beliefs can gain credibility and mask their true nature, giving them an illusory aura of wisdom. By emphasizing the danger of blindly accepting popular opinions without critical thinking, Voltaire and Ayaaz challenge us to question the validity and origin of commonly repeated ideas, encouraging us to seek genuine knowledge rather than succumb to the allure of apparent wisdom. This appears to be strikingly true in these times. Uneducated Baba Ramdev and his Nepali partner kept advertising Patanjali's dubious products and people believed. They hoodwinked the gullible masses of India for a decade just by repeating their false claims. Set and fixed political narratives of the current dispensation are being repeated to the point of convincing people that what's being claimed is true and authentic. Every day on your mobile, you receive a truckload of spurious messages, claims and information regarding a certain party's stupendous 'achievements' and you think them to be true. Noam Chomsky says that ' Repetition is a potent tool which works very well when mediocrity is widespread.' A leader has been repeating the same lies for years and people are believing, nay, going gaga over him. His repeated lies have become oracular truths because he has a team of liars to repeat his hackneyed statements until they become Gospel truths. Muslims are being repeatedly projected as traitors and infiltrators. So, when the PM of the biggest democracy repeats the same with nonchalance, he becomes country's 'saviour.' Political Goebbelism (coined after the Nazi politician and philologist Paul Joseph Goebbels) is disturbingly obvious: Play your cards well. Repeat a lie, rely on rhetoric and believe the masses to be perennially credulous. Your hegemony and invincibility will be hardly challenged. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/political-goebbelism-rhetoric-perennially-credulous/d/132238 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism