Boy, it sure is hard to come upon a definition of propaganda (or hype) these days, even though everyone is constantly attacking each other by calling their communications "propaganda". The closest I've come to a definition was to combine Noam Chomsky and Jaques Ellul: Propaganda: the manipulation of emotionally-potent oversimplifications (re: "facts" without contexts, as well as traditionally "understood" methods used to whip up hysteria against foreign and domestic alleged "enemies") towards groups and individuals who are not aware of such.

from J.Ellul's book, in the introduction, p.vii:

"Can wholesome propaganda be made for a wholesome cause? Can Democracy, Christianity, Humanism be propagated by modern propaganda techniques? Ellul traces the similarities among all propaganda efforts--Communitis, Nazi, Democratic. He thinks no one can use this intrinsically undemocratic weapon--or rather abandon himself to it--unscathed or without undergoing deep transformations in the process. He shows the inevitable, unwilled propaganda effects of which the 'good' propagandist is unaware, the 'fallout' from any major propaganda activity and all its pernicious consequences. Most pernicious of all: the process, once fully launched, tends to become irreversible."

from the article below:

"...the individual develops a psychological weakness that leaves he or she highly susceptible to propaganda and information, and therefore the most superficial aspect of a

popular event or action could lead the individual to adopt a new attitude or opinion. This is the fragile basis on which [most people determine their] beliefs, and this is the nature of the system as an abundance of information bombards the public through thousands of media outlets on a daily basis."

Is All Really Quiet on the Western Front?

By Jason Netherton

The context in which we construct and perceive our reality can be seen as a permanent battlefield. This is the ever-changing landscape that determines the direction our societies will take at any given moment, and upon which the forces of economics and politics converge to shape our perceptions on the meaningful issues in our lives. This battlefield is always