Public opinion

There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion.

Winston Churchill

It is well-known fact that people are used to believe in advertisement, articles or speeches, if they are based on public opinion. So-called herd instinct is worked. And nobody cares is this «public opinion» real or dummy.

I am absolutely agree with the view of Winston Churchill that there is no such thing as public opinion, only published opinion. This method of psychological manipulation is usually used by policy. It is not a secret that many prints and channels are under the influence of some political parties or politicians. That is why very often some, for example, newspaper favors are shown it the most flattering light. Such materials often use generalizations to stress how many electorates support this or that candidate. Not even such information is overtly false.¹

In addition, the method of manipulation of public opinion is frequently used in advertising. How often we hear from the dynamics of our TV such fragments of phrases as «nine out of ten Russian women use this cleanser» or «all the real men choose our deodorant»?! As they say, in war all methods are good, so every adman wants to sell their goods in more profitable way and use the effect of «public opinion».²

On the other hand, it is not a rule and often public and published opinions are the same. Sometimes public opinion has the ability to change the course of history. For example, in the midst of the great US depression, Franklin Roosevelt's reluctance to join the anti-German war effort was finally decided by the bombing of Pearl Harbour. This event changed everything in the hearts and mind of the American public, giving the president the public support he needed.³

In conclusion I only can add that it is just human nature to follow the public opinion. But who has time or the energy to sort all the issues and identify the majority opinion? The media does this for us.⁴ Unfortunately, nowadays the media is not so independent as we can wish. That is why we always have to be careful in our trust.

Julia Agryzkova, 347

¹ «How The Media Sways Public Opinion» by Roland Kriewaldt

 ² «Who Cares about Public Opinion? It’s All About Published Opinion» by Scott Laine

³ «Public opinion can play a positive role in policy making» by Marcus Hobley

⁴ «Media Framing» by Kerri D.