A 1930s taxonomy that still nails how persuasion is weaponized — name-calling, glittering generalities, and five more.
In 1937 the Institute for Propaganda Analysis distilled manipulation into seven recurring devices, and they remain a sharp field guide. NAME-CALLING: attach a bad label to an idea so it's rejected without examination. GLITTERING GENERALITY: wrap a claim in virtue words ('freedom,' 'security') that resist scrutiny. TRANSFER: borrow the authority of a respected symbol (flag, cross, science) for an unrelated agenda. TESTIMONIAL: have an admired (or despised) figure endorse/condemn something. PLAIN FOLKS: 'I'm just like you' to disarm skepticism. CARD STACKING: select only the facts that support one side, omitting the rest. BAND WAGON: 'everyone's doing it — join before you're left out.' None of these touch the actual merits of a claim; they bypass judgment. Learning them is inoculation: when you can name the device being used on you, its spell weakens. Pair this with the cognitive-bias map and you have a practical toolkit for reading anything — an ad, a speech, a viral post.
Investigate with the AI detective