The oblique paradox of propaganda is that the lie in the throat

The words of John Grierson—“The oblique paradox of propaganda is that the lie in the throat becomes, by repetition, the truth in the heart”—resound as a solemn warning to all generations. In them is revealed the dark alchemy of deception: that a lie, spoken often enough, takes root not merely in the ear, but in the very heart of those who hear it. What begins as resistance—an uneasy feeling that something false has been uttered—fades with repetition, until the lie is no longer recognized as alien. It becomes familiar, and familiarity gives it the mask of truth. Thus does propaganda triumph, not by argument, but by persistence, drilling into the soul until doubt surrenders to belief.

The ancients knew this danger well. Plato in his Republic warned of the "noble lie," a story told again and again so that a people might accept their place in society. The Romans mastered this craft, elevating their emperors to gods, repeating the refrain until men bowed as though divinity truly walked among them. In every age, rulers and demagogues understood that a lie, boldly spoken once, may be doubted; but spoken a thousand times, it becomes a creed. This is the paradox Grierson unveils: the tongue utters falsehood, but the heart, wearied of resisting, embraces it as reality.

History offers a tragic witness in the machinery of the Third Reich. The Nazi regime, through endless repetition, convinced millions of ordinary citizens of lies so monstrous that, judged once, they would have seemed laughable or obscene. Through posters, speeches, and songs, these lies dripped day after day into the minds of the people, until suspicion hardened into hatred, and hatred blossomed into atrocity. The lie in the throat, repeated without ceasing, became in the heart of a nation a terrible and deadly “truth.” Thus we see that propaganda does not conquer by brilliance but by sheer persistence, whispering falsehood until the mind grows weary and the soul consents.

Yet the paradox has another face: lies repeated can also enslave the liar. For the speaker, too, grows accustomed to his own words, and soon the lie spoken for advantage becomes the lie believed. History remembers leaders who began by fabricating tales for control, only to be swallowed by their own deception, mistaking illusion for reality until they led themselves and their nations to ruin. The lie, like a serpent, devours not only the listener but also the one who looses it from his lips.

But the human heart, though vulnerable, is not defenseless. The antidote to propaganda is vigilance, the courage to remember, and the discipline of questioning. When a phrase is repeated endlessly, pause and ask: does its weight come from reality, or only from familiarity? When the crowd chants as one voice, ask: is this unity born of truth, or of fear? For the ancients also taught that truth, though sometimes whispered softly, endures, while falsehood, however loudly proclaimed, must one day collapse under its own emptiness. The heart that seeks truth with diligence will not so easily be captured by the snares of repetition.

The lesson for us is clear: guard your hearts against the soft corrosion of repeated lies. Do not mistake familiarity for truth, nor allow the comfort of belonging to drown the voice of reason. Train yourself to seek evidence, to welcome dissent, to love questions more than easy answers. For propaganda thrives not in strength, but in the laziness of minds that cease to examine. Each of us is responsible for keeping the heart awake, for only a vigilant heart can resist the power of the lie.

Therefore, O listener, remember this eternal teaching: truth needs only to be spoken once, but lies demand endless repetition. Do not weary of defending truth, nor grow numb to the sound of falsehood. For in a world where lies seek to become truth through persistence, your task is to strengthen the heart, to keep alive the flame of discernment, and to pass on to the next generation not the comfort of illusion, but the enduring light of reality. In this lies true freedom, and in this, the soul remains unconquered.