In 1936, a man named Dwain Esper purchased the rights to a film called Tell Your Children. A church group originally financed the film in question. When Mr. Esper purchased said film, he reedited it and added some new footage. The resulting cinematic "triumph" was given a new name; the name by which it is more commonly known by just about every pothead that has ever sucked on the business end of a joint, or coughed a lung out after taking too big of a hit from his or her favorite gurgling bong: Reefer Madness (Cue Toccata And Fugue In D Minor by J. S. Bach.)
At the time, Reefer Madness, the most well known piece of cinematic anti-drug propaganda nowadays, didn't find a willingly receptive audience. Originally told as cautionary morality tale of what happens when young kids get involved in the seedy underbelly of the "drug world", Reefer Madness didn't come into its own until it was discovered by Keith Stroup of NORML in 1971. (1)
Once discovered, it rapidly achieved cult status. This is especially true of those patrons of midnight movies that did their watching in dirty "art" theaters surrounded by a cloud of cannabis-based smoke. While I never personally saw Reefer Madness in this sort of setting, I have seen other cult classics such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the height of tack-o-rama, Pink Flamingos by filth-miester supreme, John Waters.
Reefer Madness remains one of the most popular cult films to date. It is clearly in the company of such cult classics as, Night Of The Living Dead (the original), The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.
Reefer Madness was remade for the Showtime cable network in the form of an over-the-top musical in 2005.
Reefer Madness As Propaganda
I define Reefer Madness as propaganda because it fits the general definition as per the Meriam-Webster site: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person. (2)
For the purposes of this article, I am going to limit my discussion to the original film. While the musical could also be seen as propaganda, the focus of the musical is to point out hypocrisy, not to get the government to outlaw marijuana. Brevity demands I discuss only one version. Since the original film served as a basis for the musical, it makes sense to analyze the progenitor.
The obvious intent of Reefer Madness was to push for outlawing the possession and use of marijuana. It can be clearly seen that there is intent to "help" the cause of "right" in the film. Through the use of misinformation and emotional appeal, Reefer Madness paints marijuana with a very dark brush. I'll discuss specifics momentarily.
While watching Reefer Madness through the eyes of a baby boomer many years after the fact may be amusing, one has to realize it was produced for an entirely different, and decidedly more provincial audience. The upright citizens surely looked upon the film with shock, and perhaps real disgust...those that saw it.
The images and implications contained in the sixty-five minute black and white original are clearly engineered to be salacious, scandalous, and frightening to its intended audience. By the use of numerous over-the-top (for the time) scenes, the emotions of the target audience were clearly manipulated. It is the use of emotional appeal versus reason and rationality that made Reefer Madness an effective piece of propaganda.
How ironic it is that Reefer Madness is a cult favorite simply because it is so over the top. Most present day Americans realize that the world of Reefer Madness is a world that simply doesn't exist! It also didn't exist then. Nevertheless, Reefer Madness proved to be a potent weapon in the fight to outlaw pot.
The "God" Character
Reefer Madness is nothing more than the classic "good vs. evil" (or "Satan vs. God", if you will) morality tale. The characters are simple archetypes. Those characters that are "good" are REALLY good...better than good...absolute moral purity. Those characters that are "bad" are REALLY bad; the devil incarnate, if you will! After all, what's more irrational than the idea of an ongoing fight between god and the devil?
The "god" character is known as Dr. Alfred Carrol. He acts as both a narrator of sorts as well as a character involved in the main story. He is a dry, humorless, stodgy character. He is seemingly motivated by his concern about the problems that are being brought to his school by the neighborhood reefer den. He not only reeks of absolute moral purity, he drips with self-righteousness. Think grouchy curmudgeon with a snooty New England-esc air.
Propaganda works because the same people also control the citizen programming in the so called Public "Education".
It's taken a life time to grow out of my Public Education and discover reality on my own terms. It's somewhat different.
A totally different world awaits those who develope Independent Critical Analysis. Who Transcend their roles as "Believers".
The Media is essentially a Push button mechanism and the Buttons are installed by Instititutions most blindly trust.
Detachment should start just after disillusionment. Awakening begins with the self directed effort to own your knowledge. Not be owned.
You'll find that everything you're "taught" to believe is designed to make you a manipulatable tool stuck in a matrix called the Masses. The Walking dead. Bodies for hire.
It's a trap! GET OUT!!!!!
by
"Hoss" David P. (51 articles, 5 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 339 comments)
on Friday, July 6, 2007 at 4:23:10 PM
Propaganda works because the same people also control the citizen programming in the so called Public "Education".
Propaganda works because most humans have emotions that are easily manipulated. It's not just the educational system that is at fault. It is as much the fault of advertising (a soft-core form of propaganda) and parenting. Some parents allow and encourage their kids to think their own thoughts and become their own person. Other parents do everything in their power to keep their kids from self-actualization.
Some individuals are given to being led about by the nose. Others resist such automaton-like behavior. The former group is much more likely to fall victim to the psychic weaponry employed by propaganda. Unfortunately, there are also more people in the former group.
It's taken a life time to grow out of my Public Education and discover reality on my own terms. It's somewhat different.
It always is. I was fortunate because I was allowed to become my own person from early in my life. Because my parents didn't much care what I read, I read books that challenged the intellect and bring about a healthy case of cynicism (thank you, Alfred E. Neuman and Co.!). Once I found Ayn Rand, I had the already open mind in my skull expanded BIG TIME!
I am also fortunate in the fact that I had a Catholic education for most of my life. While one would assume that an education with a religious backdrop to it might render one hopelessly devoted to said religion. In my case, I wisely decided to give up being Catholic for Lent when I was eighteen, and I have yet to rescind that decision.
I have, at times in my life, ran into people who have either asked or demanded that I be ashamed of my education. I have no other choice but to laugh in the face of such people. I am still amazed that there are still such people in the world!
A totally different world awaits those who developd Independent Critical Analysis. Who Transcend their roles as "Believers".
True!
The Media is essentially a Push button mechanism and the Buttons are installed by Instititutions most blindly trust.
The installation of "buttons" is a complex thing. Even people who are smart and possessed of common sense have "buttons". Many "buttons" are installed by parents. Other "buttons" are installed by society. While it is true "buttons" make us vulnerable to the Machiavellian machinations of certain institutions (such as the advertising world).
Detachment should start just after disillusionment. Awakening begins with the self directed effort to own your knowledge. Not be owned.
Detachment is good. For some people, it is hard, if not impossible to achieve. Of course, as with all things, practice makes perfect.
Awakenings come in many forms. I have had numerous awakenings in my life. There was the awakening of my sexuality which culminated in my official coming out at sixteen. There was the awakening when I first tripped on acid. Then there was the awakening that night twenty-two years ago tomorrow that I hit my alcoholic bottom. Then there the awakening that was my trip from Toledo, Ohio to Dallas, Texas. Recently, it was the fact that I have ischemic heart disease that served as a rather rude awakening.
Awakenings come to everyone. They come for numerous reasons. As long as they result in personal growth, they are all valid.
Owning one's intellect shouldn't be preceded by anything. The human intellect remains the ONLY thing that separates us from "lower" life forms. It remains the ONLY evolutionary advantage we have. Yet so many people are way too willing to give it up just because they make the choice to be intellectually lazy.
I do not apologize for my education, my life, or my intellect. I also am unwilling to give these things away just because someone thinks I should. My life is my own.
You'll find that everything you're "taught" to believe is designed to make you a manipulatable tool stuck in a matrix called the Masses. The Walking dead. Bodies for hire.
True. It takes a certain kind of person to resist the pull of societal "buttons". It can happen to anyone. However, it requires one make an active choice to resist. It also requires work, unless one is of MENSA IQ.
It's a trap! GET OUT!!!!!
Run for you lives!
:)
Blessed be! Pappy
by
Pappy (61 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 863 comments)
on Friday, July 6, 2007 at 6:30:39 PM
You just won't try to escape from a prison or trap you're unaware of being in.
Disillusionment should come from that realization. Awakening is in part a strategy of escape.
Thanks for responding.
I enjoyed your article.
Yet, I have never seen Reefer Madness. But we all get to see Propaganda. It scares me to think of the Propaganda that I miss even though I feel I spot a lot.
Vigilance.
Be the sentry of your mind and emotions.
Know yourself.
Knowing yourself is key to knowing the games of others.
by
"Hoss" David P. (51 articles, 5 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 339 comments)
on Friday, July 6, 2007 at 8:24:48 PM
Yet, I have never seen Reefer Madness. But we all get to see Propaganda. It scares me to think of the Propaganda that I miss even though I feel I spot a lot. You can also buy the original as it's available for less than ten bucks from most video places. It's been in the public domain for a really long time.
There is also the musical version, which I recommend if you are into musicals. The production values for it are out of this world. It carries a message with which I think you might sympathize and identify. Also, if you get the musical, you get the original black and white movie as well under extra features. If you have ever smoked pot, you are sure to find something entertaining in both version of Reefer Madness.
And informative as well. Both versions of the story carry a lot of messages. You can see how they used misinformation and emotional appeal in the original. You can also get the "Big Brother" warnings from the musical. For the person of a political bend of any kind, Reefer Madness is a must-see!
I'm, currently in the process of tweaking part II of this series of articles. I will submit it as soon as I get it done. If you liked this article, you'll love the next one.
Blessed be! Pappy
by
Pappy (61 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 863 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 3:16:20 AM
