The engineering of consent is the very essence of the democratic process, the freedom to persuade and suggest. - Edward Bernays

In theory, everybody buys the best and cheapest commodities offered to him on the market. In practice, if every one went around pricing, and chemically testing before purchasing, the dozens of soaps or fabrics or brands of bread which are for sale, economic life would become hopelessly jammed.

The best defense against propaganda: more propaganda.

Propaganda is of no use to the politician unless he has something to say which the public, consciously or unconsciously, wants to hear.