Edward L. Bernay’s impact to the American democracy and consumerism

L.Bernay is a psychologist. He is a Sigmund Freud’s nephew. Freud is also psychologist. L. Bernay was an expert about PR(Publc Relation) based on psychology. He called as the ‘Father of Spin’. The word ‘spin’ means that a cooked up information but it is based on fact not the fake. L. Bernay was good at decorating some informations. So he known as the ‘Father of spin’. He usually worked up with manufacturing company. He contributed to sell some products. For example, Ivory soap and Lucky strike are the representative product.

The mean of spin is similar with conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom relate to public psychology. We can usually find ‘conventional wisdom’ in the custom of country. For example, korean sometimes thinks that white people are rich and smart but black people are poor and stupid so korean prefer white people when they met with foreigner. The mean of spin sometimes base on the junk science. Junk science is temtating a lot of people. It is based on assumption but said as like truth. It is useful way to sell some product because a lot of people believe scientific fact is always it is very dangerous situation.

L.Bernay’s work influence a lot to the American democracy and consumerism. He helped John Calvin Coolidge who America’s 30^th president. John Calvin Coolidge was imaged very stiff and called at first. But after L.Bernay teached him as a self PR way, John Calvin Coolidge was changed more favorable than before. It is called as a PI(President Identity). It was big influencing to the America’s democracy politic society and It is still useful way to show some good images to the public as politicians.

Product PR is the most important part to sell the product in consumerism society. L.Bernay was good at Product PR. Ivory soap and lucky strike are the representative product. He ancouraged people to attend sculpture contest using ivory soap. It was being very famous contest and people used ivory soap more and more. He also ancouraged people(especially woman) smoke lucky strike cigarett as show some good imagenary through media ad. He shows that woman smoke with man naturally and said ‘it is symbolized woman’s progressive mind’.

There are a lot of examples similar with L.bernay’s work in korea. Dr. whang was a very contraversial people in korea. He announced some theory about embryonic stem cell in the world science magazine. It was a big issue because his theory seems like solving incurable disease right away and a lot of korean anticipated Dr. Whang might take a novel prize. So many press reported as like a hero. Dr. Whang was used for encouraging the nation. But it was a fake, he fabricated a thesis and commited an error while he was working.