Informational and Manipulative Aspects of Propaganda: the Problem of Ideological Distinction

Abstract

The relevance of the issue of wars for consciousness in the situation of socio-cultural dynamics in the context of globalization and digitalization determines the relevance of a certain reconceptualization of the concept of propaganda. The latest mechanisms of formation, representation, existence and transmission of information create a situation in which propaganda in general can lose touch with the factuality of the description of the real state of affairs. The purpose of the article is to outline the correlation between the informational and manipulative components of communication from the perspective of the ideological background as a symbolic landscape of ideology in order to optimize resistance to manipulative influence techniques, ensure content analysis, fact-checking, and form critical thinking. To achieve the goal of the study, various scientific methods were used, in particular the method of historical and philosophical analysis, elements of analytical methodology, comparative analysis. It has been established that the interaction between the informational and manipulative components of information in propaganda is determined by the appropriateness of means, such as discursive practices or symbolic series to the goal of information action. At the same time, the information aspect is consistently perceived by the cognitive agent as value- and emotionally neutral, while the appeal to emotions implies a manipulative effect. The correlation of ideology as a symbolic landscape of propaganda and philosophical, primarily epistemic, foundations of information interaction in the conditions of digitalization of socio-cultural communication and virtualization of cultural and intercultural interaction allows us to conclude about the reverse nature of their mutual influence, when propaganda can acquire the features of ideology and vice versa, primarily due to the space of virtuality, AI technologies, and digitalization of people's life forms. All of the above outlines the prospects for further research into the philosophical vision of the correlation of ideology and propaganda from the perspective of their structure. The practical significance of the results lies primarily in the fact that the proposed mechanism for distinguishing between informational and manipulative influences can be used in fact-checking algorithms and the cultivation of information culture and media literacy.