The history of propaganda parallels the history of despotic and tyranical regimes ... but it may be even more pervasive in modern society than this alone.

One of the factors that makes an initiative like TrueValueMetrics important is the way in which data are being use to 'misinform' the public at large ... the way facts are 'spun' to support an agenda and the associated messages.

This is common in politics.

Maybe it is even more common in academia and economics, in business and finance and in the manipulation of public opinion in support of special interests of all sorts.

Lobbying is used to influence politicans who are engaged in making legislation. Propaganda is used to influence the public ... to make the public believe things that may not have very much basis in fact, but favor the special interest of those behind the propaganda.

Transparency would help ... but merely seeing without having the ability to understand is a waste of time and effort.

Peter Burgess
January 2012 ... Preliminary draft and placeholder