The insidious legacy of Nazi propaganda extends far beyond its immediate political and social impact, infiltrating even the most seemingly innocuous aspects of modern life. One such arena where the shadow of Nazi influence looms large is in the realm of finish coating paradigms, where consumers and contractors are often persuaded to embrace toxic coatings despite awareness of their dangers and drawbacks. By delving into the techniques employed by Nazi propaganda, we can uncover how these tactics continue to shape consumer behavior and perpetuate harmful practices in the coatings industry.

When we examine the Nazi imago, we find Hugo Boss designer uniforms or costumes obfuscating while declaring the dark underbelly of hatred for humanity as a whole, ginning up national fervor and pride, scapegoating, smear campaigns, and stacking the deck against their perceived opponents and competitors, creating a collective consensus within a hive mind and spreading suspicion and fear. Techniques used by Edward Bernays were a favorite of the Nazi regime and quickly carried over into modern America and Madison Avenue public relations and advertising concerns which included appealing to the desires of the consumers of the propaganda especially on the level of the id and shadow aspects of the human psyche. Such methodologies required in many cases lying to the public, twisting, distorting, and obfuscating of the facts and reality in favor of the party line or the desired goals of the government and their dominant corporate partners. Whether the target was Jews, Gypsies, the handicapped, competing countries or brands, the techniques employed were the same. We see this very fascistic trend happening today across the “Five Eyes” surveillance states in their scapegoating of persona-non-grata whistleblowers, real journalists and alternative media personalities, and politicians. There are few things more deceiving than a devil dressed up like an angel with a smiling face. It is in this very same manner that toxic, inferior products with planned obsolescence intentionally built into them are marketed to an unsuspecting public. The finish coatings industry is a prime example of such marketing and deception. By the end of WW2, the world had adopted many Nazi “innovations” but their often insidious founding should not be overlooked.

1. **Appeal to Nationalism, Group Consensus, and Identity**: Nazi propaganda was notorious for its manipulation of nationalistic fervor and appeals to collective identity. Similarly, in the coatings industry, manufacturers often market toxic coatings as symbols of national pride or technological superiority. By associating these coatings with group consensus and progress in the form of innovation that are often nothing more than sleight of hand, consumers and contractors are encouraged to overlook the potential health and environmental risks in favor of perceived benefits. With the advent of the internet and social media it has become increasingly easy for such poison junk peddlers to deceive consumers and professional tradesman alike by paying influencers to tout their products while denigrating legitimate alternatives. In addition, sycophants of these dominant big chemical brands will even go out of their way to promote and defend the very products that are poisoning them and/or giving them inferior results. It is a characteristic of human nature, a social animal, to want to belong and associate with a group, and that makes for easy pickings for big chemical, big pharma, and similar industrial overlords.

2. **Misinformation and Distortion of Facts**: Propaganda relies on the distortion of facts and dissemination of misinformation to sway public opinion. In the coatings industry, manufacturers may downplay or outright deny the harmful effects of toxic coatings, instead emphasizing and exaggerating their performance and durability. By obscuring the truth about the health risks and shortcomings associated with these coatings, consumers and contractors are misled into believing that they are safe and effective solutions. (Look for an upcoming blog about the many shortcomings of film forming finishes and their unsuitability for many of their most popular applications.)

3. **Fearmongering and Social Pressure, and the Politics of Personal Destruction**: Nazi propaganda often utilized fearmongering and social pressure tactics to coerce compliance and conformity. Similarly, in the coatings industry, contractors may feel pressured to use toxic coatings due to fear of losing business or reputation. Additionally, consumers may be influenced by societal norms and expectations, opting for toxic coatings simply because "everyone else is doing it." These methods of persuasion and maintaining of market-share go hand and hand with personal attacks on the inventors of true innovations that threaten to upset the status quo. Personal smear campaigns are an extension of fearmongering, social pressure, and isolation of the competition. This creates a cycle of dependence on harmful and poor performing products, despite awareness of their shortcomings and dangers.

4. **Manipulation of Emotions and Desires**: Propaganda exploits emotions and desires to manipulate behavior and beliefs. In the coatings industry, manufacturers capitalize on consumers' desires for convenience, aesthetics, and perceived quality. Toxic coatings are often marketed as quick-fix solutions that offer glossy finishes and long-lasting protection. By appealing to these emotional triggers, manufacturers create a sense of desire and urgency, again overshadowing concerns about health and environmental impact.

5. **Control of Information and Dissemination Channels**: Nazi propaganda thrived on the control of information and dissemination channels, ensuring that only sanctioned messages reached the public. Nothing can be more obvious than the censorship and shadow-banning of new ideas, innovations and facts that expose the truth and challenge the dominance of the existing propaganda regimes in both industry and politics. Similarly, in the coatings industry, wealthy legacy manufacturers may exert influence over trade publications, industry events, and online forums to promote their toxic products while silencing dissenting voices. This also plays out in the social media arena which is riddled with paid shills posing as agnostic or impartial influencers. This limits consumers' access to unbiased information and alternative solutions, further perpetuating the cycle of dependence on toxic coatings.

 Breaking free from the grip of toxic finish coating paradigms requires a concerted effort to challenge propaganda tactics and promote transparency, education, and ethical practices in the coatings industry. By empowering consumers and contractors with knowledge about the health and environmental risks associated with toxic coatings, informing them about the shortcomings of the film forming and chemical laden finishing paradigms, and by advocating for safer alternatives, we can work towards creating a future where harmful propaganda no longer dictates our choices. It is only by confronting the dark influence of Nazi propaganda, so very prevalent today, head-on that we can pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable coatings industry.

Notes:

https://digital-library.csun.edu/in-our-own-backyard/techniques-propaganda

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2262307

https://www.jstor.org/stable/45337202

https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/em-2-what-is-propaganda-(1944)/what-are-the-tools-of-propaganda

https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-in-nazi-occupied-europe/controlling-everyday-life/propaganda/

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/03/how-nazi-propaganda-encouraged-the-masses-to-co-produce-a-false-reality.html

https://study.com/academy/lesson/italian-fascist-propaganda-definition-techniques-examples.html

https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/original-influencer

https://brill.com/view/journals/fasc/10/1/article-p245_245.xml?language=en