Crystallizing Public Opinion

Simply a fascinating read – not only educational but reflective of an America new to radio and the newspaper industry that was still evolving, this book was published in 1923 and the copyright was renewed in 1951. The book here is only different from the 1923 original in that Stuart Ewen provides an introduction that is a lengthy description of his professional endurance to speak with Mr. Bernays. He is able to do so in the early 1990’s before Mr. Bernays passes away at the age of 103 in 1995 8 months’ shy of his 104th birthday. Mr. Bernays we learn in the introduction by Mr. Ewen was the nephew to Sigmund Freud; his mother was the sister to the renowned psychologist and his father was the brother to Sigmund Freud’s wife. Thus, making him a double nephew to one household biologically speaking. This was merely an interesting side point to the greater topic of Public Relations Counsel (PRC). He has had his critics over the years – but this book in my opinion is simply critically well and very relevant today in the computer age.Mr. Bernays touches upon public opinion in association with the newspaper industry of 1923; the radio was still relatively new at this point in time and he touches upon the PRC and the medium that has yet to have been tapped into for this consumer need. Unlike the websites that profess he assisted the acceptability of women smoking in the late 1920’s; he actually had women doing this during suffrage marches in the late second decade of the 20th century – most seem to report this point as an occurrence 10 years after the fact. Effectively Mr. Bernays breaks down the PRC need by societal needs. He reflects historically and accurately at how during the time of the American Revolution pamphlets were all that was needed to express an opinion locally – but matters change with the influx of immigration from all corners of Europe during the late 1800’s. Mr. Bernays spends a great deal of effort in reinforcing the fact that the press has an ethical obligation and so too the persons later to become PRC professionals. Today of course the PRC is simply known as “PR”. After reading this educational book on the matter it is apparent to the times that both the newspapers and PR types have left a lot of ethical decisions behind – that point too could be argued by some in that the evolution of PR and newspapers to radio to television to computer to cell phone apps has simply placed the news at the need of the PR and vice versa – after all it is society as a whole that has also forced this matter of “news feeds” and “public opinion” to be told (at least in part) what they want to hear.One must be willing however to take a deeper dive as well. One person’s “advertisement” is another person’s “propaganda”. Mr. Bernays stated “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, and our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of…. It is they who pull the wires that control the public mind.” The question I am left with is whether there is a moral compass here – the goal seems to be making money and nothing more; regardless of whether the item is “good” or “bad”. In the late 1920’s as he was continuing the smoking acceptability for women he forced his own wife to quit smoking – this before 1930. In this manner observation can lend credence to the point that “money” was the goal. Maybe I am off base but this is what it “feels like” to me. Making things “necessary” for public consumption by mere association. Ivory Soap sculpting became popular by this point in time as well in order to get children to bathe regularly. But Public Relations Counsel or Public Relations never became an institution to which persons had to become certified as say a Doctor, Lawyer, or Police Officer for that matter. Hence, any person could and still can become a PR Person with no credentials other than the ability to show they helped someone or some other company “make money”.Early on the evolution of this process became a part of the political machine. The political machines of many countries and leaders – the unfortunate thing is the link between Nazism and Bernays’ processes – Bernays would write in the 1960’s how disgusted he became as a result of discovering this point later. Either way there are two sides to this coin of “public opinion”. Increasingly I for one am sick of public opinion polls – in one sense they are necessary to gain a “gauge” on the issues and products of the day – on the other hand it feels as though these processes by many who are merely talking heads, beat the public opinion polls to death and many more are unable to “explain” what they mean. This is where in “my opinion” important to me only that PR people and “public opinion polls” are irrelevant. The “herd” however seems to follow the person in front of them, taking one step in front of the other – the true counter culture today are independent thinkers and doers in “my opinion”.This book is an important read for every independent thinker; it is good to consider how the masses are swayed; this book is as relevant today as it was in 1923 – the evolution of technology may have changed but the basic mechanisms remain. This is why I give this book 5 stars.

This is a classic work that started a revolution in the control of society. It is kind of rough, emphasizing anecdotal information and lacking a real classification of operational techniques that would provide a "Users Manual". All that came later.The assumption of control by an elite that we are seeing today actually started around the turn of the century 1900 to 1920. After the industrial revolution made new individual powers, the philosophical foundation was laid but the technologies and techniques were crude. The powers have maintained cohesion and are expressing the concepts of this book today now that the levers of social media influence have been created.A worth while read along with other classics and more modern application guides.

I'm not exactly sure what rating this book with stars might communicate. It's like rating Hitler's Mein Kampf: "Hm... well... Is it just 'okay' or do I 'like it' or do I 'love it'?" Wouldn't choosing any of those cast doubt on a person's character? And yet, if one appreciates it merely as a historical document...?That's how I feel about this book, which I was assigned to read for a graduate course in public opinion. As a historical document, it's an important book. And maybe I should have given it five stars, because this edition of it is quite good. But as a book itself, it's pretty horrifying, like Mein Kampf (although not THAT bad, of course). This book marks the birth of public relations, and it reveals just how dishonest and manipulative that industry is. So... do I "love it"? No. But not because it's not important, readable, a good edition, etc.If you're buying this book for college/grad school, then this is a perfectly respectable version of it. Go for it. If you're buying it just to learn about the history of PR, go for it. If you're buying it because you want to learn how better to manipulate people, you should really also pick up a copy of the Bible or at least some moral philosophy books while you're at it!

Four stars for content--no stars for editing (or lack thereof). That said, on to content.Ed Bernays is possibly the most influential person of the 20th Century, but hardly anyone has ever heard of him. He was the genius who invented most of the techniques used in public relations, marketing, and political campaigns, and his impacts -- through the use of those techniques -- have been incalculable in sociology, in politics, in economics, you name it. There is no area of modern human existence that has not been shaped--or distorted--by spin.In 1933 a journalist named Karl vonWiegand interviewed Dr. Goebbels, Hitler's infamous propaganda minister. Goebbels told vonWiegand how important this book, "Crystallizing Public Opinion," had been in shaping his, Goebbels', career. VonWiegand told Bernays, who was Jewish, about this. He was not surprised. His attitude was that--just as in science--once techniques that work are out there in public view, there is no way to control who will use them and to what ends.If you want to understand how you and everyone else is manipulated by almost everybody with a PR budget, read this book (and try to ignore all the typos).

This book relays, in select paragraphs, concepts and recommendations that are readily employable. However, the complete lack of proof-reading and poor grasp of coherent, compelling writing makes a task of this read. It certainly did not have to be so. The author simply cannot help attempting winding, choppy sentences that feign mastery—or even style itself—as opposed to utilizing approachable but engaging language. And as hinted to before, having every 20th word spelled so perfectly incorrectly as to kill your flow on-the-spot did this book no favors.

It is a very good book considering that it was written in 1923 (but the publisher “forgot” to mention the date). The present edition does not include the 54 pages of the preface by the author from the 1961 edition! That is really a pity. It is also missing a short biographic and bibliographic notice. Good quality of the print.

What Bernays was writing at the start of the twentieth century is now common knowledge even to kids at school so this is more a historical artefact than a useful guide to marketing or PR. He was a pioneer, but that means we've already absorbed most of what he knew.

Really good read. Enjoyed looking back into the historical aspects of public opinion, and how the theories have not altered over time.

Excellent book on how to manipulate the mind's of the masses by THE master on the subject. Insightfully sinister. Bernays knew because he practiced what he preached - he shaped many cultural and political trends throughout the 20th century.

To understand how the elites manipulate us read this!