4 chapters across the catalog
The segment details how public relations pioneer Edward Bernays used psychoanalysis to break the taboo against women smoking. By branding cigarettes as "Torches of Freedom" during an Easter Sunday parade, Bernays linked smoking to women's rights and the Statue of Liberty (Ishtar). The hosts discuss how this "witchcraft" of marketing transformed a deadly habit into a symbol of equality within six weeks, a technique now amplified by modern algorithms.
Judge Joe Brown discusses the history of propaganda, claiming the Nazis studied the American movie industry to refine their techniques. The hosts discuss Operation Paperclip and the influence of Edward Bernays on the American "delivery system" for messaging. Brown argues that his patriarchal viewpoint led to his removal from mainstream television as it conflicted with the prevailing media agenda.
Kanye West references Edward Bernays and the "Torches of Freedom" campaign to explain how social media manipulates human desires. He compares the accessibility of adult content on social media today to the restricted access of his youth. West argues that as a "God-fearing Christian innovator," he will not let social media addiction or public opinion take away his right to speak freely.
Edward Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud and the father of modern public relations, is profiled for his role in transforming propaganda into a corporate tool. His "Torches of Freedom" campaign is highlighted, where he used feminist imagery to make smoking in public socially acceptable for women in the 1920s. Bernays is also credited with creating the "all-American" breakfast of bacon and eggs to help pork farmers sell low-quality meat.
