Pondering Propaganda, maybe it's not so bad afterall

"There is no means of human communication which may not also be a means of deliberate propaganda, because propaganda is simply the establishing of reciprocal understanding between an individual and a group." - Mechanics of Propaganda, Edward Bernays 

This particular quote stands out to me specifically due to its apparent broadness.  Seemingly enveloping the entirety of the art world into propaganda machine.  As an artist, one is trying to convey a particular and specific message, emotion, or sensation with their works, and regardless of intent, it is a form of propaganda, under this interpretation given by Bernays.  I am reminded of a book by Terry Eagleton, that I read in part, recently where art was discussed as being part of the "superstructure of society"(pg.5) and continues on in Chapter 2 to state that, "art is like a magic lantern which projects our real selves onto the Universe and promises us that we, as we desire, can alter the Universe, alter it to the measure of our needs...." (pg.55).  (Marxism and Literary Criticism).  These two concepts collide rather strikingly and open up a way of viewing art, even my own.  At this point I have to step back and ask myself, "What was/has been my agenda all along, and was I even aware of the implications and changes I was making?"
Initially propaganda sounds like a "dirty" word, as something manipulative and used by right wingers to sway the public opinion towards unforeseen evil.  Historically there have been prime examples of this.  However, propaganda today is means of communicating ideas to the public.  In the massively expanding world of digital culture, propaganda is presented to us more and more, because regardless of how society resists, they will always have a demand for "food, crave entertainment, long for beauty and respond to leadership."(168, Bernays, Mechanics of Propaganda)  As long as people are surviving as a culture propaganda will be a part of our daily lives.  In fact, I found it rather interesting as I began to read Chapter 5, Art and Science, that propaganda services an important role in society, and ironically museums lack effective propaganda.  "Propaganda is accustoming the public to change and progress." (pg. 159) as Bernay's states.  This fact emphasizes the importance of propaganda for acclimating the public for new thoughts, ideas, and inventions.  If museums are missing out on the propaganda machine, then what room for progresse have they allowed themselves?  Although propaganda progresses the capitalistic structure of no return with which we have found ourselves engulfed in today, it services the community in ways that I had not considered before reading Bernay's book extracts.