This is what was most relevant to me, because of the way it is comng true, crushing mankind.
Ellul supported that the ever increasing development of techniques in the end would ultimatelly put man and his psyche on the scope and try to subjugate him to the technical construct completely. He argued that man was not suitable to live the modern city life and that the only way to make him complacent would be through manipulation of his psyche and a crushing of his spirit in order to conform with his age. Simply, the only way for him to achieve this was through propaganda.
All together, I would say you have done a very good job of keeping the arguments limited to the basic points that needed to be explained. It may have been tempting to digress (as I always do in my posts and comments), helping those of us who are nottrained in considering philosophy.
As for his distrust of public opinion - would it not be true to say that most times public opinion is moulded by arguments made successfully? So, it is not the public to blame, if their opinion is wrong, but the fault of those who argued it so successfully?
@arthur.grafo this was a concern of mine actually. I wanted to keep my posts as short as possible but also to present as much as possible so I'm glad that I have found some balance in between. I could make the posts many time longer but then I would make it much harder to provide insights and keep this interestng.
The part that you shared is of much importance to me. We see today mankind in a dillema. In order to pursue the ever increasing ''progress'' at some point we will be called to sacrifice what is human in us. This is the crushing of our spirit and our subjugation to the powers that be, whether these are political in nature, technological, economic or else. There is already one recognized trend in that field, called transhumanism.
As it comes to public opinion, indeed the fault lies mostly on those who utilized the public and used it for their purposes.
But the fine point is this. While most of the responsibility lies in the propagandist's hands, the responsibility of the individual cannot be disolved just because he belongs to a multitude. Simply, we bear a responsibility too and it is hypocrisy to claim that we didn't know or that we were unaware. We must adress our responsibility as well.
No society can survive if it is composed solely of one type - philosophers, for instance. Most people work long hours and are not highly educated. They also do not have a liking of intellectual pursuits, many from childhood preferring to work with their hands.
We need them, for the rest of us would have to become hunters-gatherers if we did not have them, which means we would become them.
Some ask, why then allow them to vote, since they have only a limited understanding of the issues? I think I know why we should.
Most intellectuals become impractical, buidling theories that don't even have a hint of sand to hold the foundations, with others building upon them. The working class people are very practical and sometimes their instincts drive them in the right direction.