Here Comes the Master of Sensation! - When "Propaganda" Became "Public Relations"

Edward Bernays was named in a special 1990 edition of Life Magazine as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. But who was this man? Nearly 100 years ago, he began fundamentally reshaping an industry pleasantly termed "consumer information" - using methods of mass psychology. No coincidence: he was the nephew of Sigmund Freud.

His success quickly opened doors to power. Soon it was no longer about product marketing, but about "deliberately shaping public opinion". Bernays described his methods, among other places, in his book Propaganda - a copy of which Joseph Goebbels also possessed.

The effectiveness of these behavioural-psychology-based methods extends to the present day. A multi-billion-dollar market of PR, marketing, and consulting firms still relies on his insights. This staged dialogue makes visible what Bernays and other pioneers of PR set in motion a century ago - and raises questions about the ethics, morality, and image of humanity underlying this profession.

The evening traces a path from Plato and Socrates through Karl Popper to Erich Fromm; with insights from AI expert Yvonne Hofstetter, the trail reaches into our digital present. The conclusion belongs to the goddess of doubt herself: a call from ERIS from the Principia Discordia.