Not-So-Great Expectations
Expect conflict, arguments, disagreements. If you believe
in freedom, then expect dissent. Silence (lack of opposition, passivity) is
often the sign of imposed tyranny, fear.
Expect compromises, concessions, trade-offs, deals. In a diverse society,
not everyone can have their own way. Most issues are negotiable; some perhaps
may not be. Define the areas in which negotiations are possible for you.
Expect very few clear-cut choices between "good" and "bad."
Most problems involve the greater-of-two-goods or the lesser-of-two-evils;
most arguments are about degree (how much) or priority (what
should be done first).
Expect people to agree about general goals (We all seek the "good"
-- e.g. peace and prosperity), but to disagree about specific means,
priorities, mix, and degree. Expect politicians
often to use generalities, allowing audiences to imagine or insert
their own specifics.
Expect persuasion to be a mutual transaction between benefit-promisers
and benefit-seekers. All people seek benefits, Expect all persuaders to be
benefit-promisers: for example, commercial advertisers offer specific
individual benefits ("you'll be happy, beautiful, beloved ...
if you buy XYZ"), while political persuaders offer general social
benefits ("We'll have more prosperity, lower taxes, fuller employment,
less problems ... if you support XYZ"!)
Expect politicians to make certain basic claims of being
trustworthy, competent, and benevolent ("on your side");
in attacks, the basic charges are that opponents are untrustworthy,
incompetent, and "not on your side." (e.g. "special
interests").
Expect one-sided arguments. When people advocate their own position (policy,
party, candidate), they will intensify their own "good" and downplay
their own "bad."
Expect people to downplay their own "bad" by means of omissions
of unfavorable information, by using "softer" language (euphemisms),
by diversions away from main issues, or by confusion in words,
statistics, actions.
Expect persuasive messages which start with a problem (a threat,
a fear) will end offering a solution ("Do this... vote
for..") Expect the urgency and dangers to be intensified during
campaigns: The greater the problem, the greater the need for the solution.
Expect it to be difficult to sort things out, clarify issues, understand each other, set priorities, or resolve conflicts; yet, such constant efforts are vital to a free society. A democracy "of the people, by the people, and for the people" will have all the imperfections of the people, but it is still superior to the slavery of tyranny, or to the chaos of anarchy.
General political language prompters (#1 of
2) | Classroom teaching aid, pro bono publico
from Persuasion Analysis | © 2006 by Hugh Rank | More at http://faculty.govst.edu/pa
Not-So-Great Expectations
Expect many political messages to be
a simple repetition of names ("name recognition") and of pictures,
key words, symbols, slogans; such items often trigger a cluster of associated
ideas.
Expect common use of the association technique which links (1) the
person, party, or policy with (2) something already loved or desired by
(3) the intended audience.
Expect, in negative attacks on the Other, common use of the association
technique which links (1) the opposing person, party, or policy with
with something already hated or feared by (3) the intended audience.
Expect people in power to intensify their own "good" and downplay
their own "bad."( Today, this is called "spin"and
"damage control.") From the press releases and the "public
relations" department of the White House, the State House, and City Hall,
expect the only news to be "good news."
Expect that the role of an independent and free press is to seek out, uncover,
or expose the "bad" -- that which has been downplayed.
Expect money to play a major role in human activities, including persuasion
and politics: "Follow the dollar" is good advice for anyone
seeking to trace power, analyze budgets, or expose corruption.
.
Expect that our ideals of accuracy and truth are not always reached:
at times, all people -- including politicians -- can make errors, be uninformed,
or deliberately deceive. Expect no sure or simple test for "truth":
any statement can be a lie; any behavior can be deceptive; any person can deceive,
or be deceived.
Expect to see some slick, well-planned, conscious, purposeful persuasion from some sources. Professional persuaders have great skills, big money, good technology, and broad media access. Expect also to see some random, strident, irrational, and crazy talk from others. Mass media and the internet (including blogs) also provide a forum for demagogy, false rumors, strange ideas, and hate literature.
Expect the commercial entertainment media (TV, talk radio) to attract large audiences by stressing conflicts, visuals, and simple explanations. Expect politicians to seek media coverage by offering sound bites, photo ops, and staged events.
Expect from the Haves: conservative rhetoric stressing protection (keep the "good") & prevention (avoid the "bad"). Expect from the Have-Nots: progressive rhetoric stressing relief (change the "bad")& acquisition (get the "good").
Expect the Haves (whether incumbents, or those with power, or money) in a democracy always have an advantage, except in numbers. Expect the Have-Nots (whether outsiders, the powerless, or the poor) in a democracy always to have an advantage in the numbers of voters, but only if they're united. Thus, expect the basic attack strategy of the Haves to be "divide and conquer" -- in current terms: slice-and-dice, or segmenting and targeting
General political language prompters (#2 of 2) | Classroom teaching aid, pro bono publico