Learn About the Six Most Common Techniques of Persuasion

Then, you can be ready to clearly evaluate the presentations of politicians

I was so angry, I wanted to reach through the computer screen and shake the people on social media. I wanted to shake the cobwebs out of their brains and fill them with the ability to think for themselves, to evaluate everything they hear.

Here’s What Happened

Earlier Saturday morning (May 9), I shared someone’s words on social media with that person’s encouragement to go ahead and share. That was a mistake. Instead of prompting an intelligent discussion, I was told that I was a democrat hater, that my post was divisive, and that non-democrats are ALWAYS making up stuff about democrats. Not the discussion I expected.

I had tagged the post “food for thought” because, after all, it was someone’s perception as they went in to work each and every day. It was their truth.

Here’s the post:

This guy [Governor Pritzger of Illinois] doesn’t want anything to open.

This was taken from a friend.

Spoke with a friend of mine who works in DC. He is sick to his stomach everyday he goes to work. He said democrat congress members are literally giddy with the results the virus is having on the economy. They eagerly compare unemployment and market numbers every morning in the halls, offices and over phone conferences, laughing and mocking Trump as they watch the economy, he built, crumble. They are actually excited about what the virus is doing to America during an election year and the opportunities it presents to go after Trump. He said that their intention is to drag the shutdown out as long as possible in order to crash the economy (Trumps strength) right before the election to make Trump look bad. He said Pelosi is ordering/threatening democratic state governors to keep their states shutdown as long as possible assuring them they will be rewarded when they take the Senate and White House. All at the expense of America. This isn’t rumor or opinion; this is happening.

Now, maybe the guy was making it up, but maybe this is his perception as he moves through the daily routine at his job. It was his truth, but maybe not someone else’s truth.

What Do I Stand For?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Family, Neighbors, and Former Neighbors,

Many of you have had your political say on social media. I’m OK with that.

Many of you are party or candidate focused and rarely look beyond that. I’m OK with that.

BUT,

in a year where we are once again moving toward a heated election, I want to have my say. I want to cause you to stop and think about the issues and not attack the person who shared their views and opinions. I am NOT OK with people who slam others for their opinion or viewpoint or for the candidate they support instead of having an intelligent conversation about the issues and where the candidates stand.

Let me continue by saying that I don’t care if you are democrat or republican. I don’t care if you are independent or progressive. I don’t care if you are conservative or liberal.

What I care about is that you listen: listen closely to that which is said — listen closely to that which is not said.

What I care about is that you question those candidates you are thinking about voting for as well as their opponents.

What I care about is that you research EVERYTHING believable and far-fetched — so far-fetched that it couldn’t possibly be true. (Because sometimes the far-fetched just can’t be fabricated. Sometimes it is real. Think John Wayne Gacy who practiced cannibalism and buried most of his murder victims in the crawl space of his Chicago suburb home.)

What I care about is that you have discussions about the issues and not just the negatives about a certain platform issue or political candidate.

Why Should You Listen? Why Should You Discuss?

Over the years, I have heard people talk about who they will vote for, but when asked why, I am appalled at some people’s response. Maybe you have heard some of these responses as well.

I’m voting for that candidate because she is a woman. (Do you agree with her political agenda?) Doesn’t matter. She’s a woman and we need a woman in office.

I’m voting for that candidate because of their race. (Again, do you agree with the political agenda?) Minorities deserves a chance. We need a change and a minority voice can be that change.

I’m voting for that candidate because I have always followed that political party. (Yes, but the policies and agendas of political parties change.)

But the worst? I’m voting for the person because I recognize their name. (Really? Just voting for the candidate who has enough money to keep their name in front of you in television commercials is not ethical.)

You see, I’m tired of politicians who say they will do “X,” “Y,” or “Z;” and then, when they get into office, either show their true colors, succumb to the political agenda of others, or are blocked by others so that they can’t get anything done that is in the general public’s best interest. BUT, when the person gets elected because of their ability to persuade the public, I have a problem with the voters.

I believe that when something seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.

I believe that when something seems nuts, it probably is.

You see, I spent 34 years teaching American literature, research, and persuasion, and today, I’d like to give you some insights about persuasion from those 34 years.

Understand the art of persuasion.

Persuasion is an evil little monster that is used in social media, news media, advertising (of course), and politics, if not elsewhere.

LET’S GO TO SCHOOL ON SURVEYS

The following is an example of persuasion exercise that I used to use with my high school students (Numbers here are totally fabricated. I would survey my class and use the numbers from that group of students.).

I began by listing several brands of peanut butter on the board and then asked the students vote for their favorite. Then, we did the math to convert the information to percentages.

Jiff (25%)

Skippy (10%)

Peter Pan (25%)

Smucker’s (15%)

Peanut Butter and Co (9%)

Store brand (16%)

Then, I would make statements for my students. All of the statements are true, but the skewed data distorts the information.

Of the people surveyed, 75% would rather not like Jiff peanut butter. (My students would complain, “But it has the highest percentage of buyers.” — See how stats can be skewed.)

Of the people surveyed, more than 15% would purchase the store brand peanut butter over Smucker’s. (“But,” the students complained, “it’s only 1% more.” — Ah, yes, but it is still a truth, is it not?)

Peter Pan peanut butter is the most favored peanut butter among those surveyed. (“But, it has the same percent as Jiff.” — Ah, yes, which means that it is one of the most favored brands.)

The students were frustrated.

We did the exercise once more, but this time the survey was about the music options for the up-coming spring dance.

I listed several types of music on the board and the students voted.

Realizing that 10% of their classroom came to only 3 students and that those 3 people could determine the music at a dance had my students arguing about fairness.

“How could it be fair for 3 students to make a decision for a graduating class of over 500?”

It isn’t, but that is what surveys and persuasion do.

I smiled. I had made my point. They understood that it is not only necessary to know all the percentages in a survey, but it is also important to know how many people were surveyed.

LET’S GO TO SCHOOL ON PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES

The number of persuasive techniques is vast, and each technique can be used for good as well as not so good.

In persuasion, a person attempts to downplay anything and everything that is bad about their position, AND they downplay anything and everything that is good about their opponent. To do this, the persuader relies on three techniques.

The technique of OMISSION. (At its basic, omission is the act of leaving out information that can damage your position or leaving out information that can build up the positive side of the opponent’s position.)

You might have become good at OMISSION when you were a teenager.

NO?

Take a look at this scenario:

There is a party this weekend that you really want to go to, but you know your parents won’t allow it because one specific person will be there.

Following along?

What did you do when Mom or Dad asked who would be at the party?

You named a few names but probably left out that one specific person’s name. Yup! OMISSION.

The technique of DIVERSION. (At its basic premise, diversion is when you begin to answer a question or address an issue and change the subject.)

I practiced DIVERSION once with my mother.

It was progress report time when I was in high school. I sucked at Geometry and was failing at the time of the second quarter’s progress report. When I was in high school, the progress reports were mailed. My mother had mine in her hand when I got home that afternoon after rehearsal for the school musical.

“Care to explain your grades?”

My response? “C’mon, Mom, I have a test to study for.” After which I went to my room to study, of all things, Geometry, but she followed and demanded an explanation.

I had attempted DIVERSION and lost.

The technique of CONFUSION. (In its basic form, confusion attempts to confuse the reader and/or listener with big words and long-winded sentences.)

I often come across CONFUSION when looking at loan documents or contracts.

Loan documents and contracts tend to use big words when a simpler word will do, or they use far too many words when ONE word would do.

For example, “party in the first part” = you

On the other hand, persuasion has techniques that build up your good points (even if they are weak) and build up your opponent's bad or negative aspects.

The technique of REPETITION. (In its basic form, repetition sounds like a cranky child at the grocery store demanding, over and over again, that they want candy.)

If you listened to the initial campaign debates, you heard a great deal of repetition.

If you listened to the candidate advertisements, you heard a great deal of repetition. Especially from those candidates who could get in our faces on the television each day because they could afford to pay for the airtime.

This is the type of information that you really want to research for its validity. Just because someone says the same thing over and over DOESN’T mean it is true.

The technique of ASSOCIATION. (This technique says that because I support “X”, because I am a member of [fill in an organization], or because I did this years ago, what I want to do now is worthy of your support.)

The candidate participated in the 2020 Woman’s March; so therefore, they are supportive of women’s issues.

The candidate attended all sessions of congress; so therefore, they have acted in the best interest of the citizens.

The candidate wrote a book that became a best seller; therefore, they know what they are talking about.

The technique of COMPOSITION. (This technique is the art of putting words and visuals together to convey a message or impress.)

Think the young kid on trial for theft. He’s sitting on the witness stand in a grungy shirt and torn blue jeans.

In an adjacent room, there is another kid on trial for theft. He is sitting on the witness stand in a blue suit and expertly worn tie.

Which one is convicted?

OR

The soda company doesn’t have to tell you that it thinks it is the most popular; it can show you. The magazine ad showed a number of soda glasses holding the company’s logo (but no words) in the pattern of the number one. The picture said it all.

So, what should you do?

Research — research — research.

If a person on social media or in a face-to-face discussion says something about their favored candidate for any office that seems too good to be true, look it up and look for at least three DIFFERENT sources that agree with the information you hear.

If your favored candidate says something that seems far-fetched or nuts, look it up.

To research, use a variety of news media: radio, nightly news and news channels, and news magazines and papers. Don’t stick to just the right wing or the left-wing media. Mix it up and evaluate the information from all sources yourself.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share.

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Rebecca (Becky) spent 34 years in a teaching career, but when she retired in 2014, she picked up her pen and pursued her passion to write. As a high school English teacher, Becky held the philosophy that she wouldn’t give any writing assignment that she personally wouldn’t or couldn’t do. That philosophy strengthened and broadened her own writing.

In addition to publishing her writing on various platforms, Becky also blogs at Life is for Living, a blog to encourage, motivate, and help others live the best life possible. As an extension of Life is for Living, she also publishes a weekly newsletter, Let’s Chat. (Check it out HERE.) Life is for Living also has a social media presence with the group Coffee on my Porch. (Check it out HERE.)

After teaching writing for 34 years, Becky began Ink & Keyboard, a blog for writers at all levels. She supplements what she writes on the blog with a subscription newsletter, The Writer’s Notebook (Check it out HERE.), the social media group Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.), and a Medium publication Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.).

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