It’s all in the message and it’s repetition, but if you don’t engage a topic, put it at the top of your 3-item list, and relentlessly pound on it - it’s as if it doesn’t exist
Very well said, and informative. The Rule of Threes! I'm going to add that one to my toolbox. But alas, we've only a couple of weeks until the midterm election! I'll admit that I've been allowing myself to get caught up in Michael Moore's "Tsunami of Truth," putting faith in the power of positive thinking and positive interpretation of trends (he didn't have much good to say today about the NYT polls, BTW). He pointed out recently a fact that I hadn't known: He was about the only prognosticator who called the 2016 election for Trump. He also pointed out that on election day in 2016, the NYT called it an 85% chance of victory for Hillary Clinton. At any rate, the thought of a Republican takeover of the House or Senate is an outcome to dismal to dwell upon. For now, my faith is in the American people, and the essential natural intelligence, just moral character, and love of freedom (there, three) to stop the unacceptable from happening.
There are tools, methods, and tricks of psychology, language, and pedagogic science which are fascinating, and which can be useful in getting messages across and which Democrats most definitely should study and utilize fully in order to move voters. All options and techniques should be tried, tested, and utilized. But am I the only one who believes that it is incredibly sad and regrettable that using ploys and formulaic approaches such as the rule of threes is our best shot?
Call me a perfectionist and a purist, but I would like it so much better if we could appeal to people with multiple, complex, and nuanced information and concepts relative to the myriad issues and problems we are facing, and if voters were able to discern between the thieves, liars, and fascists represented by the ultra-conservative Republicans, and the principled and honest brokers who are looking out for the people and the country, wherever they are to be found. Are the citizens of this country truly such mental midgets that they must be manipulated and massaged via subliminal or unconscious messaging even when it comes to questions about who led us to the brink of a possible nuclear war or economic disaster? Please, do not answer that question. I do not wish to know the answer. It appears that there simply is nothing that can be done about that problem and that the progression is all downhill now.
Yes, I remember that we had agreed on another point awhile back. I would like to think that there are many people who worry that superficial techniques and Jedi mind tricks can only get us so much. But the question of whether the level of thinking and dialogue can ever be raised or whether the "average Joe" will always be below average according to our standard may not be answered soon or here. When so many people actually believe that our schools are adequate and that education is happening there, it is impossible to interest anyone in looking elsewhere for education and making schooling voluntary so that students will at least not be dumbed-down and made to reject intellectual or real academic pursuits, science, rationality, or freedom for all, including children.
As long as anti-democratic oligarchs, empowered by authoritarian capitalism, can monopolize our Free Press with their ill-gotten trillions, any messaging by their opponents will be suppressed.
We need a Press free of monopoly and profit, a democratic economic system to disempower oligarchs, and maximized voter participation to empower workers to WIN. Maximized voter participation in 2022 and 2024 can lead to freeing the Press and disempowering the oligarchs, which can then further enable maximized voter participation, create a democratic economic system owned by the workers, and save our Free Press.
Exactly what we were taught in the 70s for marketing which is what we now live in and under. constant propaganda/marketing. "create the need". the 7x for action is the same as well.
REPUBLICANS = RECESSION, REPRESSION AND REGRESSION.
REPUBLICANS = PARTY OF NO, NOTHING, NADA.
JUST THE CON WITH FEAR.
LYING, CHEATING & STEALING.
OWNED & OPERATED BY CORPORATIONS & BILLIONAIRES
GREED RULES ALL
DEMOCRATS = DEMOCRACY, LIBERTY & FREEDOM FOR ALL
LONGER LIFE WITH LESS STRIFE & MORE MONEY/PAY
MORE JOBS, PAY, RIGHTS & FREEDOMS
ECONOMIC EQUALITY, SOCIAL MORALITY AND RETURN TO CIVILITY
The Fourth Estate, the media has helped, if not caused this nightmare for our country. for money and the corporate executives acknowledge and brag about it. how many 'journalists" have written books at the expense of our democracy? how many ex-politicians have withheld info to write books, again at the expense of our democracy?
when did lies and "misinformation" become protected speech? when did it become okay for advertising to be allowed to be deceitful without impunity?
when did criminal and corrupt corporate behaviors become above the law & unpunishable? only under this supreme court/billionaire media rule since the 1980s.
not having net neutrality has also added to this situation and was part of the set up as the last piece toward oligarchy. history has shown fascism often follows and it's knocking on our door.
one idea is to buy/lease local radio stations/shows and take back the messaging. and insist upon higher standards for our media -- not their jobs to withhold info, provide opinions and claim it's news! just the facts and timely or don't call yourself a news reporter; just another propaganda peddler!
It does have everything to do with how we are wired neurologically. My mother was an artist that liked to teach, and she spoke about the rule of three. Good lesson, Thom.
Some want to believe that the public is more sophisticated and endowed with the ability to absorb nuanced ideas. Certainly some of them can, but they still will not be exempt from the brain basics.
The ads I see in my state make something else evident to me. If your opposition accuses you of a specific act or points to a condition, you cannot let it go unanswered. If it's complicated, say so; if you should be sorry, say you are sorry. Even a denial is better than nothing (worked for Trump)! Fetterman is giving everyone a master class about this by showing he's human and still sassy.
It's a first step of identifying the need for 3 things, but then what? What do you think of this draft, for something radical to do?
"Dear MacKenzie Scott,
"There’s a radical idea being developed for how to create an ad hoc Wisdom Council to do an end-run around our imploded government, where our legislators are serving funders over constituencies. We-the-people neither have a voice nor a force behind any voice and this idea for what to do about that requires some outstanding person to start it. You would be ideal.
"You would pick one widely appreciated person. Someone like George Clooney. Or Oprah. Or Bill Moyers. Or Yvon Chouinard. Then the two of you would pick the third, the three pick the fourth, and so on. If this group deliberated on what to do to run the country everyone would listen.
"Another aspect of this would be a Suggestion Box, open to all, monitored by wise enough people to conduct conversations about the ideas that were suggested for the Wisdom Council.
"There also would be something we might call The Human Survival Coalition, for people of goodwill to be signatory to, that could be the popular force to support the Council’s ideas for what to do.
"For starting the Wisdom Council, you are emblematic of that world we want to be in who might even initiate a campaign for there to be no more billionaires. Nobody needs more than say $100M, don’t you think? Those fortunes could pay for perhaps the #1 suggestion we would put in the box, for every adult to get some form of Universal Basic Income for food, shelter, education, and health care. Get everyone out of survival and we’d have all hands on deck to participate in fashioning a caring and compassionate world.
Once again, we're the beneficiaries of Thom's hard-earned wisdom. Thanks for the rule of three's. Scotus is in line with 9 justices; they sure could use 12 though. And there should be 51 states to apply the rule of three's in that context.
And what I said the other day about Biden trashing the economy if the Republicans take rulership of Congress might have been inspired by what we're seeing in the U.K. It'll be interesting to see the results of Truss's efforts to reeducate their citizenry and rebuild their economy.
Awesome article Thom and staff!
The American Way is to stand for Fairness, Hope and Realism
Fair economy (no more gouging or trickle down)
Hope for better tomorrow (face up to the dangers of climate change)
Reality based values (corporations are not persons, health care should not be a profit center, we need to find truth behind propaganda)
Very well said, and informative. The Rule of Threes! I'm going to add that one to my toolbox. But alas, we've only a couple of weeks until the midterm election! I'll admit that I've been allowing myself to get caught up in Michael Moore's "Tsunami of Truth," putting faith in the power of positive thinking and positive interpretation of trends (he didn't have much good to say today about the NYT polls, BTW). He pointed out recently a fact that I hadn't known: He was about the only prognosticator who called the 2016 election for Trump. He also pointed out that on election day in 2016, the NYT called it an 85% chance of victory for Hillary Clinton. At any rate, the thought of a Republican takeover of the House or Senate is an outcome to dismal to dwell upon. For now, my faith is in the American people, and the essential natural intelligence, just moral character, and love of freedom (there, three) to stop the unacceptable from happening.
There are tools, methods, and tricks of psychology, language, and pedagogic science which are fascinating, and which can be useful in getting messages across and which Democrats most definitely should study and utilize fully in order to move voters. All options and techniques should be tried, tested, and utilized. But am I the only one who believes that it is incredibly sad and regrettable that using ploys and formulaic approaches such as the rule of threes is our best shot?
Call me a perfectionist and a purist, but I would like it so much better if we could appeal to people with multiple, complex, and nuanced information and concepts relative to the myriad issues and problems we are facing, and if voters were able to discern between the thieves, liars, and fascists represented by the ultra-conservative Republicans, and the principled and honest brokers who are looking out for the people and the country, wherever they are to be found. Are the citizens of this country truly such mental midgets that they must be manipulated and massaged via subliminal or unconscious messaging even when it comes to questions about who led us to the brink of a possible nuclear war or economic disaster? Please, do not answer that question. I do not wish to know the answer. It appears that there simply is nothing that can be done about that problem and that the progression is all downhill now.
Mr. Elliott, you and I are on the same wavelength - I was asking myself the same questions while reading today's Report.
Yes, I remember that we had agreed on another point awhile back. I would like to think that there are many people who worry that superficial techniques and Jedi mind tricks can only get us so much. But the question of whether the level of thinking and dialogue can ever be raised or whether the "average Joe" will always be below average according to our standard may not be answered soon or here. When so many people actually believe that our schools are adequate and that education is happening there, it is impossible to interest anyone in looking elsewhere for education and making schooling voluntary so that students will at least not be dumbed-down and made to reject intellectual or real academic pursuits, science, rationality, or freedom for all, including children.
As long as anti-democratic oligarchs, empowered by authoritarian capitalism, can monopolize our Free Press with their ill-gotten trillions, any messaging by their opponents will be suppressed.
We need a Press free of monopoly and profit, a democratic economic system to disempower oligarchs, and maximized voter participation to empower workers to WIN. Maximized voter participation in 2022 and 2024 can lead to freeing the Press and disempowering the oligarchs, which can then further enable maximized voter participation, create a democratic economic system owned by the workers, and save our Free Press.
How about guns, gays and grift? Or Death (health care inequality), theft (economic inequality), and otherism (social inequality)?
Exactly what we were taught in the 70s for marketing which is what we now live in and under. constant propaganda/marketing. "create the need". the 7x for action is the same as well.
REPUBLICANS = RECESSION, REPRESSION AND REGRESSION.
REPUBLICANS = PARTY OF NO, NOTHING, NADA.
JUST THE CON WITH FEAR.
LYING, CHEATING & STEALING.
OWNED & OPERATED BY CORPORATIONS & BILLIONAIRES
GREED RULES ALL
DEMOCRATS = DEMOCRACY, LIBERTY & FREEDOM FOR ALL
LONGER LIFE WITH LESS STRIFE & MORE MONEY/PAY
MORE JOBS, PAY, RIGHTS & FREEDOMS
ECONOMIC EQUALITY, SOCIAL MORALITY AND RETURN TO CIVILITY
The Fourth Estate, the media has helped, if not caused this nightmare for our country. for money and the corporate executives acknowledge and brag about it. how many 'journalists" have written books at the expense of our democracy? how many ex-politicians have withheld info to write books, again at the expense of our democracy?
when did lies and "misinformation" become protected speech? when did it become okay for advertising to be allowed to be deceitful without impunity?
when did criminal and corrupt corporate behaviors become above the law & unpunishable? only under this supreme court/billionaire media rule since the 1980s.
not having net neutrality has also added to this situation and was part of the set up as the last piece toward oligarchy. history has shown fascism often follows and it's knocking on our door.
one idea is to buy/lease local radio stations/shows and take back the messaging. and insist upon higher standards for our media -- not their jobs to withhold info, provide opinions and claim it's news! just the facts and timely or don't call yourself a news reporter; just another propaganda peddler!
It does have everything to do with how we are wired neurologically. My mother was an artist that liked to teach, and she spoke about the rule of three. Good lesson, Thom.
Some want to believe that the public is more sophisticated and endowed with the ability to absorb nuanced ideas. Certainly some of them can, but they still will not be exempt from the brain basics.
The ads I see in my state make something else evident to me. If your opposition accuses you of a specific act or points to a condition, you cannot let it go unanswered. If it's complicated, say so; if you should be sorry, say you are sorry. Even a denial is better than nothing (worked for Trump)! Fetterman is giving everyone a master class about this by showing he's human and still sassy.
It's a first step of identifying the need for 3 things, but then what? What do you think of this draft, for something radical to do?
"Dear MacKenzie Scott,
"There’s a radical idea being developed for how to create an ad hoc Wisdom Council to do an end-run around our imploded government, where our legislators are serving funders over constituencies. We-the-people neither have a voice nor a force behind any voice and this idea for what to do about that requires some outstanding person to start it. You would be ideal.
"You would pick one widely appreciated person. Someone like George Clooney. Or Oprah. Or Bill Moyers. Or Yvon Chouinard. Then the two of you would pick the third, the three pick the fourth, and so on. If this group deliberated on what to do to run the country everyone would listen.
"Another aspect of this would be a Suggestion Box, open to all, monitored by wise enough people to conduct conversations about the ideas that were suggested for the Wisdom Council.
"There also would be something we might call The Human Survival Coalition, for people of goodwill to be signatory to, that could be the popular force to support the Council’s ideas for what to do.
"For starting the Wisdom Council, you are emblematic of that world we want to be in who might even initiate a campaign for there to be no more billionaires. Nobody needs more than say $100M, don’t you think? Those fortunes could pay for perhaps the #1 suggestion we would put in the box, for every adult to get some form of Universal Basic Income for food, shelter, education, and health care. Get everyone out of survival and we’d have all hands on deck to participate in fashioning a caring and compassionate world.
"Can we talk about proceeding with you?"
Once again, we're the beneficiaries of Thom's hard-earned wisdom. Thanks for the rule of three's. Scotus is in line with 9 justices; they sure could use 12 though. And there should be 51 states to apply the rule of three's in that context.
And what I said the other day about Biden trashing the economy if the Republicans take rulership of Congress might have been inspired by what we're seeing in the U.K. It'll be interesting to see the results of Truss's efforts to reeducate their citizenry and rebuild their economy.