Samir Shukla
By Samir Shukla
Everything in life is public relations. Everything in life is marketing. These are friendly words that do the bidding for the more sinister motives… persuasion and manipulation.
Those who have a natural ability or learn the power of persuasion, tame that elusive beast and practice the dark art of manipulation, essentially run this world.
As we enter the bruising battles of the 2024 election cycle, all armaments of persuasion and manipulation will be deployed.
Those able to persuade have mastered marketing and public relations on a molecular level. They can read the audience, gauge potential voters, they can manipulate or inspire their audience. A persuasion master can work a diverse crowd, whether friendly or belligerent, with natural ease.
One of the first concepts taught in public speaking classes is that all speaking should be audience centered. You can’t crack the same types of jokes in front of a temple crowd as you can in front of a sports crowd. The reading and understanding of the audience are the essence of persuading, gathering the like-minded and then snowballing them into a useful mass.
Good comedians can read a crowd and accordingly adjust their material. They must lest they go down in flames of yawns and hecklers.
A smooth talker may persuade, but a persuasive talker doesn’t need smoothness or bravado, he or she needs to connect. This is essentially public relations at its core.
Persuasion is an art of steering emotions. We are emotionally fragile, malleable beings. This is where manipulation rears its head and preys on our fears, subtle prejudices, and preconceptions. This mastery of the prime element of persuasion can be used for brutal consequences, Hitler, or for inspiring and evolving positive change, Gandhi or MLK Jr.
The dribble dribble of common words can turn into anger or inspiration when spoken and delivered in the right manner. The cadence of speech delivery, gathering the participants into a tightly wound ball, is the mastery of persuasion.
How do you unwrap or shine a bright light on a speaker or persuader? Active participation. Parsing words and mannerisms, finding intent. Acquire truthful information from multiple reliable sources.
I like to know about things as firsthand as possible. If I can go see it, I will, if I can touch it, I will. If I can smell it or taste it (of course within my personal dietary constraints), I will. Hear it for yourself and hone in on the intent.
Persuasion practiced as a soft power will always have more lasting impact than hard power. People don’t want to be told what to do, they want to be shown what is possible, which can be constructive or destructive.
Politicians are attempting to persuade voters via messaging, rallies, advertisements, dog whistles, dissonance, half-truths, occasional truths, and ideological bents. They will prey on voters’ emotions. Read the fine print, do your homework, question and listen for the intent, make the persuader work harder. Respond with your brain, not your heart.
Samir Shukla is the Editor of Saathee Magazine.
Contact: samir@saathee.com
Twitter/X: @ShuklaWrites
Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com
