Are elections really about manipulating brains?

perseus

perseus

Active member
I have just read an interesting article about how elections are won my manipulating brains (what a surprise!) and Republicans have got this off to a fine art. Here are a few extracts:

Politics….is not about changing minds through arguments and evidence. It is about configuring and reconfiguring neural pathways. Repetitive, comforting, emotionally attractive and morally appealing narratives, metaphors, motto's and mantras are most likely to gain neural traction. Politicians who control brains win elections.

Republicans are the ones who understand "how brains and minds work". They apparently know that the constant repetition of phrases like "war on terror" strengthens neural connections. After hearing those words again and again, ordinary people literally get stuck thinking that way. It's noise to neurons. Bush, recall, "had been an alcoholic, had a DUI violation, avoided service in Vietnam, had a shadow experience in his Air National Guard unit, failed repeatedly in business". Bush's team brilliantly deployed cog-sci know-how … to suppress and/or spin these stories about alcoholism, cocaine use and business incompetence.

The moral of the story is that successful politicians know how to use words to get people to vote against their own interests and values. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg19826586.300-review-ithe-political-mindi-by-george-lakoff.html?DCMP=ILC-rhts&nsref=ts12_pic

Is this a bit simplistic and are not elections also won by appealing to 'genuine' self interest?

Is this just a version on Dawkins more general meme theory of thought and idea propagation?
 
Its an interesting theory and I have certainly seen aspects of it in action here, recall watching a debate between two party leaders one of which answered a question by saying "we are going to increase funding to small business development plans"
From that point on the conversation basically went:
Politician 1: How will you pay for this increased funding.
Politician 2: Well we will be receiving greater tax revenues from the jobs this will create.
Politician 1: So you plan to increase taxes.
Politician 2: No we plan to increase tax revenue by getting more people into work.
Politician 1: So you plan to increase taxes.

So in part I would agree with the theory and perhaps expand it to saying that this not just a Republican tactic but rather a tactic of conservative parties (center-right) as a whole.
 
The more stupid the people get the easier this becomes.

Remember, just appeal to emotion rather than reason. Having a national tragedy/victory helps.
 
major liability said:
The more stupid the people get the easier this becomes.

Remember, just appeal to emotion rather than reason. Having a national tragedy/victory helps.
Click to expand...

Thats one of the reasons I like Perseus signature text and would probably have adopted it myself if it wasn't already taken, as a statement it is very accurate.
 
MontyB said:
Thats one of the reasons I like Perseus signature text and would probably have adopted it myself if it wasn't already taken, as a statement it is very accurate.
Click to expand...
my god, Hermann Goering did do something useful in his life; he made that quote...
 
The Other Guy said:
my god, Hermann Goering did do something useful in his life; he made that quote...
Click to expand...

Indeed and while he did actually make that statement it is believed that it is an adaptation of one of Julius Caesars statements...

“Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.”

Actually this maybe the next quote I adopt although its probably too long.

If you want to see what Herman Goering's mind was capable of you should perhaps read his defense at Nuremberg, he was both clear and well versed and impressed a lot of people with his speeches, many people put this down to him being cleared of a drug dependency prior to the trials.

But anyway back to the original article I think it is a very interesting and well thought out document that to a large degree identified one of the methods of politics throughout recorded history Hitler for example took the process to its extreme but did it very well none the less.
 
Last edited:
MontyB said:
Thats one of the reasons I like Perseus signature text and would probably have adopted it myself if it wasn't already taken, as a statement it is very accurate.
Click to expand...


And everyone knows what a lying bastard Goering was. And what happened to Goering and Caesar , you may ask. And the 3rd Reich, and the Roman Empire? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind - Dylan.


BTW - re. your politicians and their tax claims. They are talking of the increase in the tax take, from the added business. This also happens often when the rate of tax is lowered.
 
Last edited:
Del Boy said:
And everyone knows what a lying bastard Goering was. And what happened to Goering and Caesar , you may ask. And the 3rd Reich, and the Roman Empire? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind - Dylan.
Click to expand...

For all of his faults Herman Goering was at one stage considered one of the best fighter pilots in the world and Julius Caesar was not only one of Rome and the worlds best and most successful military minds but also a very successful politician if anyone has the right and the knowledge to make the statements mentioned here those two most certainly did.
 
His full quote is here

Naturally the common people don't want war, neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. Herman Goering
 
MontyB said:
For all of his faults Herman Goering was at one stage considered one of the best fighter pilots in the world .
Click to expand...


Being a fine pilot in WW1 does not mean that he stands in history as anything but a theiving looter of Europe without honour, does it? ( no disrespect to Perseus intended).

And the Caesar quote - is it from Caesars Gallic Wars or Shakespeare? If it is legit. you could use it for your signature as the Caesar quote without upsetting Perseus' Goering quote. Problem solved, just try to avoid assassination.:-D
 
It is definitely not Shakespeare and if it is not Caesars then that would only indicate that the Goering quote is the original which oddly enough makes it even more lucid.
 
MontyB said:
It is definitely not Shakespeare and if it is not Caesars then that would only indicate that the Goering quote is the original which oddly enough makes it even more lucid.
Click to expand...

OK, shame, that. Never mind, look "I came, I saw, I conquered" - Julius Caesar. You could have that one.:-D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top