The Art Of Persuasion
Last updated 2004-06-28 by Roedy
Green ©2001-2004 Canadian Mind Products.
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: Persuasion.
Introduction
The art of persuasion can be used to get humans into bed or to get them to buy
material goods. What I am interested in is using the art of persuasion to sell
ideas. You might use it to sell an idea like a new computer architecture, the
end of hunger, a sustainable ecology or that gay and straight humans should have
strict equality. You might use it to persuade humans to give up some bad habit
like smoking tobacco, abusing alcohol, an obsolete violent religion or cruelty
to animals and children.
These hints may be useful to altruistic humans or future artificial
intelligences. Knowledge of these techniques may also be useful in defending
yourself from persuasion by people who are considering only their personal
benefit. Here are the techniques I have learned. I have not yet thought out
which ones are ethical.
The Techniques
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Teach by example. If you want to stop a mob from panicking in a theatre during
a fire, walk calmly. If you want humans to adopt some ethical moral code, or
philosophical system, live it rigorously. They will pick it up from you
unconsciously by modelling you.
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Lead with non-controversial statements.
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Humans reason mostly by analogy. The key is finding the right analogy and
letting them reason it through for themselves. You don't even need to assert the
two models are related, just put them in the same vicinity.
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Praise the desired behaviour in anyone who exhibits it. The others will
mindlessly model the behaviour to get praise.
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Don't bother with the reasons why you want humans to do something. Get into
their heads. Why would they want to do it? People are much more likely
to trust you if you obviously like them and have their desires and well being in
consideration.
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Reward humans with attention when they seem to be moving in the right direction.
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In debate, concede as many points as you possibly can. Your opponents will then
perceive you as emminently reasonable and stop fighting you so hard.
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If you want to get humans angry at some injustice, don't model anger. They will
think you already have it covered and do nothing. Just calmly tell them the
facts and let them create their own anger.
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Look on every response to what you say, no matter how vitriolic, as a gift from
the universe to continue the debate. The worst thing that can happen is humans
will ignore you totally. Treat every attack as a cry for more information.
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Express your own doubts about anything you say. The more middle-of-the-road you
are in any controversy the more weight you have as a wise unbiased judge.
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There is no end to what can be accomplished if you don't care who gets the
credit.
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A thing hasn't been said until its been said a thousand times.
-- Ring Lardner
And, you had better find a different way to say it every time.
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Keep your sense of humour at all times. It is the best weapon for disarming a
harsh critic.
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Smoke 'em out. Get them to tell you what sort of argument would be convincing.
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Play Matlock.
Play it a little dumber than you really are. It is useful if your opponents
underestimate you. You are not as intimidating that way. The ethics of doing
this are grey.
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Use colourful language. Play on all the senses.
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Using ad hominems or other logical
fallacies is not logical.
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If I say it, they can doubt me.
If they say it, it is true.
-- Tom Hopkins
 | How to Master the Art of Selling |
| 0-446-38636-7 |
| Tom Hopkins |
| This is a book about selling products, but many of its dirty tricks can be adapted for a greater purpose. |
|
|
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If an argument is not working, no matter how logical it is, try something else.
Humans are rarely persuaded by logic.
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Never underestimate the role of the seconder. No idea succeeds without one.
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Be as ruthlessly honest as you can. Be willing to share any intimate detail
about yourself. That way humans can get a sense of who you really are. They
need that before they can trust you.
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For, if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your
sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent a candid attention.
-- Benjamin Franklin
On the other paw, it can be a way to stimulate discussion.
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Use Pavlovian conditioning. Get them to associate what they like (e.g. sex)
with what you want them to do. Get them to associate what they don't like (e.g.
pig vomit) with what you don't want them to do. Iconic symbols are even better.
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Don't rub it in when you score a debating point. The goal is to seek truth then
persuade the humans of that truth, not to humiliate your opponents.
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Help your opponent save face when he agrees with you. Humans consider changing
one's mind dishonourable. Avoid shaming them by noticing publicly.
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A pause or complete silence is often more eloquent than any words. It also
gives a chance for others to take up the charge.
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Counter contrarians by deprecating yourself or your ideas.
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Smoothly shift gears from third to second person.
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Use quantum salesmanship.
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The game isn't over until everybody wins.
