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"Language Intelligence" by Joseph J Romm


The stated purpose of the book is to look at rhetoric as a tool of persuasion.

Some Tips:

1) Use short words. Long florid phrases pale in comparison to short compact, punchy words. Think Churchill and Shakespeare. Or Obama "Yes, We Can." Trump "MAGA"

2) REPEAT. We know that the listeners brain remembers things that are repeated. Therefore, Repeat, repeat, repeat.

3) IRONY; When facing a difficult debate, often it works to turn the tables.

4) FORESHADOWING: There’s a dramatic principle known as Chekhov’s gun. If a play begins with a pistol on stage, you can be certain it will be fired before the final act.

5) METAPHORS: The brain uses metaphors to structure, compress and file information. (Wilson, Biophilia, 1984) Jesus as shepherd.

6) NEGATIONS: The title of George Lakoff’s 2004 book is “Don’t think of an Elephant!” …. Too late, you just did. Planting the seed but prefacing it with Don’t, will have the opposite effect. Sales go up when salesperson says “you don’t have to buy this today”.

Please feel free to comment on any of these recommendations and suggest other sources that might be helpful.


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