“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.” — Benjamin Franklin Jill came home from a busy day of work. Placing her bags down, she began clearing her mind to prepare for dinner, while reminding herself of tomorrow’s tasks, but before getting too committed, she decided to treat herself to a nice cup of tea, which would help alleviate the day of mental dredges and overbearing co-workers. She opened the cupboard, placed her favourite mug on the counter and then clicked on the kettle.
IDK, I've never been keen on manipulation. I can barely persuade my children unless it's a direct order and I use those sparingly. I studied advertising in votech and studied art in college but could never reconcile the two. I'd like to persuade people that government funded healthcare is not the way, especially considering what we've been through.
Subliminal messenging loses it's power once you're aware of it. Being a visual person I've always intuitively sensed that things are either more than or not at all as they seem. Narratives are harder for me to navigate let alone construct. I'm a reader not a writer so I either like what I see or I don't. Words and ideas are useful, inspiring, dangerous sometimes, and complicated.
"“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.”
— Benjamin Franklin
I have a similar one I've used in the past, a bit more visual and more memorable (at least for me).
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
A memorable quote from the "learned sententiae" of introductory Latin is:
"Possunt quia posse videntur", or "They are competent who are perceived as competent".
When I would occasionally float the expression to colleagues on the hospital floor, I twice received the identical art brut edition:
"Fake it til you make it."
But it's not that easy. I took a few deep dives into the history and philosophy of medicine -- and the deepest dive I think, to be taken, was through the pages of one book: "Ancient Medicine" by Ludwig Edelstein.
Aside from the Edelstein's discovery that there appears to have been no historical Hippocrates, and that the familiar oath is neither Hippocratic, nor properly an oath, I recall three principles, of which two pertain to what the language of consumer reviews refers to as "patient experience".
The first: "Look like you know what you're doing", and the second, like unto it: "Make sure they're glad to see you coming". Anyway, the aforementioned are a couple of nuggets to be found in a review of medical literature from about 400 BC to around the fourteenth century.
But, in the world of Supermarkets where we both now labor . . . your points are well made. The designers of our signage follow the principles follow exactly the principles you put have put forth.
I managed to salvage my "experience" with the materials wasted in abstract expressionism in the early seventies by geeking out on typography and lettering, eventually serving for several years as a calligrapher for the State Legislature. This is no boast.
There is no separating your illustrations from the persuasiveness of your arguments. It's not flattery, but an impolitic candor which provokes the observation that one cannot be separated from the other -- the charm of your presentation represents a harmony of the three elements of classical education. Your publication is beautiful. It has to be, or I wouldn't pay nearly so much attention.
Consider: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric.
The last mentioned is the finish of what used to be an eighth grade education.
Syntax. One assembles his troops, arms them and then must marshal them to victory through noise, smoke, clatter, war cries, bellowing, doubts of lieutenants and bloody press of flesh.
Or consider the expressions:"Beauty is only skin deep", or "Beauty is as beauty does", or more trenchantly: "Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised". And I recall from somewhere in Plato's dialogues, something like: "One must first enjoy the sight of the beloved".
Bill Gates. He's not beautiful.
In which of the three above mentioned elements does he fail -- or are all three equally impaired? Can you see the extra pair of arms he is waving?
IDK, I've never been keen on manipulation. I can barely persuade my children unless it's a direct order and I use those sparingly. I studied advertising in votech and studied art in college but could never reconcile the two. I'd like to persuade people that government funded healthcare is not the way, especially considering what we've been through.
Subliminal messenging loses it's power once you're aware of it. Being a visual person I've always intuitively sensed that things are either more than or not at all as they seem. Narratives are harder for me to navigate let alone construct. I'm a reader not a writer so I either like what I see or I don't. Words and ideas are useful, inspiring, dangerous sometimes, and complicated.
Great article! I love that opening quote:
"“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.”
— Benjamin Franklin
I have a similar one I've used in the past, a bit more visual and more memorable (at least for me).
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
Unfortunately, I'm unable to find the source.
Thanks for the post! Subbing...
Magic tricks! 🪄✨
I see the same artistic manipulation techniques used for entertainment purposes by stage magicians masterfully employed by advertising giants, etc.
🎶 Are you going to Scarborough Fair ? 🎵
🎵 Parse Last Sage rose query in time ? 🎶
I now order online and have it delivered to my home. Spending much less than if I went hunting in the grocery isle.
A memorable quote from the "learned sententiae" of introductory Latin is:
"Possunt quia posse videntur", or "They are competent who are perceived as competent".
When I would occasionally float the expression to colleagues on the hospital floor, I twice received the identical art brut edition:
"Fake it til you make it."
But it's not that easy. I took a few deep dives into the history and philosophy of medicine -- and the deepest dive I think, to be taken, was through the pages of one book: "Ancient Medicine" by Ludwig Edelstein.
Aside from the Edelstein's discovery that there appears to have been no historical Hippocrates, and that the familiar oath is neither Hippocratic, nor properly an oath, I recall three principles, of which two pertain to what the language of consumer reviews refers to as "patient experience".
The first: "Look like you know what you're doing", and the second, like unto it: "Make sure they're glad to see you coming". Anyway, the aforementioned are a couple of nuggets to be found in a review of medical literature from about 400 BC to around the fourteenth century.
But, in the world of Supermarkets where we both now labor . . . your points are well made. The designers of our signage follow the principles follow exactly the principles you put have put forth.
I managed to salvage my "experience" with the materials wasted in abstract expressionism in the early seventies by geeking out on typography and lettering, eventually serving for several years as a calligrapher for the State Legislature. This is no boast.
There is no separating your illustrations from the persuasiveness of your arguments. It's not flattery, but an impolitic candor which provokes the observation that one cannot be separated from the other -- the charm of your presentation represents a harmony of the three elements of classical education. Your publication is beautiful. It has to be, or I wouldn't pay nearly so much attention.
Consider: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric.
The last mentioned is the finish of what used to be an eighth grade education.
Syntax. One assembles his troops, arms them and then must marshal them to victory through noise, smoke, clatter, war cries, bellowing, doubts of lieutenants and bloody press of flesh.
Or consider the expressions:"Beauty is only skin deep", or "Beauty is as beauty does", or more trenchantly: "Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised". And I recall from somewhere in Plato's dialogues, something like: "One must first enjoy the sight of the beloved".
Bill Gates. He's not beautiful.
In which of the three above mentioned elements does he fail -- or are all three equally impaired? Can you see the extra pair of arms he is waving?
“Who’s the benefactor in this situation, Jill or the store?”
The economy.