There are very many persuasion topics in life. They range from politicians persuading their friends and enemies to support a war, through business people persuading customers to buy oil or property, to small girls persuading their fathers to buy presents. These last persuaders may be just as effective as prime ministers and heads of the international monetary fund.
At the age of five or six grown adult males are like putty in their fingers. A few tears or woeful looks can persuade a father to drive hundreds of kilometers or spend money that he does not have. As they grow older they become even better and will soon be persuading young men to risks their lives and careers for the sake of demonstrating love.
Sometimes people are made to do things through threats, force or bullying. This does not qualify as persuading. Gangsters who collect protection money have no persuasive powers whatsoever. Extortion lacks the elements of guile and inducement which are essential aspects of making people do things voluntarily of their own free will.
Diplomats and politicians sometimes have to debate whether or not to engage in war. When America wished to invade Iraq many arguments were pout forward. Points made about the privations of the people did not convince many of the countries and it was only when 'weapons of mass destruction' were mentioned that they came round to joining the invasion.
It seems that moral suasion is not as powerful as naked threats of force. Other countries were persuaded to support America's wish to invade Iraq, but only when weapons of mass destruction were mentioned. The sufferings of ordinary people were not effective as persuasive tools, but threats of violence were.
In the business world marketing and sales techniques revolve around persuasive techniques. Target audiences are identified and painstakingly gambits are designed to play upon the needs of these audiences. For example men are encouraged to borrow extensively an buy cars that seem to exemplify their success, even though the car may in effect be owned by a bank.
It is in the domestic sphere that persuasion topics and arts rise to heights seldom seen in the fields of international or business affairs. There can be little dispute that women are naturally better at it than men. Feminine wiles cannot be explained rationally because they are beyond reason. It is almost beyond belief what a desirable woman can persuade a man to do.
At the age of five or six grown adult males are like putty in their fingers. A few tears or woeful looks can persuade a father to drive hundreds of kilometers or spend money that he does not have. As they grow older they become even better and will soon be persuading young men to risks their lives and careers for the sake of demonstrating love.
Sometimes people are made to do things through threats, force or bullying. This does not qualify as persuading. Gangsters who collect protection money have no persuasive powers whatsoever. Extortion lacks the elements of guile and inducement which are essential aspects of making people do things voluntarily of their own free will.
Diplomats and politicians sometimes have to debate whether or not to engage in war. When America wished to invade Iraq many arguments were pout forward. Points made about the privations of the people did not convince many of the countries and it was only when 'weapons of mass destruction' were mentioned that they came round to joining the invasion.
It seems that moral suasion is not as powerful as naked threats of force. Other countries were persuaded to support America's wish to invade Iraq, but only when weapons of mass destruction were mentioned. The sufferings of ordinary people were not effective as persuasive tools, but threats of violence were.
In the business world marketing and sales techniques revolve around persuasive techniques. Target audiences are identified and painstakingly gambits are designed to play upon the needs of these audiences. For example men are encouraged to borrow extensively an buy cars that seem to exemplify their success, even though the car may in effect be owned by a bank.
It is in the domestic sphere that persuasion topics and arts rise to heights seldom seen in the fields of international or business affairs. There can be little dispute that women are naturally better at it than men. Feminine wiles cannot be explained rationally because they are beyond reason. It is almost beyond belief what a desirable woman can persuade a man to do.
About the Author:
Persuasion topics are items such as advertisements to change the thinking of a potential consumer. Convincing someone to purchase a product is a form of persuasive speaking.