Political Language

The War of Words: The Invisible Logic of Political Language and Automated Influence 1 The War of Words - Part 1: The Invisible Logic of Political Language 2 The War of Words - Part 2: The Tyranny of the Narrating Self 3 The War of Words - Part 3: The STEPPS of Automated Influence ← Series Home The Anatomy of Assault: Why Language is the First Line of Defense Imagine being presented with the phrase, “Don’t think of an elephant!”. The attempt to follow that instruction instantly fails, because the very mention of the word activates a mental structure in your brain, forcing the image and its associations into consciousness. This simple test reveals a profound vulnerability in human thought: language does not merely describe reality; it actively constructs the mental arena in which all persuasion must occur. This insight explains why a political figure arguing, “I am not a crook,” guarantees that his audience will immediately associate him with criminality. The ensuing political or commercial contest is often won or lost before a single policy or price is debated, fundamentally because the terms of engagement—the frames—have already dictated how reality will be perceived. ...