modern life vs. human nature

Photos courtesy of news.yahoo.com

Watching the results of the recent race for the democratic nomination in the US made me realize something about the way we think. It is also something that applies across the board when we are trying to persuade someone about any topic. Small doses of negativity works to get your point across. I don’t necessarily think it is sad comment on human affairs as much as it is an understanding of human thinking. George W. Bush used negativity to win the nomination for the Republican party when he was running against the current nominee John McCain. He then used it for the last eight years to scare the hell out of the american public and to silence his critics. It is only his massive display of incompetence that has really gotten him in trouble in the last few years as you can only hide stupid for so long. McCain won this time because there was no one as vicious and negative as Bush in the running.

On the Democratic side Hillary just did an effective job of scaring enough people with a negative ad into keeping her in the running. Some of you might say I am simplifying the issue but the focus of the ad was the leadership capability and lack of experience that are seen to be Obama’s weak points.

This makes me consider that a small dose of negativity can work whether you are trying to convince someone to think about the environmental impact of their current actions or even getting them to buy something that may be more expensive but better for their health and the planet’s health. Without beating them over the head or “guilting” them into a decision they may later resent you for you can just kindly throw into an otherwise positive conversation a little dash of negative so your point might have a better chance of sticking.

Good luck with that. You’ll need it.