Dear Jessica Brennan,

Maybe sometime around 2005, I heard Bill Clinton speak in Toronto.  Having only ever seen him on television up until that point, I was quite taken with his presence and charisma.  When he walked in the room, you knew he was there.

His speech largely focused on climate change and renewable energy, and that was very interesting, but it wasn’t the subject matter itself that I noticed, so much as how it was delivered.

Since that time, I have seen the same delivery Bill Clinton used that day, implemented by other powerful speakers, and it is really effective. What I’ve learned though, is that this persuasion technique is also used against us daily in the media, our workplaces, our places of worship and as consumers and citizens of this planet.

Here is what Bill and all great orators do to keep you engrossed in their speech and interested in their cause. First, they tell you how bad things are, and how the situation is going to get a lot worse. That’s right, they sow the seeds of helplessness. As a planet, as a society, as a congregation or species, we are doomed.  As you listen you can feel the fear rising up inside of you. What will we do? This problem is so widespread and/or runs so deep, we are never going to be able to get out from under it. Many times the speaker is someone who we truly want to believe, so this makes “The sky is falling”, method, all the more effective. For about two-thirds of the allotted time, so 30 minutes of a 45 minute speech, they tell you that we are in a hopeless situation, but then, thank goodness just in time, Hallelujah, cue the choir, they provide a solution.

If you are Bill Clinton, you probably sow these fearful seeds because you want to deliver the solution that inspires people to put pressure on government to get behind your cause. The solution might be to vote, or it might be advocacy. But often this manner of influence is used not to get you to do something but rather to get you to buy something. Often this technique isn’t used as Bill used it – to show you what is going wrong with the outside world –  it is used to tell you what’s wrong with you. You’re not enough as you are so you need to buy something, (no doubt something that is in short supply), and buy it now!

If you’re wondering what this technique might sound like in the everyday, here it is:

You’re overweight.

You have blemishes.

Your work isn’t quite up to our standards.

You’re not going to be ready for the holidays.

You aren’t devout enough.

You are never going to follow your true path.

You? [You’re lost].

But wait, we can fix that. Buy this book, webinar, product, diet plan, and all will be well.  Put a little extra in the offering plate, drink the kool-aid, turn a blind-eye, work some overtime, and all this will disappear.

This speaking technique was not created by the 42nd president of the United States, and it certainly isn’t his fault that it took me until I saw him speak to realize what everyone is up to.  I really enjoyed what he had to say that day.

Still though, since I saw him all those years ago, I now recognize these manipulation tactics when I see them.

“Nice to see you again, Bill,” I think –  and I see Bill every day.

Watch for this.  Once you see it, you can’t un-see it. You won’t have to look far.

Love,

Mum xo