The Art of Distraction

Seminar

The Art of Distraction
 
I am sitting here watching the clownish coverage of the presidential ‘race’ and am seeing some really cool stuff on how they are using persuasive strategies.
 
The best so far is the use of distraction and media bias. It is obvious that the media want Clinton and back her. The idea that the media leans to the left is not really news. What is amazing is how the public fall for distraction tactics like what has happened in the last day or so.
 
The tools used for this distraction are:
 
Distortion– Taking one comment to behavior and distorting it to mean something that was never intended.
 
Deletion– Leaving out bits and pieces of information to make a story follow the narrative that you want people to believe.
 
Generalization– Expanding a comment or behavior beyond the context that it was made in.
 
When you do this you create distraction and the person you do it to has to waste time and resources trying to get the real facts out there.
 
The example I am thinking of today are Trumps comment about the 2nd amendment folks being distorted into a call for assassination of Clinton.
 
First was distortion. The redefinition of a comment to have a different meaning. “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.” is redefined as a call for violence.
 
Then there was deletion– The context of the remark was ignored. It was about judges and votes. It was about how Clinton is anti 2nd amendment.
 
Then there was generalization– This means that Trump is X. Unfit, dangerous, stupid, scary.. you plug it in it has all been said over the last day.
 
All this leads to one thing…. distraction.
 
Also yesterday Clinton had a lawsuit filed against her for the deaths in Benghazi. That was quickly pushed into the background by using one sentence uttered by Trump.
 
It is a beautiful use of distraction to make the other person the story while getting some embarrassing news pushed off the front page.
 
Unfortunately for Trump… he just keeps handing Clinton these opportunities over and over. His inability to stay on message will sink him if he does not get it in line.
 
Wait I said sink him! Does that mean I want someone to drown him? 🙂
 
I know when I post this I will get comments about Trump and Clinton but honestly this is not about either. It is about the use of distraction and the most current example. I could care less about anyone’s political views or opinions. Please don’t waste my time with them.