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Blame As Persuasion: Use With Caution

By: Kenrick Cleveland..

I have written previously about the term 'everything happens for a reason' as a technique to utilize the inherent trust many people have in this concept. I also wrote about how superstition can be a powerful persuasive tool. If you've read those articles and put the tools to work in your life, you already understand the power they hold.

The other side of the 'everything happens for a reason'/'there are no accidents' coin is the use of assigning blame. Both concepts require that our client or prospect has a belief in an ordered and equitable universe in order for it to be potently persuasive.

This might appear on the surface a little controversial. I intend absolutely no disrespect, especially in terms of religious orientation. I am a very spiritual person and believe fully in the freedom of religion. But by way of example, I want to show how this is a powerful persuasion technique.

In group theory, there's a lot of discussion about enemies, common enemies. One of the greatest ways you can ever use to bond a group is for them to have a common enemy.

Let's start with Christianity as an example. What's the common enemy of Christianity? Well, you probably know right off the top of your head, it's the devil. How is this installed in Christians from an early age? Well, we start saying things like, 'We as humans are born into a world of sin and the mere act of being born causes us to not be able to get into the life hereafter until and unless we accept Jesus as our savior.'

That's a fairly severe presupposition. What or who is the enemy in this instance? Well, just being born is. We're born into sin. And who is responsible for that? The devil, the common enemy.

I heard someone say many years ago that the devil is the best friend Christians ever had because without him there would have been no need for a savior. And think about the word 'savior'. It's a presupposition that one needs saving. The implication is that if you are, in fact, born into sin, then you do need saving.

I am absolutely not debating any of this. I'm being more of a devil's advocate (no pun intended) because I am standing back and removing my own beliefs to point out how you can see this.

None of this is to say that having a common enemy is a bad thing. In fact, I think it's a great thing to use, but carefully and responsibly.

Note the advantage of having an unseeable, unknowable enemy such as the devil. Basic human drives and desires can be attributed to the influence of this invisible being (for example, lust (reproduction), gluttony (food)).

We have an inherent need to assign blame. In fact, it's so fundamental to the core of who we are that everybody does this.

How about a political example? How about the 'War on Terror' or the 'War on Poverty'? It's virtually impossible to argue that anyone is for 'terror' or 'poverty'. These are cultural common enemies. Terror and poverty, however, are concepts, not actual, tangible physical groups against which a war can be won, but notice how insanely powerful as enemies. If winning a 'war' against a concept were possible, I'd sign up and fight.

Look to the contrast between 'things happen for a reason' and the concept of blame.

A word of warning: I wouldn't dwell in the land of negativity, it's like a double-edged sword. It cuts going and coming. Be very careful.

Article Source: http://www.gcyarticles.com

Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques.

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