Comments on: I Promise…Sort Of http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/ Exploring how bold words can give life to bold ideas. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:34:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Britt http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-399 Britt Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:01:20 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-399 Joe: Unfortunately, leaders have guided their citizens to war under false pretenses several times. <i>The Boston Globe</i> wrote up a piece (http://tinyurl.com/jqthr) about 18 months ago on some of the different leaders who manipulated events for their own ends. I think you give the current administration too much credit for coming up with the idea. They just happened to be good students of a particular kind of history. Joe: Unfortunately, leaders have guided their citizens to war under false pretenses several times. The Boston Globe wrote up a piece (http://tinyurl.com/jqthr) about 18 months ago on some of the different leaders who manipulated events for their own ends. I think you give the current administration too much credit for coming up with the idea. They just happened to be good students of a particular kind of history.

]]> By: Joe T. http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-398 Joe T. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:35:30 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-398 Britt - you're right about FDR... good point. However I would argue that their misleading the public on that issue wasn't tantamount to leading us into a war under false pretenses. ALTHOUGH, some historical 'revisionists' would argue that FDR knew about the impending attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened... then, there are some who say the same thing about Bush and 9/11... so I guess the cycle continues endlessly. Britt – you’re right about FDR… good point. However I would argue that their misleading the public on that issue wasn’t tantamount to leading us into a war under false pretenses. ALTHOUGH, some historical ‘revisionists’ would argue that FDR knew about the impending attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened… then, there are some who say the same thing about Bush and 9/11… so I guess the cycle continues endlessly.

]]> By: Britt http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-391 Britt Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:38:38 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-391 Joe: I appreciate your comments. You're probably accurate that Edwards' language is driven as much by trying to overcome noise on the campaign trail as anything else. As to the current administration, you could write several books on their language choices. However, I doubt we can give them credit for being the very first to use such tactics. For example, think about FDR's administration and how they took every step to shield his growing physical infirmities. The other issue that your comment highlights is the inability to undo the damage from inaccurate information. Once something is released, your options for countering perceptions are minimal, particularly if people want to believe what they've been told. Joe: I appreciate your comments.

You’re probably accurate that Edwards’ language is driven as much by trying to overcome noise on the campaign trail as anything else. As to the current administration, you could write several books on their language choices. However, I doubt we can give them credit for being the very first to use such tactics. For example, think about FDR’s administration and how they took every step to shield his growing physical infirmities.

The other issue that your comment highlights is the inability to undo the damage from inaccurate information. Once something is released, your options for countering perceptions are minimal, particularly if people want to believe what they’ve been told.

]]> By: Joe T. http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-390 Joe T. Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:00:35 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/i-promisesort-of/#comment-390 Very good point, Britt. You got right to the heart of the disingenuous passing for substantive policy that infests much of America`s politics on both sides of the aisle. Personally, I like Edwards and I think he often engages in this kind of rhetorical device in order to be heard over the various noise machines and echo chambers that dominate the media landscape, both mainstream and in the new media world. Let it not be overlooked, though, that the current administration excels at, and can probably be credited with inventing, many of the most brazen misinformation tactics, such as the false assertions, straw men and red herrings that can`t be disproved, or can only disproved after the damage has been done. Good analysis, though... Very good point, Britt. You got right to the heart of the disingenuous passing for substantive policy that infests much of America`s politics on both sides of the aisle. Personally, I like Edwards and I think he often engages in this kind of rhetorical device in order to be heard over the various noise machines and echo chambers that dominate the media landscape, both mainstream and in the new media world.

Let it not be overlooked, though, that the current administration excels at, and can probably be credited with inventing, many of the most brazen misinformation tactics, such as the false assertions, straw men and red herrings that can`t be disproved, or can only disproved after the damage has been done.

Good analysis, though…

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