Dumb it down, for fuck's sake. [View all]

[LuckyCharms]

I am a 66 year old natural born citizen of the United States of America. I have two college degrees, both of them achieved with high honors. I am a member of a national honor society. Subsequent to my academic life, my career consisted of progressively more responsible positions in a difficult and competitive field. I am able to follow and participate in complex discussions on a variety of topics.

And guess what?

I recently had to look up two words because I did not have the foggiest idea what they meant.

Those two words are:

"Oligarchy" and "autocracy".

I feel no shame in not knowing what these words meant. No matter how smart or how "dumb" we may be...we know what we know, and that's the way life is.

So why in the world are these words being used in Democratic messaging to the general population...a population that you are trying to persuade? A population who you are trying to make understand your point of view?

As I think more about this, why is the word "hyperbole" used in the arguments in which you are trying to persuade? Most people do not know what that word means without looking it up.

When you look up the definition of a word, you can read the definition, you can understand the definition, but the real world implications of that word do not register in your mind on an emotional level.

So why are these words being used in Democratic messaging to a general audience? Inquisitive and truly intelligent people research words that they hear, but do not know the meaning of.
However, just knowing the meaning of a word is not enough.

Simple language must be used when communicating to a general audience.

People trying to persuade need to "dumb it down" if they want to get a message across.

For example:

lie
liar
bullshit
damn lie
fucking lie
king
ruler
Hitler-like
Mussolini-like
their actions could very well cause your death, and the death of those you love
your savings are being stolen
you paid into Social Security your whole life, and they are taking it from you
they think they are better than you
they are not like you
they don't care about you
open up your eyes
you're too smart to fall for this bullshit
your family will be ruined, if they are lucky enough to survive
misery for you and yours
do the right thing and fight for your family
if you are not scared, you should be
don't think it can't happen. it happened to your grandparents
believe your own eyes, not what someone tells you that you are seeing
you're being crushed under the thumb of insane billionaires
etc
etc

NOT...OLIGARCHY AND AUTOCRACY.

For persuasion, people need to feel something in their heart, not their head.