The power of soft language

[soldierant]

I was introduced to Beau through a video that someone posted here, and have become a regular. I have never re-posted him here though until now.

With so many of us, myself included, running out of patience with insanity, this premise hit home to me. That doesn't mean I'm capable of doing it - I'm not right now, and in any case it takes practice. And it doesn't even always get results. But, when it does, it feels like a miracle.

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread soldierant.

[soldierant]

3. YVW.

[godsentme]

2. Beau is good

I am subscribed to his daily posts. I love listening to his take on things. He's very knowledgeable. Thanks for posting this. Highly recommended listening.

[soldierant]

4. Thanks, and YVW

[calimary]

5. Just finally had a moment to listen to this.

Most thought-provoking.

Very much indeed. When you go shrill and hard-edged, the effect that has, versus what he calls “soft language” - ie: lower octane, less confrontational. And whether the person on the receiving end is already there in agreement with you or still needs convincing.

Makes me want to think harder and more specifically about how we shape our asks in my Indivisible group’s Call to Action email - to an audience of our members who are already there - in agreement.

I’m always interested in what makes for effective messaging and what strings are pulled and buttons pushed to elicit a reaction or fire up already-motivated recipients.

[soldierant]

6. Thank you

This was worth waiting for certainly. Yes, another point Beau likes to make is that sometimes it the messsage that gets through (or doesn't) and sometimes it's the messenger.

I think blunt messengers and blunt messages are needed - but also that not all messages nor all messengers shoulld be blunt. And knowing the desired audience well is definitely a big part of making the decision how to message.

I personally tend to stop listening to people who make every ask an emergency. But that's just me.

Thank you for your work in the Indivisible group. It's appreciated.

[calimary]

7. I'm pretty good with words-as-blunt-instruments,

so I do have to be mindful of that, most of the time. I’ve been an activist since I was 9 we picketed in front of our house after my parents had the beautiful front yard shade tree cut down so they could grow a grassy lawn instead.

My dad was pissed off. My mom thought that was pretty funny.

Ironically enough, cutting that beautiful tree down made the living room too hot to be in, during the day. So it wound up being a room that never got used - at least until after dark. Sun came straight in all afternoon and it was never comfortable.