Lessons on Persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga: a Book Review
With a name like "Language Intelligence: Lessons on Persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga", a book with a title like that compels one to pick it up and see what the heck the author is talking about. And Joe Romm's new book on how to communicate doesn't disappoint--it's a thoughtful and compelling look at the techniques used by some of history's great communicators to help persuade. Joe Romm is author of the climateprogress.org blog, the most visited climate change blog on the Internet, and the main blog that I use to stay current on climate change and energy news. Romm defines Language Intelligence as "the ability to convince people of something both intellectually and emotionally, at both a conscious and unconscious level." He goes on to say, "If facts were sufficient to persuade people, then experts in science would rule the world. But facts are not, and scientists do not. We filter out all the facts that do not match our views." At the heart of great communication lies great story telling, and Romm give us these tips on how to tell a story people will want to read:
- Write a great headline: Newspaper readers read 56% of the headlines, but only 13% of the stories are at least half-read. Headlines are even more important on-line, since they are what show up on Google searches and tweets. An example of one the most re-tweeted headlines Romm used in 2011: "Mother Nature is Just Getting Warmed Up: June 2011 Heat Records Crushing Cold Records by 13 to 1" (Romm uses a pun and personification to help create an eye-catching headline.)
- Short words are the best words.
- Slogans sell.
- If you don't repeat, you can't compete. Repetition and rhyming help people remember your message.
- The golden rule of speech-making is: "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; tell 'em; then tell 'em what you told 'em."
- Repeated distortions and smears are as effective as repeated truths, so beware of these sorts of attacks.
- If you want to de-bunk a myth, you need to focus on stating the truth, not repeating the myth.
- If you want to be more noticed and remembered, use more figures of speech (metaphors.) Examples of metaphors I've used include comparing our melting Arctic to the attic of a house that is on fire (Earth's attic is on fire: Arctic sea ice bottoms out at a new record low) and comparing the impact of global warming on extreme weather to the impact steroids have on a baseball slugger (Extreme events of 2011: climate change a major factor in some, but not all).
- Create an extended metaphor when you have a big task at hand. Countless books and articles underscore that extended metaphors are at the core of human thinking.
Video 1. National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist Dr. Jerry Meehl uses a metaphor to explain how climate change's impact on extreme weather is similar to how steroids affect a baseball slugger's ability to hit a ball out of the park.
At 183 pages, the book only took me about two hours to read, and I was very glad I did. It was very entertaining and informative, and anyone involved in public communication can learn from this book. I give it my highest rating: four stars out of four. Language Intelligence: Lessons on Persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga is $9.67 from Amazon.com.
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday, everyone, and I'll have a new post for you on Friday.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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I think we will get a cold shot on Saturday night Doug..
According to the forecast that I see ..
Happy X-giving, Geoff.
Happy Thanksgiving Day to ALL! Blessed, we are, for knowing so many wonderful people here.
Added
For those of you on the east coast, you better pick your eating spot now. ..... When my turn comes, I call dibs on the recliner! I don't plan on moving around much, once I have eaten. :)
Open the freezer and breath deep!!
Happy Tday Doug!
I should begin posting these everyday. Some are really amazing in how the photographer took the picture.
With that out of my way I was impressed with the book review and it seems to me the topic is relevant to the process of this blog and the Wundergound site.
I have not read the book but I'm wondering if the author mentions the need to listen to (or read) what the individual you wish to convince says (or writes).
Nice image Astrometeor!
The crew's Thanksgiving menu will include space-food versions of holiday favorites, such as irradiated smoked turkey, thermo-stabilized yams, NASA's own cornbread dressing, Russian mashed potatoes and a cranberry-apple dessert.
I wish I had those GREarth and levelx/analyst products, but they cost too much.
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody :)
i wonder why all the hype before they announce whatever it is?
Oh, and here's Reality.....
It's real easy to put the weight on, and real hard to take it back off.
Just sayin'.....
heheheheheh
Have a Blast !
Odd that so many have been in here today...LOL
Got a question for those of yo0u with a wealth of weather related bookmarks:
wiriting some flood reporting for the Connecticut shore post Sandy n=and I can;t seem to find any documentation on high Storm surge levels in this area. SLOSH only shows potentials. Anyone got a link to something with the actual readings?
Thanks in advance and may you each have a great day today!
Happy (American) Thanksgiving!
Maybe they read that book the Doc is on about LOL
Good thing they don't do Thanksgiving here, been awful all day and the only freeway going round N Wales has been shut both directions for about 4 hours now from flooding. Glad didn't have to go out at all today eek.
Hope everyone over there's having a good day! just had our little mini T-day meal, and stuffed just from that LOL Waiting for space for pumpkin pie!
Happy Turkey Day
Having ham, sweet plaintains, morros, arroz con bollo...
And the traditional foods of Turkey, sweet potatoe pie, mash potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and corn.
Hope everyone's thanksgiving is going great too!
The GFS continues to show some sort of snow system affecting S MI in about 6-7 days.
...A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF THE EAST COAST OF THE
UNITED STATES WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS MARINE CONDITIONS ALONG
THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST THROUGH AT LEAST THE EARLY PART OF THE
WEEKEND...
FLZ172-230300-
/O.EXB.KMFL.CF.S.0008.000000T0000Z-121124T0000Z/
/O.EXT.KMFL.RP.S.0035.000000T0000Z-121124T0000Z/
COASTAL BROWARD-
406 AM EST THU NOV 22 2012
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...
...COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT IS ALSO IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING FOR THE CONCERN OF MINOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION...
* RIP CURRENTS...A LONG PERIOD SWELL ALONG WITH STRONG WINDS WILL
RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.
* COASTAL FLOODING...A MODERATE TO ROUGH SURF TODAY AND FRIDAY
ALONG WITH TIDES RUNNING AROUND 1 FOOT ABOVE PREDICTED LEVELS
WILL RESULT IN A POTENTIAL FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING ACROSS
TRADITIONAL COASTAL FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
* TIMING...THE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS WILL BE HIGH ANYTIME BUT
GREATEST AROUND THE TIME OF LOW TIDE WHICH WILL BE AROUND MID
MORNING AND EVENING TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW. THE FLOODING
POTENTIAL IS ANYTIME PARTICULARLY WITH THE INCREASING SURF BUT
IT WILL BE GREATEST DURING HIGH TIDE WHICH WILL BE IN THE MID
AFTERNOON AND EARLY MORNING HOURS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
* IMPACTS...IN ADDITION TO THE MINOR COASTAL FLOODING BEACH
EROSION IS ALSO A POTENTIAL IMPACT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS JETTIES AND
PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.
IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP
CURRENTS.
$$
This is from the BBC:-
"The effects of climate change are already evident in Europe and the situation is set to get worse, the European Environment Agency has warned."
"It is in human health aspects, in forests, sea levels, agriculture, biodiversity - the signals are coming in from right across the environment."
Heres the link:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-204 08350
Apparently they are talking at the World Bank about there being a 4/c warming and how vital it is to avoid it! They should know.
...But company spokeswoman Laurie Parker said the utility never got a request from the policy center and never gave it any information.
Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said: "Sometimes when people don't like the message, in this case that global warming is real, it's convenient to attack the messenger."
Kreider said Gore purchases enough energy from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas to balance 100 percent of his electricity costs.
Gore, who owns homes in Carthage, Tenn., and in the Washington area, has said he leads a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To balance out other carbon emissions, the Gores invest money in projects to reduce energy consumption, Kreider said.
Posted on November 22, 2012
Expert report commission by World Bank
Many of you will have picked up that the World Bank has released a very important report on climate change. Its titled "Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4 degree C Warmer World Must be Avoided," and can be downloaded as a pdf.
highlights:
The world is on track to a 4 degree C warmer world - marked by extreme heat-waves and life-threatening sea level rise.
Adverse effects of global warming are "tilted against many of the world's poorest regions" and likely to undermine development efforts and goals.
Increased support is needed for adaptation, mitigation, inclusive green growth and climate-smart development.
http://openparachute.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/cli mate-change-deniers-dont-understand-expertise/
Now, I do understand that this is NOT related to weather but ...
The Thanksgiving Turkey
by DJack Prelutsky
The turkey shot out of the oven
and rocketed into the air,
it knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.
It ricocheted into a corner
and burst with a deafening boom,
then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.
It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor,
there was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there'd never been turkey before.
It blanketed every appliance,
It smeared every saucer and bowl,
there wasn't a way I could stop it,
that turkey was out of control.
I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,
and thought with chagrin as I mopped,
that I'd never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn't been popped.
Thanks again for all....
Lindy
Don't know if this will help you at all.
Some storm summary stuff here, Flood.
Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll.
NWS Philadelphia/Mt Holly
NWS New York
NWS Albany (Conneticut)
NWS Home Page by WFO
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