Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events » in reply to re: The Velvet Hammer

Post provocations
SDAI-Tech1 — (archived)

There's usually a little something over-the-top and provocative because I like to force the reader to confront an opposing view uncensored and unrepentant in its presentation. In that sense, I'm brutally honest sometimes and sometimes I throw in an over-the-top bit that by itself couldn't stand but with the preceding support structure stands and confounds somewhat.

Some think-tank, it might've been RAND but I'm not certain, did a study which included the number of times one had to repeat a concept for it to stick in the head of the viewer. It was three times. After this study, advertisers would repeat the message at least three times in commercials and print.

CAL WORTHINGTON WILL BEAT ALL DEALS!

This sort of message reinforcement is crude although quite effective.

CAL WORTHINGTON WILL BEAT ALL DEALS!

The public never knew what hit them after '55 or whenever the study's results were disseminated. However, sales were up for all sorts of things.

CAL WORTHINGTON WILL BEAT ALL DEALS!

There exists a much more sophisticated way of holding the reader's attention (or the viewer) and this is done by creating an emotional response. The response can be hate, love, joy, curiousity but if the emotional chord is strung within the mind of the reader this resonance serves to make the message more memorable and meaningful. For example, aggresive posts tend to generate more sure responses than do "just talking" types of posts do.

I don't think I consciously try to strike an emotional chord when I make a post, but rather I think over time, I have picked up some writing habits which I use repeatedly which end up challenging the reader.

Everyone here has their own unique posting styles. That's what makes it fun. I don't think I could bear to read a board full of SDAI-Tech1™ clones.

;-)

PS
Cal Worthington is known to all southern Californians. I'm not sure if you'd know who he is or not. If not, lucky you.

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