Persuading by shaming seems to be a trend lately, at least in the spam from campaigns and the writing by advocates. The Trump campaign spam constantly says things like “I never expected this from YOU, Friend!” Advocates at Compact Mag write articles telling the reader he’s an idiot.
This isn’t how you gather followers or customers. It’s a BASIC rule of selling or preaching, and it’s especially important in a time when civilization is irretrievably busted and fucked. A little bit of respect goes a long way in a climate of total contempt.
Respect pulled me into the neocon cult in 1990. The Conservative Forum on Compuserve knew how to make people feel respected, and their influence was enough to keep me solidly under the spell for 15 years.
When people break out of a spell, they will NATURALLY feel ashamed and embarrassed. Damn! Why did I fall for that shit? Why did I stick with it for so long?
Trying to INDUCE shame before it happens naturally will backfire. The cultists will simply reject the shamer and stick closer to the source of RESPECT.
(It’s always possible that these shame-vendors are really working for the other side, but I’ll assume for now that they simply want to advance their own cause.)
Polistra's Mill 