Laura Taylor

Assertion Repetition and Contagion

by Laura Taylor

Monday 23rd January 2017 12:57 pm

Assertion repetition and contagion.

MAKE AMERICA GREAT!

Statements of greatness

over and over.

Statements of greatness

over and over.

Statements of greatness

over and over.

TAKING BACK CONTROL!

Statements of greatness

all over the papers in black and white lies,

alternative facts, online, on TV, on tablet repeat,

a marketing genius

spitting on rights of all colours and creeds,

all anything Other than orange supremacy.

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Oh KKK

Make America Great!

Statements of greatness repeat

hiding the ism and schism of venom,

the dangerous chaos,

the predator, prey, and the genuine hatred

buried in layers of three.

Oh KKK

Make America Great?

Take Back Control of your nation?

Brothers and sisters, they’re sowing the seeds

of disease in your mind every time

that you hear it repeated.

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Oh KKK

Make America Great!

Statements of greatness repeat.

TAKE BACK CONTROL!

Statements of greatness

spreading dis-ease

over and over,

penetrate souls

by repetition,

never defined

because they don’t have to.

They’re saying we’re different.

We’re not.

Don’t be divided,

your reason disabled;

these statements of greatness, repeated,

are weapons of war.

None of it’s yours to begin with.

The land, the borders, the means of production.

They’re selling you empty by means of seduction.

They’re saying it once,

they’re saying it twice;

hearts and minds won over

in slogans of three.

This echoing rhetoric’s hollow

though it worked for Goebbels,

remember?

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Over and over,

statements of greatness.

Oh KKK

Make America Great!

Statements of greatness repeat…

become news

become truth

become common sense

self-evident

un-im-peach-a-ble

by the tried and tested method

of overcoming reason

with assertion repetition and contagion.

🌷(2)

Propaganda

◄ Lullament

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Comments

Graham Sherwood

Tue 24th Jan 2017 17:46

Sorry if you're offended LT I was really just agreeing about the repetition thing. Neck back in my collar now. Is it okay if I stick around or should I get back in my box?

Laura Taylor

Tue 24th Jan 2017 16:31

Graham - do you think I don't know that? I could reel off plenty of right and left wing slogans that are three words long. We are going back to Socrates here. It's basic. Simple. And incredibly powerful. I'm just staggered at how well it stands the test of time, brilliantly illustrated by both Brexit and the American election, so you can wind your neck in.

elP - cheers. I did read an academic article about how the election was swung on the premise of him offering advancement, and HC saying that everything was fine. Your third sentence - bang on.

Graham Sherwood

Tue 24th Jan 2017 16:18

Repetition (see most advertising) worked for Obama (Yes we Can!) so why wouldn't it work for Trump (Make America Great).

Go back through history and I'm pretty sure all major leaders have had some sort of rallying call (Dig for Victory) comes to mind too!

Democracy only works when you agree with its result.

elPintor

Tue 24th Jan 2017 14:32

It is an effective device--repetition. We see it's so through it's action in propaganda. Modern society seems to believe that they've evolved immunity to such devices, but they are clearly mistaken.

I found this the day before you posted your piece--I believe it fits your description to a great degree...

'Johnson attributed much of the work that he and others have done in support of Trump to being able to tap into voters’ emotions through memes, such as the Pepe the Frog cartoon that became an informal mascot for Trump supporters. Johnson said that memes represent a new way for people to discuss national politics, which he said is dominated by a “white paper” mindset predicated on debating policy merits based on fact rather than emotion. To hear Johnson tell it, the success of this approach is evidenced by the visceral reaction to memes that generated widespread attention and influenced public perception during Trump’s rise to power, despite having little or no basis in fact.

“The election was won by a bunch of people making memes,” Johnson proclaimed. “We memed the President into existence.”'

--from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mattdrange/2017/01/09/chuck-johnson-troll-trump-transition-team/#614f50ca5c12

I just had to share it.

elP

btw..your use of "seduction" echoes my sentiments exactly. It seems that voters are naive and easily seduced by empty rhetoric.

Laura Taylor

Tue 24th Jan 2017 11:52

Cheers Stu. Just gobsmacked at the incredible power of simple repetition.

Yeh, think it's a January thing. Thought I was doing suspiciously well for this time of the year and then bang - right down into a big black January-shaped hole. Just got to wait for it to pass eh?

Thanks chuck - same to you too. If you can get out in the daylight though, please do that. It all helps.

Stu Buck

Mon 23rd Jan 2017 21:57

super as usual laura. you know i couldnt give two over-ripe figs about politics but how can i argue with

hiding the ism and schism of venom,

or

The land, the borders, the means of production.

They’re selling you empty by means of seduction.

sorry to hear your feeling low. is it a january thing? i myself have just managed to get out of bed (its 10pm) to make myself something to eat, so utterly empty have i felt all day.

sending what positivity i can muster your way.

Laura Taylor

Mon 23rd Jan 2017 16:07

Cheers Ray. If I wasn't so miserably depressed I'd have filmed a version of this by now to put up. Next gig though, for sure.

raypool

Mon 23rd Jan 2017 15:59

Laura, It seems evident to me that the Trump presidency was pre - ordained with the momentum and the blinkered hyper crap that surrounds this mind numbing Orwellian technique.
Maybe he won't bother with a third golf club now.

Superbly expressed and a live must !

Ray

Laura Taylor

Mon 23rd Jan 2017 15:58

Thanks Wolfgar.

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