Politics and Hypnosis, an interesting combination, isn’t it?
Have you ever noticed how heated discussions over politics and political parties can get? People may become very defensive over their political preferences, often even without knowing whether that party is working towards their best interests!
Have you ever wondered how leaders and politicians are able to evoke such strong emotions in us?
Read on to understand how they use the power of hypnosis (intentionally or unintentionally) for political influence and persuasion.
But before we go any further, we would like to emphasize that we’ve taken care to stay as unbiased as possible and we respect the wide range of perspectives that anyone may have on the issue.
Let’s get cracking!
Think of the first image that comes to mind when you recall a leader or politician that you like or believe.
Now,
what emotions does their thought or image invoke in you, as you think about them?
what thoughts start cropping up in your mind as you think of this person?
what does this person represent to you?
If you could use a phrase or a metaphor to describe this person, what would that be? For instance, “Mr. X is a tough nut” or “Ms. Y is pure gold”, and so on.
Now think of another leader or politician that you dislike or don’t trust; someone you simply can’t stand.
Now,
what emotions does their thought or image invoke in you, as you think about them?
what thoughts start cropping up in your mind as you think of this person?
what does this person represent to you?
If you could use a phrase or a metaphor to describe this person, what would that be? For instance, “Mr. X is a python” or “Ms. Y is killing freedom”, and so on.
Interesting, isn’t it?
Have you ever realized that the persona of a leader or politician is the result of a carefully crafted strategy? Your thoughts, feelings and perceptions about these people have not happened by chance.
Some of the external forces that are influencing you are the politicians themselves, media and TV Hypnosis.
First up, is a look at some of the hypnotic techniques that shape our perceptions.
Metaphors
Political speech is full of metaphors. Any news channel will always talk about the same issues, such as poverty, religion etc., that cause emotions to boil over and erupt.
And when they talk about these issues, are they logical?
Not always.
Their language is often full of metaphors added with an emotional component.
Do you remember the Brexit campaign? Or Trump’s slogan?
Weren’t they great metaphors – “Take back control”; “Build the Wall”; “Make America Great Again”?
Metaphors are symbolic representation of something that would be difficult to gulp when given literally. Much Like Aesop’s Fables, metaphors are easy to understand and remember. They are a great tool to turn an abstract idea more concrete which can then be grasped more easily.
So, when you hear “Take back control”, you think of loss of power. In Brexit’s context, this refers to the fear that foreigners may take over if we do not “take back control“.
Do you know that according to The Guardian, one of the people who helped with the marketing language for the Brexit campaign was former world-famous hypnotist, Paul McKenna!
If you have seen the Brexit TV commercial, it begins with fear inducing music with messages, such as –
“Are you concerned about the amount of crime being committed in the U.K. by foreign criminals?“
While you are afraid and panicking, they toss you relief in the form of – “Isn’t it time to take back control?”
Next time it is played, you are already programmed to trigger these gut-wrenching feelings once again.
But it’s not over yet!
Repetition
Repetition is another great hypnosis inducing technique.
The more you do something, the better you get at it. In this case, the more you watch the ad, the more you become programmed to act automatically. Just like driving, isn’t it?
When the politicians, media and you combine a catchy phrase, mantra or metaphor with repetition, you’ve an immensely powerful combination.
The more you do something, the better you get at it.
Now look at Donald Trump’s campaign motto.
“Make America Great Again“
Another great recipe of a powerful metaphor that stirs emotions and is repeated over and over again.
But they do not stop with metaphors and repetition!
Anchors
In the beginning of this blog, we said that your perceptions about a politician were not an accident.
Political campaigns are designed to stir and tune into your emotions and associate them with triggers.
The easy way to stir up your emotions and bring them to a boil is use issues, such as religion.
To make the magic work again and again, they anchor it. Great politicians would anchor positive emotions in you about themselves and negative emotions in you about their opponents.
Well, it doesn’t end with metaphors, repetition and anchors!
Themes
This is the big picture that ties everything neatly into a package.
Just keep your personal opinions aside for a moment and consider two of the biggest influencers in modern history – Hitler and Martin Luther King Jr.
Both use the ‘freedom‘ theme.
Google MLK Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech. He uses the word ‘freedom’ 13 times! On the other end of the spectrum is Hitler who used the fear of losing freedom.
Do you realize who was more effective in creating a positive change?
You are right – Martin Luther King Jr!
Former U.S. President, Barack Obama, also did something similar. His “Yes we can,” message kept working its magic for two full terms.
Remember that it’s not important we will like all these messages. The idea is to understand that these are simply the most influential ones!
Now consider Obama’s last Presidential speech’s metaphor – “Democracy can buckle when we give into fear”!
The metaphor instantly struck chord with the America that was already sitting on edge over economic changes, persistent security threats and the election of Donald Trump.
Power Words
Another way politicians influence us is power words.
Every industry uses unique power words and phrases to shape opinions and influence us. Advertising and marketing has been doing it forever.
Words like ‘free’, ‘easy’, ‘luxury’, ‘safe’, – all stir up emotions and desires. ‘Free’ makes you think you’re getting an irresistible offer. ‘Easy’ (easy installments) exploits your desire to have something with minimal effort. ‘Safe’ assures you that the product is safe for you or your child, for instance. ‘Luxury’ evokes the image of an product, something you must possess.
And in politics, if you hear a politician talk about how your faith or religion is under attack, you are immediately drawn in!
The Bottom Line on Politics and Hypnosis
By now you would have figured out that language patterns (and NOT magical abracadabra), is used in politics to stir up emotions and influence perceptions.
Whether the person is using language patterns intentionally or otherwise, they are trying to use your emotions so you act in a certain manner. The goal may vary, from benefit to the masses to some personal gain.
Most influencers, leaders and politicians have learnt that language patterns are an effective tool to get your attention.
But now that you know what is happening, you can decide to take what is being said with a grain of salt!
If you are interested in learning more about how you can use language patterns and hypnosis to gain more influence, connect with your audience or to help others lead a better life, drop us a line and we will get in touch with you.
