Scott Adam's anaylisis of the Trump effect

Yesterday I went back and read Scott Adam's blog all the way back into last year.  It was a real master class in the art of persuasion, not only as Trump uses it, but as other politicians and advertisers and "issue" people use it - though none do it as well as Trump.  It is most instructive to read the blog from older posts to the newer ones, as Trump's campaign evolved, so I suggest readers start here, with his August 5, 2015 posting, and then read forward using the "newer post" button at the bottom of each post.

I have learned a whole slew of useful new concepts, like "reframing, "thinking past the sale", "anchoring", "trigger phrases", etc, etc.  A few of these I knew about - vaguely - beforehand.  But to see Adam show us how Trump is using them in actual situations is a real education.

There is no question (a) that the political system in America is dysfunctional, and (b) that the two presidential choices we are going to get in this election - Trump and Clinton - (assuming Clinton isn't indicted) are miserable choices. If we elect Clinton we are clearly simply going to get 4 more years of Obama and dysfunctional, corrupt Washington, except that Clinton is more likely to increase the waste of money and American lives in the Middle East wars.  If we elect Trump we upset the whole system, dump the political chessboard on the ground, and have a chance - not a certainty, but at least a chance - of significantly changing Washington politics.

As Adams says in one of his posts, if you think America is going the right way, vote for the safe hands of Clinton and a continuation of the status quo.  If you think America is going the wrong way, Clinton isn't going to change anything significant so your only chance to change directions is to vote for Trump and hope.

An interesting choice.