Covert Persuasion With Presuppositions – Relative Clauses
Those That Have Read This Post Know Its Power
This is fifth in a series of articles regarding presuppositions, and how to use them to effectively and covertly persuade others. By consciously choosing your intentions, and then structuring your message using various language patterns, such as presuppositions, you will find that your ability to persuade others will improve dramatically.
Today’s topic is relative clauses. A relative clause is a complex noun phrase, followed by the words “which,” “who,” or “that,” then followed by another statement. There are a couple of ways to use these as standalone patterns to convince your listener or reader of the validity of an idea or statement.
First, choose a group of people, or experts. Then assign them something they’ve done or understood as a subgroup, something related to your persuasive idea. Then appropriate that persuasive idea to the group you’ve chosen.
(group) who have (performance or revelation) know that (your intended message)
Sounds complicated, so lets look at some examples
Idea: Exercise is good for weight loss
Group of experts: Physicians
Thing they’ve done: Performed research on weight loss.
Here’s how it looks like conversationally:
Leading physicians who have studied weight loss methods extensively have come to realize that the best way to lose weight is through a simple exercise plan.
Here’s another one.
Idea: Dollar cost averaging is a good, safe way to invest
Experts: Financial Planners
Thing they’ve done: studied various ways to increase wealth
Result:
Leading financial planners who have really looked at several ways of increasing wealth have found that dollar cost averaging is a great, safe way for beginners to invest in the stock market.
Notice in the above two examples, it is very hard to disagree with the intended message (exercise is good for weight loss, and dollar cost averaging for stock market wealth).
Unless you construct a completely “out there” message, your listener will accept as true pretty much whatever you give him.
People that have researched various ways to happiness are unanimous that giving me a million dollars is the fastest way to life long bliss.
In this case, the action I’m trying to persuade you to do, give me a million dollars, is so far out there that the whole statement is seen as an attempt at humor, and none of it is taken seriously.
Otherwise, statements that are even somewhat believable, when put together correctly, will be taken as truth.
Here’s another way to use this pattern.
(group) who have (done your intention) have realized (generally accepted good thing).
Where “group” is any expert or authority on a subject related to your intention, and the “generally accepted good thing” is something that is universally desirable, like self-confidence, health, sex appeal, money, etc.
Some examples.
Group = people in general
Your Intention = exercise to lose weight
Good thing = attention from the opposite sex
People who have lost weight through exercise have noticed a profoundly increased level of attention from the opposite sex.
Group: people in general
Your intention: dollar cost averaging
Good thing: easy money
People who have started a consistent dollar cost averaging program have realized how easily their wealth builds up over a period of time.
Group: people in general
Your intention: reduce carbon footprint
Good thing: feel good about yourself
People who have made a serious effort to reduce their carbon footprint have discovered that it greatly improves their self-image, because they know it’s really important to take care of the environment.
That’s it for today. Check back later for more updates, because people that have taken the time to really study presuppositions have found that the more you study, the more you can see various applications for these that can not only improve your life, but the lives of all those around you.
And people that have improved the lives of those around them have come to really appreciate how wonderful personal relationships can become once you master these patterns.
