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The Martian's Guide to American Politics

Hi Persuader,

Indulge me. Let’s enter the realm of fantasy for a moment.

Not THAT kind of fantasy, but the world of make believe, fairy tale, science fiction.

Put yourself in the head of an anthropologist from Mars. Let’s pretend we’re a team of anthropologists and we’ve taken on human form and landed in Washington DC, circa 2007.

From this perspective, what conclusions will we come to about American politics?

There’s blue and red, there’s elephants and donkeys. These represent the “two sides”.

Well, are there really only two sides? Of course not. That’s absurd.

But realistically, those are the options. Any third side or fourth side candidate is not allowed to contend because “they don’t really have a chance of winning”. Or “they’ll take votes away from the REAL candidate”.

So while these sides may appear to vehemently dislike each other, they are sort of in cahoots to keep numbers three, four, or five out of the running. Common ground.

Oh, and it gets better…

The media is an enemy to both sides. They like to highlight the actions of both teams so that they gain more revenue from advertisers.

They’re sort of the devil’s advocate, but not really because their loyalty is to whomever is in power and whomever owns the media outlet.

More exciting, and extremely advantageous to the media, both sides also have more titillating common enemies:

Hookers (Louisiana Senator David Vitters, who while advocating abstinence-only sex education which excluded information on birth control and safe sex, was identified by two women, the DC Madam and the Canal Street Madam, as being a client – ironic hypocrisy);

The under aged boys (U.S. Representative Mark Foley had ironic hypocrisy with one of these in the form of a Congressional page. Where once he was known as a crusader against child abuse and exploitation, it turned out to be a cover);

Wanton women
(yeah, horn dog Bill Clinton and White House intern in the blue dress… at least that was consensual and she was of age).

Other enemies include…

Closeted homosexuality (see my previous post called “The Incongruent Larry Craig”, and let’s not forget New Jersey Democratic Governor Jim McGreevey);

Extramarital affairs (the list is too long);

And women who don’t like being groped or harassed (The Terminator).

I could go on and on. There are obviously other enemies – crack cocaine (Marion Barry), voter fraud, blah, blah, blah.

Blue, red, elephant, donkey, they seem to want to make all the laws and then break them.

In our research as Martian anthropologists, we’d have to conclude that some form of perversion or criminal record is mandatory for political candidates.

We’d also have to conclude that the non-politicians, the ones who vote (or don’t vote), have such a short attention span that really, it doesn’t much matter. In a few weeks football season starts and there’s a new season of “The Biggest Loser” and boy, then it’s back to school time and the kids need new backpacks. And before you know it, it’s the holidays again.

It helps to jump into the world of fantasy sometimes, to step back and look at the world from a different perspective. Much like putting a different frame on a situation, a different lens on life.

Try it with your life and your persuasion. See how it goes. Tell others about it, tell me about it on this blog. Create a discussion, invite your friends and colleagues to join the discussion here. Lord knows we need to step back from the craziness every once in a while and talk to each other intelligently about what we observe.

Until Next Time,

Kenrick E. Cleveland

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 14 comments
A. Dale Dahlgren - August 31, 2007

Great post Kendrick,

I think what you have just uncovered is the primary cause of global warming.

Tag, you’re it!

Dale

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Kevin - August 31, 2007

Kenrick

Break out the old CD (or download to your Ipod) Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry.”

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Patricia Winston - August 31, 2007

I’ve often projected into the future hundreds of years in my imagination and wondered what the archaeologists, anthropologists, etc would think about us. The thing is, all that you point out is truly us – the human, be it American, European, Asian, etc. Just because we’re members of a political party or elected members of congress or the president of the US doesn’t ensure we are moral citizens with a light filled path. No matter what office we hold as human beings, our true nature will always be there.

I was in a focus group one time for a person running for the senate. He was sitting behind the 2 way mirror watching 12 women answer questions posed by his campaign manager. His questioning was leading the women toward the specialness of the office of senator and how upright people with that office are and how they deserve special consideration, higher pay, medical insurance, more privilege.

I pointed out that the 500 members of congress are representative of all the positive potential and negative imperfections of the human race. I stated that if the American laborer isn’t given these considerations, why would we authorize them for a senator? I gave testimony about people I knew in the senate that had crossed the line on the dark side – child molesting, alcholism, drug problems, marital infidelity, and also testimony about people who are walking the straight and narrow – at least they hadn’t attracted bad press.

The reception for my speech was a loud gasp by all sitting at the table. The focus group leader was having a difficult time getting order and he just glared at me for bringing the punch.

Interestingly, 2 weeks after that session, the candidate decided to step down from his campaign and resume his private life. The media uncovered some dramatic information about his “bad boy” life. I’m sure when the other 11 women saw that on the news, they remembered me in the focus group.

The office doesn’t make the person. The person is made before he/she takes office.

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Kenrick E. Cleveland; Affluent Activator - August 31, 2007

[quote comment="149"]Great post Kendrick,

I think what you have just uncovered is the primary cause of global warming.

Tag, you’re it!

Dale[/quote]

It certainly is the cause of a lot of heat, isn’t it. LOL

Reply
Kenrick E. Cleveland; Affluent Activator - August 31, 2007

[quote comment="151"]… I pointed out that the 500 members of congress are representative of all the positive potential and negative imperfections of the human race.

I stated that if the American laborer isn’t given these considerations, why would we authorize them for a senator? I gave testimony about people I knew in the senate that had crossed the line on the dark side – child molesting, alcholism, drug problems, marital infidelity, and also testimony about people who are walking the straight and narrow – at least they hadn’t attracted bad press.

The reception for my speech was a loud gasp by all sitting at the table. The focus group leader was having a difficult time getting order and he just glared at me for bringing the punch. …[/quote]

Way to go Patricia.

What is interesting to me about what you wrote is that this person was trying to point out why they were “special” before even being elected. What an ego! (If I understood what you wrote correctly).

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Cesar G. Gutierrez - August 31, 2007

I would like to see “none of the above” on the ballot, like in the movie, Brewster’s Millions with Richard Pryor.

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Patricia Winston - August 31, 2007

Yes, Kenrick, you got it right – I was highly insulted by their questioning and only one other woman at the table felt the same. The others – well, God help us:)

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Ed - August 31, 2007

I agree with what you say. I think we should also extend the courtesy of
including the lesser politicians, and the government workers who are in an
authority position. From my experience, they are more egotistical and do
everything they can to show how powerful they are. They have to show
that they have more power than the big boys to help inflate their egos.

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Nathan Shaw - September 2, 2007

So Kenrick, given how you feel about politics, and I totally agree with you, in what ways are you personally able to really have influence over the next couple of elections? I’m at a loss as to what I can do, other than rewrite and promote a liberty inspirational ebook http://www.survival2020.com

But I’m sure you can do better?

thanks

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Jan Jekielek - September 3, 2007

Smart, funny, but even no hint of any solution. Face it – all you describe merely demonstrates what our society, including you, has produced to date.

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Nelson - September 3, 2007

The Martians might conclude that politicians are crooked. That they are,
or are liable to show themselves as undisciplined as the common earthlings that
roam the streets. So if a Martian wanted to influence an affluent politician
who has ‘demonstrated’ undisciplined behavior, how would the Martians approach
differ from how it would influence an affluent politician with a clean record of
behavior?

As I look at my life, I wonder if my persuasion/influence skills could have
resulted in more positive sales by my having been more disciplined in both
study and application?

Reply
Kenrick E. Cleveland; Affluent Activator - September 3, 2007

[quote comment="174"]So Kenrick, given how you feel about politics, and I totally agree with you, in what ways are you personally able to really have influence over the next couple of elections? I’m at a loss as to what I can do, other than rewrite and promote a liberty inspirational ebook http://www.survival2020.com

But I’m sure you can do better?

thanks[/quote]

Nathan,

I think we can bring these types of things to the attention of all those we can. In looking at how these issues are framed, we can start the process of people realizing there’s more here than meets the eye.

Awareness is the first step to change.

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Kenrick E. Cleveland; Affluent Activator - September 3, 2007

[quote comment="186"]Smart, funny, but even no hint of any solution. Face it – all you describe merely demonstrates what our society, including you, has produced to date.[/quote]

Hi Jan,

Yes, even I don’t have all the answers to life’s problems. 🙂

I’m hoping what I describe sheds light on the framing that is being used such that “we” can all begin to think – hopefully with more effectiveness.

The purpose of what I wrote was not to “solve” the issues. The purpose is to make us think about the framing, the positioning – so we can begin to position what we do more effectively and with greater persuasive ability.

For example, you adopted the frame of “solution” and imply that the understanding I pointed to in the article is “merely” what has been produced to date and since it points out what is (without a solution) it is in some way not valuable (or less valuable). There’s further an implication that I *should* have or should be able to give a solution.

You could summarize my frame in the article as pointing out how framing is being used in multiple real life examples to humorously shape politics. All of course, within a frame of fantasy. 🙂 (Among numerous other frames.) And that knowing how framing works can give us greater ability with it. And that there is value in being able to do that.

Thus, the power of framing is, in my opinion, a very high level persuasion skill that is being used on us, for us and by us all the time.

I’ll continue to work to point out how we can gain control of these frames in our lives and use them to our advantage – among many other strategies, that will help point us in the direction of more easily turning things to our advantage. The monetary rewards of this, I’m sure, are quite apparent.

Scientia est potentia

Reply
Kenrick E. Cleveland; Affluent Activator - September 3, 2007

[quote comment="187"]… So if a Martian wanted to influence an affluent politician
who has ‘demonstrated’ undisciplined behavior, how would the Martians approach
differ from how it would influence an affluent politician with a clean record of
behavior?

As I look at my life, I wonder if my persuasion/influence skills could have
resulted in more positive sales by my having been more disciplined in both
study and application?[/quote]

Excellent questions, Nelson. I like the way you think.

The first that comes to mind as I think of your 1st question is the 36 Chinese Stratagems. In particular:

#16. Snag the enemy by letting him off the hook.

And in general Stratagems 25 – 30.

We’ve been going through these Stratagems in The Persuasion Factor program and showing how they can be used strategically in many ways.

There are many more ways that we’ll be getting into here, on the blog as we continue.

Reply

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