“Words are Tools; Words are Weapons.” – Douglas Castle
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Dear Readers:
Negative campaigning unsettles and bothers all of us. Yet, the idea of promoting a person or idea not by his/her/its merits, but by the inadequacies of his/her/its alternative, is as popular and effective as it is universally but quietly detested. Then (you might ask), "Why does it work when everyone hates it (except for the people who get paid to create negative or hate-based promotions and campaigns)?"
Here are some of the reasons:
1. It is far easier to criticize and destroy than to create;
2. It is far easier to use the process of elimination than education;
3. It is far easier to crush than construct;
4. It appeals to our own feelings of inadequacy, of failure, and of chronic discontent;
5. It permits us to abdicate responsibility for our own fates and fortunes, and to place blame on someone or something else;
6. Quoting my third-grade teacher (as I often do), "misery loves company." We don't like to wallow alone. It is easier to bring others down than to hoist one's self up [I am suddenly sounding British];
7. It is quite possibly hard-wired into our genetic make-up, reaffirmed consciously and subconsciously by generation after generation of Human experience, and continually reinforced by fame. So much so that too many people believe that "notoriety" is a good thing, and that it is synonymous with "noteworthy". Go to http://www.dictionary.com/ if you don't believe me. Really. Go ahead. I'll wait.
In ancient cultures, it was universally popular to offer sacrifices to appease gods or rulers. Whether it is a burnt offering, your only son, an entire race or culture -- scapegoating has always appeased the people. People place blame because it is easy to do and is a time-honored tradition. People sacrifice others either to a) deflect blame from themselves or b) because of a deeply embedded or encoded feeling of "I am a sinner. If I destroy something, the gods will see that I am sorry, and that I am repenting.
The Challenge, or your "action for the day" (as Rick Itzkowich, a friend and colleague, and the co-founder of QuoteActions) is: To speak and promote yourself, your products, your services and your ideas positively; based upon merit, endorsement, acceptance and camaraderie. If we were all to undertake this action cooperatively, collectively, collaboratively and consistently over time, I believe that we could literally change the Human Mindscape enough to overcome years of ceaseless and counterproductive negativism.
Would you like to have some fun? Would you like to see someone open his or her mouth like a hooked trout? Here's just the thing to do:
When someone approaches you or tries to appeal to you with a negative comment about someone else, say, "You seem to be an intelligent individual - what would you propose as an alternative, and why? I have a feeling that you've given this a great deal of thought and have some very creative ideas of your own."
The article (from Personal Liberty Digest) which inspired this piece appears below. I thought it supremely ironic that a publication would name someone "Conservative of the Year" for his criticism of the existing political leadership and administration. Imagine that! If I were enough of a critic of someone else, I could win an award. What does this say about all of us? Republican, democrat, black, white, christian, jewish, muslim, straight, gay, blue state, red state, tall, short, type A, type O? It doesn't matter -- if you are a Human Being (and 97% of my readers are), you'll be a bit disappointed by the statement that you will think of but which will likely remain unspoken. It's not about party affiliations, my friends. It is about methods and tactics.
Faithfully,
Douglas Castle
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Magazine Names Dick Cheney ‘Conservative Of The Year’
January 8, 2010 by Personal Liberty News Desk
Human Events magazine, a weekly conservative publication, has named former Vice President Dick Cheney ‘Conservative of the Year’ for his ongoing criticism of the Obama administration’s national security policy. In a series of interviews and speeches since he left office, Cheney said Obama had put the country’s security at risk as a result of his national security decisions that largely contradicted Bush administration practices.
The magazine’s choice was explained in an article by John Bolton, former U.N. ambassador for President George W. Bush, who praised Cheney for attracting public attention to the fact that "we are in a long, continuing war against international terrorism," and stressing "the importance of sustaining and enhancing our defenses and capabilities against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the risks we face in letting our guard down."
Bolton also noted Cheney’s defense of waterboarding, Guantanamo Bay and domestic intelligence gathering.
However, Cheney’s recognition raised eyebrows among Democrats, with Democratic National Committee (DNC) press secretary Hari Sevugan asking, "What does it say about the current crop of Republican leaders that the ‘Conservative of the Year’ is the face of a previous administration who regularly scored approval ratings in the 20s?"
Human Events has styled itself as "headquarters of the conservative underground."
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