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ok, so I am reading this book
It got into an interesting part about a technique called dubitatio
dubitatio- It is a rhetorical device in which the person starts with the impression of being helpless, not being able to speak well or articulate their points of interest.
It went on to talk about how both Lincoln and GWB used this. But then also got into the brilliance of bushisms
I think we all thought that GWB was just a moron and had no idea of what he was talking about. But of course all presidents have speech writers and most attend ivy league schools and have a certain intelligence.
Bushisms are logic free collection of values and code words. Fucking brilliant.
Basically saying shit that makes no logic sense if we were to read it, but hearing it certain words stick in our heads. Like a fucking Nirvana song.
Christian code
When he speaks the faithful, for example, he prefers “I believe” to “I think.” In the summer of 2001 he used “believe” as a kind of fugue:
“I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe—I believe what I believe is right.”
For Christians, he began sentences with “And,” just like the Bible:
“And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true.”
Women code
Bush appealed to women with sentences that began “I understand,” and he repeated words such as “peace” and “security” and “protecting.”
military code
For the military, he used “never relent” and “whatever it takes” and “we must not waver” and “not on my watch.”
man code
For men, he used swaggering humor that implied he personally pulls the military trigger:
“When I take action, I’m not going to fire a two million dollar missile at a ten dollar empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.”
He uses code words without the distraction of logic, often repeating them.
Bushism breakdowns---
“We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job.”
This is a classic Bushism, fractured syntax that seems to come out of a short circuit in the language center of his brain. You know what he means, though, don’t you? If you heard it instead of read it, you would probably miss the “hearing your vision” part and come away with “look forward” and “hearing” and “vision” and “do our job.” The resulting message conveys optimism, listening, and duty. Bushisms treat audiences like the dog in the Far Side cartoon.
What Bush says: Part of the facts is understanding we have a problem, and part of the facts is what you’re going to do about it.
What sticks in people’s minds: … facts … understanding … problem … facts.
The distracted listener gets the impression of an engaged, knowledgeable leader.
Bush attracts red state voters by emphasizing the values of hard work, quality of life, and making our community a better place. He also injects the Christian code words “believe” and “called” (a Christian is called by God to fulfill his mission in life). He uses these code words efficiently, with a brevity impossible in a logical sentence.
What Bush says: And so during these holiday seasons, we thank our blessings.
What sticks in people’s minds: … holiday season … thank … blessings.
http://inpraiseofargument.squarespace.com/talk-like-bush/
Pretty much stole all this from this link.
Reading this, I wonder if trump could use this. Trump has no logic or plan, but he repeat the right code words over and over again if trained.
Just something different. That even seeming idiocy is a planned rhetoric tool.
It got into an interesting part about a technique called dubitatio
dubitatio- It is a rhetorical device in which the person starts with the impression of being helpless, not being able to speak well or articulate their points of interest.
It went on to talk about how both Lincoln and GWB used this. But then also got into the brilliance of bushisms
I think we all thought that GWB was just a moron and had no idea of what he was talking about. But of course all presidents have speech writers and most attend ivy league schools and have a certain intelligence.
Bushisms are logic free collection of values and code words. Fucking brilliant.
Basically saying shit that makes no logic sense if we were to read it, but hearing it certain words stick in our heads. Like a fucking Nirvana song.
Christian code
When he speaks the faithful, for example, he prefers “I believe” to “I think.” In the summer of 2001 he used “believe” as a kind of fugue:
“I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe—I believe what I believe is right.”
For Christians, he began sentences with “And,” just like the Bible:
“And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true.”
Women code
Bush appealed to women with sentences that began “I understand,” and he repeated words such as “peace” and “security” and “protecting.”
military code
For the military, he used “never relent” and “whatever it takes” and “we must not waver” and “not on my watch.”
man code
For men, he used swaggering humor that implied he personally pulls the military trigger:
“When I take action, I’m not going to fire a two million dollar missile at a ten dollar empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.”
He uses code words without the distraction of logic, often repeating them.
Bushism breakdowns---
“We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job.”
This is a classic Bushism, fractured syntax that seems to come out of a short circuit in the language center of his brain. You know what he means, though, don’t you? If you heard it instead of read it, you would probably miss the “hearing your vision” part and come away with “look forward” and “hearing” and “vision” and “do our job.” The resulting message conveys optimism, listening, and duty. Bushisms treat audiences like the dog in the Far Side cartoon.
What Bush says: Part of the facts is understanding we have a problem, and part of the facts is what you’re going to do about it.
What sticks in people’s minds: … facts … understanding … problem … facts.
The distracted listener gets the impression of an engaged, knowledgeable leader.
Bush attracts red state voters by emphasizing the values of hard work, quality of life, and making our community a better place. He also injects the Christian code words “believe” and “called” (a Christian is called by God to fulfill his mission in life). He uses these code words efficiently, with a brevity impossible in a logical sentence.
What Bush says: And so during these holiday seasons, we thank our blessings.
What sticks in people’s minds: … holiday season … thank … blessings.
http://inpraiseofargument.squarespace.com/talk-like-bush/
Pretty much stole all this from this link.
Reading this, I wonder if trump could use this. Trump has no logic or plan, but he repeat the right code words over and over again if trained.
Just something different. That even seeming idiocy is a planned rhetoric tool.
