Posts

Why Persuasion Doesn’t Look the Same Everywhere

Why Persuasion Feels So Invisible in Everyday Life I think one thing I didn’t really realize before this class is how often persuasion is happening without it actually feeling like persuasion. It’s not always someone trying to convince you of something directly; it’s more subtle than that. A lot of the time, it just feels like we’re making normal choices, but those choices are shaped by things we’ve seen, heard, and been exposed to way more than we notice. It’s Rarely Direct Anymore Most persuasion today doesn’t really show up as a clear argument. It’s more like repetition, patterns, and familiarity. You see something enough times, and eventually it just starts to feel normal. Larson talks about how persuasion isn’t just about direct messaging, it’s also about meaning and context, and how people interpret things based on what they already know or expect (Larson 257-258). So instead of a moment where you think “I’m being persuaded,” it’s more like something slowly becomes part of what f...
Post a Comment
Read more

When Language Starts to Matter

It's Not Just Words Language is something we use all the time without really thinking about it, but I’ve started realizing it’s not as harmless as it seems. The way we talk about people and groups can shape how they’re seen, even when that’s not really what we mean to do. What stood out to me is how words and labels can build meaning over time. It’s rarely one moment that changes things; it’s repetition. The more something is said a certain way, the more normal it starts to feel, even if it’s not fair or accurate. It Builds Up Without You Noticing A lot of harmful language doesn’t show up in obvious ways. It’s not always direct or intentional. Sometimes it’s just repeated phrases, jokes, or stereotypes that slowly start shaping how groups are viewed. Over time, that can lead to people being placed outside of normal empathy or fairness without anyone really noticing it. That connects to the idea of moral exclusion, where certain groups start to feel less included in how we naturally...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why We Buy Things We Don't Need

What Influences Me? Honestly, I think most of us have bought something and later wondered why we even wanted it in the first place. It’s easy to assume we make completely independent choices, but when you really think about it, a lot of those decisions are shaped before we even notice. Most of the time, it doesn’t feel like persuasion in the moment; it just feels like wanting something. What stood out to me from Persuasion by Charles U. Larson is how influence doesn’t always happen through direct arguments. A lot of it is more subtle than that. It comes from repeated exposure, who is delivering the message, and how things are presented, which slowly shapes what we pay attention to and what ends up sticking with us (Larson 27–28). Why Trends Feel so Convincing One big reason for this is social influence. When something keeps showing up on TikTok, gets reposted on Instagram, or is constantly used by influencers, it starts to feel more real or important. Even if you don’t actually kno...
Post a Comment
Read more

Persuasion vs Manipulation

Where is the Line? We’re constantly being influenced every day by ads, social media, conversations with friends, and even things we scroll past without thinking twice. Most of the time, we don’t label it as persuasion, but if you slow down and look at it, it’s everywhere. The real question for me is: where does persuasion stop and manipulation begin? In Persuasion by Charles U. Larson, persuasion is defined as influencing someone’s attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors through communication (Larson 12). On its own, that doesn’t sound bad at all. Honestly, it’s just part of how people interact and make decisions every day. The difference really comes down to how it’s being used. Persuasion still leaves space for choice, while manipulation starts to feel like that choice is being hidden, rushed, or quietly shaped without you fully realizing it. Emotional Appeals and Influence One of the most common tools in persuasion is emotion, or pathos, and you see it constantly in advertising (Larso...
Read more