There are some clever techniques called "Spin Tactics". This way they can "spinning the facts" to say what they want to say. I am not saying that all politicians do it but it's good keeping that in mind. And I am not saying either that they are "lying", but I reckon they are all good comunication strategies. If we would learn how to recognize this, we could have a complete understanding about what they are saying.
Spin tactics:
1º) "Cherry picking", just like a farmer picks the best cherries for him, a politician could collect only a part of the information that another politician said.
For instance:
Politician # 1: "I admire Mr. Fernandez, but he has done a terrible mistake". Then politician # 2 could say regarding to it: "Mr. Rodriguez said today that he admires Mr Fernandez". But, I think this is a bit improbable because we are in the internet era and we can check what really Mr. Rodriguez said.
2º) "Non denial-denial".
This spin tactic is about denyeing something without denieying anything. It's a very tricky one.
For exmaple: One politician, being in campaign, could say: "I have no plans to raise taxes". Later, if he actually rise taxes he could say: "I didn't want to rise taxes but I had to do it anyway". Don't you think that He would be in serious troubles if he would have said: "I will not raise taxes"? He would have broken his promise.
3º) "Speak in the passive".
Politicians don't want to be blamed for their mistakes. You'll never listen them saying: "I made a mistake" or "I really messed up". But you could listen them to say something like: "Mistakes were made" what is almost the same but in other words. hehe.
So, You will find a lot of these examples in your local politicians, I think. It's just a matter to be able to identify the way they spin the information to change the facts in their favour. We could made intelligent decisions if we would learn how they do it. By the way, la señora de la derecha "no le llega ni a los talones" a la señora de la izquierda, hehe!, that's true.
...They must be persuasivE.
ReplyDelete...This way they can "spiN the facts" to say what they want to say. I am not saying that all politicians do it but it's good TO keep that in mind. And I am not saying either that they are "lying", but I reckon* they are all good comMunication strategies...
Spin tactics:
1) "Cherry picking", just like a farmer picks the best cherries for himSELF, a politician could collect only a part of the information that another politician said.
For instance:
Politician # 1: "I admire Mr. Fernandez, but he has MADE a terrible mistake". Then politician # 2 could say regarding [] it: "Mr. Rodriguez said today that he admires Mr Fernandez". But, I think this is a bit improbable because we are in the internet era and we can check what Mr. Rodriguez REALLY said.
2) "Non-denial denial".
This spin tactic is about denYIng something without denying anything. It's a very tricky one.
For example: One politician, being in A campaign, could say: "I have no plans to raise taxes". Later, if he actually RAISES taxes he could say: "I didn't want to rAise taxes but I had to do it anyway". Don't you think that he would be in serious troublE if he would have said: "I will not raise taxes"? He would have broken his promise.
3º) "Speak in the passive".
Politicians don't want to be blamed for their mistakes. You'll never HEAR them saying: "I made a mistake" or "I really messed up". But you could HEAR them [] say something like: "Mistakes were made", WHICH is almost the same but in other words. hehe.
So, you will find a lot of these examples in your local politicians, I think. It's just a matter to be able to identify the way they spin the information to change the facts in their favour. We could maKe intelligent decisions if we would learn how they do it. By the way, la señora de la derecha "no le llega ni a los talones" a la señora de la izquierda, hehe!, that's true.
*"reckon" is a very informal word, used most often in the southern dialect of the US. Katie, what do you think of "reckon"?
¿Quién es la señora de la izquierda? Reconozco la de la derecha.
Good words and usage: clever, cherry picking, improbable, tricky, actually, messed up.
I also like your three spin tactics -- maybe I'll watch for those in the next debate.
Creo que Cristina Fernández de Kirchneres, Presidente de Argentina
ReplyDeleteSí, ella es, desafortunadamente, para mi por lo menos.
DeleteEstas dos mujeres son el día y la noche entre ellas, jaja!
La Señora de la izquierda es María Eva Duarte de Perón, "Evita", la esposa del Tte. Gral. y Presidente Juan D. Perón. Ella no fue nunca presidente pero tuvo tanta buena popularidad que es como si lo hubiera sido.
ReplyDeleteGracias por lo de las palabras que usé; y creo que no tengo mérito alguno por "cherry picking" porque así se llamaba la "spin tactic", yo solo tuve que decirla, hehe!.
Y seguro tienes razón Matt, oí que "reckon" no es nada formal, pero estaba en la búsqueda de sinónimos para "I think", or "I believe" :(