Book Summaries by Wise Words

Hey Wise Wordians and welcome back to another episode of Wise Words Book SummariesBuilding on last week, in this episiode we summarise the second part of ‘Age of Propaganda’ By Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson. In this episode we covered a lot, including:Role Models and PersuasionHeuristics and Product QualityThe Self SellVividness and PersuasionRepetition and PersuasionHow Advertisers Use RepetitionChanging Peoples Minds with DissonanceProtagoras’ IdealCan Two Sided Arguments Be More Persuasive?Fear and PersuasionThe Use and Abuse of Fear AppealsThe Granfalloon Technique (Labelling Others)Defending Against GranfalloonsIf any of these topics sounds interesting make sure to give it a listen, and if you enjoy it, you know what to do, leave us a like or a comment, or even better subscribe so you don’t miss out on the third part that we will be summarising next week. We hope you enjoy! -------------------Chapters:00:00:00-Intro00:00:56-Role Models and Persuasion00:10:55-Heuristics and Product Quality00:15:33-The Self Sell00:23:26-Vividness and Persuasion00:31:22-Repetition and Persuasion00:39:51-How Advertisers Use Repetition00:43:31-Changing Peoples Minds with Dissonance00:48:56-Protagoras’ Ideal00:52:28-Can Two Sided Arguments Be More Persuasive?01:03:56-Fear and Persuasion01:16:43-The Use and Abuse of Fear Appeals01:21:31-The Granfalloon Technique (Labelling Others)01:33:16-Defending Against Granfalloons  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:     - Website: https://wisewords.blog/     - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/     - Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog     - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

Hey Wise Wordians, Welcome back to another episode of Wise Words Book Summaries.Building on our previous episode where we summarised 'Influence' by Robert Cialdini, this week we are summarising 'Age of Propaganda' By Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson.Whereas 'Influence' looked at the means at which an individual can be influenced through psychological manipulation, Age of Propaganda explores how these influential techniques are used on an everyday basis, especially in regards to business and politics. This is such a great book and is definitely worth a read if you don't want to be taken advantage of, whether that be by your local politician or an everyday salesman. Naturally this is quite a big subject and there are so many principles to cover, so we decided to split this book into 3 sections. We hope you enjoy it, and if you do, make sure to show us some love by leaving us a like or a comment, or even better, subscribing to our channel. Next week we will be covering part II of 'Age of Propaganda', so make sure to stay tuned so that you don't miss out.  -------------------Chapters:00:00:00-Intro00:00:16-Overview00:05:38-Definition of propaganda00:11:40-How propaganda works00:12:32-Pre-persuasion00:17:02-The routes of persuasion00:20:09-The state of modern democracy00:36:08-The rationalising animal00:37:18-Reducing cognitive dissonance00:38:41-How propagandists use cognitive dissonance00:42:28-War propaganda00:52:42-The power of words00:57:04-Using labels effectively01:04:12-How television influences our world view01:09:00-How mass media can set agendas01:15:31-When mass media persuades us the most01:26:42-Courses of action and ambiguous events01:29:30-Analogies and persuasion01:31:29-Using questions to persuade01:34:48-How to tackle tough questions01:36:01-Using decoys to create value01:37:12-The rise of the factoids01:42:25-How do factoids work01:47:45-Associating with negative activities01:51:03-Faking credibility01:53:24-How to manufacture credibility  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:     - Website: https://wisewords.blog/     - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/     - Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog     - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

The discussion dives into the intriguing principles of influence. The impact of physical attractiveness reveals surprising biases, like leniency based on looks. Familiarity plays a crucial role in shaping preferences and decisions. Cooperation is showcased as a unifying force, transforming rivalry into friendship. Authority's psychological grip is explored, emphasizing blind compliance to commands. Scarcity, a potent marketing tactic, heightens desirability and influences behavior profoundly. Listeners are encouraged to critically assess expert credibility and navigate the nuances of persuasion.

Discover the fascinating world of persuasion and influence through Cialdini's groundbreaking insights. Learn about the power of reciprocity in negotiation and how the simple act of giving can enhance agreements. Delve into commitment and consistency, exploring how small commitments can lead to larger decisions. Finally, uncover the concept of social proof, revealing how our actions often mirror those around us. With a mix of psychology and real-life examples, this discussion reveals the hidden dynamics shaping our choices.

Hey wise people, we’re back!Sorry its taken us so long to upload another book summary, you know how it is, exam season, summer, and all these endless bank holidays. But no need to worry, we’re back and looking to stay on track.To start you off we’ve summarised Conflicted by Ian Leslie which takes a refreshing new view of arguing, stating that we need to argue and have conflict now and then as it helps to bring us closer together, inspire us, and even improve our intelligence. The book is split into two key sections, why we should argue, and the nine rules of arguing productively. Jes and I touch on each one of these points throughout the episode, elaborating on them and drawing parallels with previous books we’ve read. If you like what you hear, make sure to follow or subscribe depending on what platform you use, or alternatively just drop us a like or a comment, we always love to hear from our listeners. Our next book is ‘Influence’ by Robert Cialdini, a real classic amongst communication books, so make sure to stay tuned for that. But until then, have a good one.  -------------------Chapters:00:00:00-Intro00:01:00-PART 1: Why We Argue00:02:16-High and Low Context Environments00:04:17-Social Media and Arguments00:09:10-GIFS, Memes and Emojis00:22:55-Culture and Arguments00:28:00-Opposing Viewpoints (Synergy)00:37:49-Strangers, Friends, and Family00:42:45-Media and Arguments00:45:07-Levels of Arguing (Content and Relationship)00:48:45-Challenge vs Threat00:52:33-The Evolution of Reason00:55:20-PART TWO: How To Argue - Nine Rules of Productive Arguing00:55:22-Rule 1: First, Connect00:58:50-Rule 2: Let Go of the Rope01:01:19-Rule 3: Give Face01:03:08-Rule 4: Check Your Weirdness01:06:02-Rule 5: Be Curious01:08:28-Rule 6: Make Wrong Strong01:11:49-Rule 7: Disrupt the Script01:14:22-Rule 8: Share Constraints01:16:02-Rule 9: Only Get Mad on Purpose01:20:00-Golden Rule: Be Real01:21:00-Principles01:28:14-Techniques01:34:21-Summary  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:     - Website: https://wisewords.blog/     - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/     - Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog     - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

Hello wise people and welcome to our series 'Short Intros.'  In this series, we focus on summarising books from the 'Very Short Introduction (VSI)' series published by Oxford University Press.   ----------------- Welcome back, wise people. Today we are going to be summarising a Very Short Introduction to Rhetoric by Richard Toye.Rhetoric can be defined as the art of persuasion and although it has been viewed somewhat negatively throughout history, it is a tool like any other that derives its value from the person using it. The book is broken down into four key areas; the history of rhetoric, the structure of rhetoric, rhetorical analysis, and finally rhetoric in the modern world. Jes and I touch on each one of these areas, predominantly focusing on the structure and analysis of rhetoric. When deconstructing rhetoric, the first question we must ask is what is this person appealing to - ethos, pathos, or logos (character, emotions, logic). Once we understand the direction of the speech we can break it into its five canons; invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. We elaborate on each one of these points in this episode so make sure to give it a listen. If you enjoy it, you know what to do, give us a like or a comment, or alternatively subscribe or follow our channel. We hope you enjoy it.  -------------------Chapters:00:00:00 Introduction00:03:01 History00:05:34 Branches of Oratory00:10:06 Ethos Pathos, and Logos00:23:49 The Five Canons00:31:34 Persuasive Techniques00:45:46 Visual Rhetoric00:51:45 Using Symbols00:55:22 Consider Your Audience01:02:38 Rhetorical Analysis01:06:17 Actionable Ideas  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:     - Website: https://wisewords.blog/     - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/     - Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog     - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

Welcome back wise people to another episode of our Wise Word Book Summaries.This week we are summarising the book  'Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most' by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton & Sheila Heen.As the title suggests, this communication book offers a great guide on how to navigate tough conversations. It must be noted that before learning how to communicate properly we must first understand what conversations are made up of.  By decoding hundreds of difficult conversations, the authors were able to identify three key areas that seemed to be responsible for the majority of problems. These are, 'what happened, 'people's feelings, and 'people's identity.Jes and I touch on each of these layers and try to offer suggestions on how you can implement them into your life and improve your communication skills.Now, you may notice that this episode is a little different to the normal ones as we have decided to add a bit more structure to it. We will now be breaking it into three key areas; a quick synopsis, the book summary, and finally actionable ideas. Do let us know what you think of it, as your feedback means a lot to us.If you enjoy this episode, make sure to leave us a like or a comment, and if you want to learn more, make sure to follow or subscribe to our channel so that you can be notified when we next bring out another episode. -  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:Website: https://wisewords.blog/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblogFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWeK869x5kMOadyLiW2zIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

Hello wise people and welcome to our series 'Short Intros.'In this series, we focus on summarising books from the 'Very Short Introduction (VSI)' series published by Oxford University Press. -----------------We hope you had a good break, full of lots of festive cheer. I know we did.As you will have noticed we took a bit of time off, but now we are back and we have a bunch of plans in motion for the next couple of months to bring you some really great content. Today, however,  we are summarising a Very Short Introduction to Jung by Anthony Stevens.Carl Jung was born in 1875 in Switzerland and was the founder of analytical psychology. He is well known for his work on the collective unconscious and archetypal potential and is considered to be a bit of a maverick in his own right.Now it's got to be said that Jung’s ideas aren’t the easiest to get your head around, so you have to stay open-minded, they’re essentially paradigms in themselves.  Anthony Steven’s does a great job of summarising his biggest ideas which we try to elaborate on in this summary. We cover his Individuation process for self-growth, the collective unconscious, archetypal potential, stages of life, dream analysis and finally psychological types. Obviously, we won’t be able to do it justice and there is so much material out there that it is almost impossible to summarise in an hour, but we hope we are able to provide an insight into this great mind and some of his work which is still having an effect today.If you enjoy it, you know the drill, give us a like, a subscribe or a follow and if you’re feeling super inspired, why not leave us a comment and let us know your thoughts. But until then, we hope you enjoy A Very Short Introduction to Jung.-------------------If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:    - Website: https://wisewords.blog/    - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/    - Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog    - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogStay tuned for more recaps.If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

Hey wise listeners and welcome back to another episode of our wise words book summaries.This episode is on Selfie by Will Storr which tries to explore ‘the self’ from the perspective of the west in terms of individualism and in particular perfectionism. To do this, Will Storr approaches the self from a biological, social and cultural perspective.  Tracing back the roots of individualism to Ancient Greece, he is able to show how the conceptualisation of the self has evolved through different historical periods and become what it is today. Jes and I touch on all three components with the odd detour now and then just to mix it up. Unfortunately due to some technical difficulties, we cut out halfway through but we rectified the issue in the post. We hope you enjoy it, it is a fascinating book which gives you a lot to think about especially as the need to portray oneself as perfect is constantly increasing with the help of social media.If you enjoy it, you know what to do, give us a like or leave us a comment so that we can know what you thought about it. Also, make sure to subscribe to our channel so that you can be kept up to date when we next bring out another episode. But until then, here is Selfie by Will Storr.--  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:Website: https://wisewords.blog/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblogFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWeK869x5kMOadyLiW2zIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog

This episode on Social Warming by Charles Arthur takes a look at social media platforms and their negative effects on society caused by their business model as well as their increasing size; such as the breakdown of trust, the increase in fake news, and political polarisation.He uses real-world examples of how social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and WhatsApp have all played a role in the breakdown of society in one way or another. Jes and I explore a lot in this episode, touching on the three main areas mentioned previously as well as haywire algorithms, the consequences of amplifying negative and false information, the problems of incentivising lies and fake news, and finally the erosion of democracy.This is a poignant episode as currently, over 4 billion people in the world use some form of social media, and as this increases, so will the problems related to them. With a better understanding of how these platforms work, we can put forward solutions that focus on individual and societal commonalities rather than just differences.So with that being said, we hope you enjoy it, and if so, make sure you show us some love by leaving us a like, commenting or subscribing to our channel, because frankly why wouldn’t you, its free knowledge at your fingertips.--  If you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms:Website: https://wisewords.blog/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblogFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlogYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWeK869x5kMOadyLiW2zQgIf you enjoyed this podcast make sure to check out our other content on our other platforms: Website: https://wisewords.blog/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisewords.blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wisewordsblog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBlog