What is demagoguery and how to communicate with a demagogue

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Learn to recognize intentional lies, provocations and other demagogic techniques and disarm manipulators in an honest discussion.

What is demagoguery

Demagoguery (from the Greek "government of the people") is a verbal influence on people based on a deliberate distortion of facts. Another meaning of this word is reasoning or requirements, which are based on a rough and one-sided interpretation of things, events, phenomena.

Simply put, demagoguery is manipulation based on ignorance of facts or outright lies, and with the help of which one of the participants in the dialogue tries to achieve his goals.

The word "demagogue" is not always Demagogue. Merriam-Webster was negative. In ancient Greece, it was originally used in relation to public leaders, popular politicians. These were people who were able to win over the majority to their side only thanks to their oratory skills. For example, the so-called "Real dictionary of classical antiquities according to Lubker." Published by the Society of Classical Philology and Pedagogy. SPb. 1885 Pericles, one of the founders of the Athenian democracy.

However, over time, this word began to be used in an ironic and negative sense, as Pericles' successors began to curry favor with the people and compete in eloquent populism. Even then, the understanding of the word "demagogue" approached the modern one.

… Pericles, relying on his prestige and mind, being, obviously, the most incorruptible of the citizens, freely restrained the masses of the people, and not so much she led him as he led her. Due to the fact that Pericles gained influence not by any unseemly means, he never spoke to please the masses, but could, relying on his prestige, even object to her with anger in some way …

Rather, Pericles' successors were equal; at the same time, each of them, striving to become the first, pleased the people and provided them with government.

Thucydides. History. II. 65

Almost two and a half millennia have passed since the time of Pericles, and demagoguery and demagogues still exist. Most often with them you can Tarasov V. K. Pragmatic logic. M. 2018 to collide in politics, advertising and propaganda, but at the household level demagoguery is not uncommon. Therefore, it is worth figuring out what tricks they use and how to resist them.

What techniques do demagogues use?

The methods of demagoguery are aimed at blurring the truth, distorting logic and facts that contradict the opinion of the demagogue, as well as provocation and conflict. Here are some examples.

Assertions Based on Imaginary Logic

To substantiate their position, demagogues often use reasoning that seems logical. But only at first glance. For example: “Russian regulations prohibit the sale of products that do not meet sanitary requirements. Escherichia coli was found in one batch of Lithuanian yoghurt, so all Lithuanian products should be banned.”

Such reasoning may resemble syllogisms - logical constructions, where, on the basis of two judgments, a third is deduced. But in fact, the theses of demagogues are closer to sophisms - initially false conclusions that are presented as correct and create a sense of logical.

Also, it should include statements related to the substitution of concepts: “You say that sunny days are wonderful. But if there is a heat all the time, then all living things will perish!"

Partial or complete disregard of the essence of the issue

Selectively answering questions or even talking about something abstract is one of the favorite strategies of demagogues. When asked what salary they and their subordinates have, they will answer that money is not the main thing in their profession and that only those who love their job work for them. Thus, demagogues avoid awkward questions or buy time to come up with an answer to them.

- What are you planning to do in the future?

- You know, I graduated from the institute, studied for six years, and now I have to think about what to do next. Many people today are skeptical about higher education. I think this is wrong …

Another common technique is concentration on particulars, when the demagogue clings to the words of the opponent, looking for even minor errors and inaccuracies in them. Often, he himself also mistakenly interprets the words of the opposite side, based on the first association that came to mind. For example, a demagogue can accuse the interlocutor of ignorance of history only because he does not know how many wives the King of England Henry VIII Tudor had (there were six of them, if anything).

Unreasonable generalization

Demagogues appeal to some "us" when it suits them. For example: "If you do not like the poems of Russian poets, you do not like Russia and all Russians!" But in reality they do not care about others, and demagogues use generalizations only to give weight to their words.

Substitution of "after" and "due" links

Also, demagogues often unconsciously confuse "after" and "as a result" or deliberately replace the first with the second. Compare: “I took the risk of eating a stale cake and got food poisoning because of it” and “After your birthday, I had a stomach ache. The cakes must have been stale."

Creating a false dilemma

Another similar technique of demagoguery, which is also often used unconsciously, is the creation of a false dilemma, forcing one to choose from an artificially limited number of options, despite the fact that there are many more.

- You don't like cats? It's not for nothing that, as soon as I saw you, I thought that there was a dogman in front of me!

- Do you want to study? Do you want to work as a janitor?

Appeal to some general knowledge

Demagogues like to preface their words with phrases: "Everyone has known for a long time that …", "It is foolish to deny that fact …". Often there is nothing behind such statements, and by “all” the demagogue means only those who agree with him. From his point of view, everything is logical, because in demagoguery there are only two opinions: mine and wrong.

Often such people declare that "everything has been known and written for a long time", "you need to turn on your head" and "look for yourself, if you need it, there is a lot of information." At the same time, they do not consider it necessary to refer to the sources confirming their words (most likely, there are simply none).

Personalization and insults

When a demagogue is pinned against the wall with facts that he cannot oppose, he turns to insults and finds fault with the personality of the interlocutor: “Only fools do this!”, “What can you know about the standard of living? You are not sociologists or economists, you do not even have a higher education!"

What views on architecture can a person express without a registration?

Mikhail Zhvanetsky. "Dispute style"

In addition to these techniques, demagogues also love others, for example, finding scapegoats, intimidating their audience with "dire consequences", expressing contempt for their opponents and promising the impossible (“Sign up for my course - and in a month you will stop going to work and will BMW ").

Why demagoguery is harmful

The harm of demagoguery was realized by the "Lubker's Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities." Published by the Society of Classical Philology and Pedagogy. SPb. 1885 still thinkers of Ancient Greece. Using demagogic techniques, deceitful and two-faced people achieve their goals and, moreover, convince others that they are right. So they distort the truth, making it elusive and unattainable, abuse the idea of a plurality of opinions and healthy polemics. Appealing to pride, vanity, ambition and ambition and deceiving people, demagogues hide their atrocities: corruption and arbitrariness.

Demagoguery distracts from real problems, prevents them from realizing and finding solutions, forms false beliefs and unreasonable expectations, imposes ideas about "right" and "wrong".

In addition, demagoguery, intentionally or accidentally, manifests itself in the daily life of people. Some use it to mask their incompetence, others use it as a weapon of dispute, and others in this way express negativity and incite conflicts.

It happens that a person unconsciously uses the techniques of demagoguery. Therefore, before reproaching others, consider whether you are not a demagogue yourself.

How to communicate with a demagogue

The fervor of demagogues in disputes has nothing to do with the search for truth or justice. The real goal is to prove that their opinion is the only correct one. They try to interpret everything in their favor, create a scandal in order to hide the lack of valid arguments in defense of their position, and declare the compromise their victory.

To understand that you have a demagogue in front of you, it is enough to compare his speech and argumentation with the manipulative techniques demonstrated above.

However, proving to a demagogue that he is a demagogue is unlikely to succeed.

Therefore, in dealing with such people, lean on facts that you can confirm. Refer to the opinion of professionals, and not to abstract "general knowledge", pay attention to whom the demagogue himself refers to.

Also, do not let him take you away from the topic: follow the course of the discussion, insist on answering the questions posed. Do not allow you to ascribe judgments thought out by a demagogue, and if you are insulted, use the recommendations on how to respond to offensive attacks.

Often it makes sense not to get involved with a demagogue at all and not to waste time and effort arguing with him. But if you find yourself in a situation where you need to defend your position, try to calmly and balancedly argue for it and expose your opponent's lies. So you can convince other people of the fallacy of the arguments and judgments of the demagogue.

In the end, lies can only be fought with the help of true information: exposing lies and not paying attention to aggressive and scandalous antics.