HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Dilbert Creator Scott Adams on Donald Trump's "Linguistic Kill Shots"

Views:1083
@ReasonVids

Donald Trump has a way with words—and with people. Yet despite his popularity, he has been a mystery to the media, which have mostly derided his campaign as consisting of nothing more than random insults and ignorant bluster.

Scott Adams, prolific author, blogger, and creator of the massively popular comic strip Dilbert, has a different theory. He tells Reason TV's Zach Weissmueller that the media are being trolled by a skilled manipulator, or in Adams's parlance, a Master Wizard. So exquisite does Adams believe Trump's skills to be that he predicts The Donald will go on to win the presidency.

"What I see in Trump," says Adams, is "someone who was highly trained. A lot of the things that the media were reporting as sort of random insults and bluster and just Trump being Trump, looked to me like a lot of deep technique that I recognized from the fields of hypnosis and persuasion."

One such technique is what Adams describes as a "linguistic kill shot," in which Trump uses an engineered set of words that changes or ends an argument decisively. According to Adams, when Trump describes Jeb Bush as low energy, Carly Fiorina as robotic, or Ben Carson as nice, he's imprinting a label you already feel about these people. They're not random insults, but linguistic kill shots that you can never get out of your mind.

Similarly, where the media see random insults, Adams sees Trump creating a significant polling gap between those who attack him and those who compliment him, resulting in chilled aggression from his opponents. Trump, says Adams, uses "anchors," which are big, visual thoughts that drown out any other argument. Think, for example, of the billionaire's florid descriptions of a Mexican border wall.

Adams also describes Trump's use of "linguistic Judo," vagueness, and a carefully developed persona to defend himself against attack and promote the image he desires. "You see apple pie and flags and eagles coming out of his ass when he talks," says Adams.

About 8 minutes.

Produced by Justin Monticello. Shot by Alex Manning and Zach Weissmueller. Music by Arnaud Condé, Doug Maxwell, and Kevin MacLeod.

Go to https://reason.com/reasontv/2015/10/06/donald-trump-is-a-master-wizard for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notifications when new material goes live.

For a longer, wide-ranging discussion in which Adams talks about the power of free markets, "failing toward success," and what to expect in Dilbert, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwWJ6rMOtQw.

dilbert (comic strip)
,
scott adams (author)
,
donald trump (organization leader)
    Thumbnail for Dilbert's Scott Adams on Politics, Philosophy, Hypnosis, and "Failing Towards Success"14:03
    Dilbert's Scott Adams on Politics, Philosophy, Hypnosis, and "Failing Towards Success"
    ReasonVids
    922 views
    Thumbnail for The cap is still on...0:23
    The cap is still on...
    AOU
    1554 views
    Thumbnail for Should Third-Party Candidates Be in the Debates? We Asked Democrats1:55
    Should Third-Party Candidates Be in the Debates? We Asked Democrats
    ReasonVids
    1064 views
    Thumbnail for Trying on some interesting..outfits at the thrift store!! | vonthedon17:33
    Trying on some interesting..outfits at the thrift store!! | vonthedon
    invidious
    595 views
    Thumbnail for EN VIVO CON LUISA GONZALEZ Cierre de Campaña | Hechos Ecuador Noticias1:15:09
    EN VIVO CON LUISA GONZALEZ Cierre de Campaña | Hechos Ecuador Noticias
    invidious
    115 views
    Thumbnail for Rock Legend Frank Zappa Battles Censorship, Communism, and Conformity in a New Documentary5:42
    Rock Legend Frank Zappa Battles Censorship, Communism, and Conformity in a New Documentary
    ReasonVids
    995 views
    Thumbnail for The War on Walmart: Who's afraid of cheap groceries?7:33
    The War on Walmart: Who's afraid of cheap groceries?
    ReasonVids
    857 views
    Thumbnail for Stossel: No Filming on Farms5:34
    Stossel: No Filming on Farms
    ReasonVids
    948 views
    Thumbnail for What about 1/3 who still haven't gotten clot shots? Dr. (((Finberg))) weighs in.3:54
    What about 1/3 who still haven't gotten clot shots? Dr. (((Finberg))) weighs in.
    AOU
    1491 views
    Thumbnail for 3 More Reasons to Fear the IRS1:32
    3 More Reasons to Fear the IRS
    ReasonVids
    864 views
    Thumbnail for Brown and Coakley Supporters Greet Obama in Boston3:03
    Brown and Coakley Supporters Greet Obama in Boston
    ReasonVids
    902 views
    Thumbnail for What Mexican Wrestling Tells Us About the Immigration Debate4:03
    What Mexican Wrestling Tells Us About the Immigration Debate
    ReasonVids
    759 views
    Thumbnail for Stop questioning numbers2:15
    Stop questioning numbers
    bestofvoatxyz
    3123 views
    Thumbnail for Waiting for your Opponent to RESIGN! #shorts | ChessBase India0:41
    Waiting for your Opponent to RESIGN! #shorts | ChessBase India
    invidious
    379 views
    Thumbnail for 최파고가 말한다 부자가 되는 3단계 f. 미래에셋증권 최홍석 선임매니저 [글로벌 이슈체크] | 삼프로TV_경제의신과함께43:50
    최파고가 말한다 부자가 되는 3단계 f. 미래에셋증권 최홍석 선임매니저 [글로벌 이슈체크] | 삼프로TV_경제의신과함께
    invidious
    345 views
    Thumbnail for NASA admits we never went to the moon.9:03
    NASA admits we never went to the moon.
    bestofvoatxyz
    980 views
    Thumbnail for I wish it was irreversible0:23
    I wish it was irreversible
    bestofvoatxyz
    816 views
    Thumbnail for Halo 4 Gameplay Walkthrough Part 18 - Campaign Mission 7 - All Things Lost and Found (H4) | theRadBrad13:34
    Halo 4 Gameplay Walkthrough Part 18 - Campaign Mission 7 - All Things Lost and Found (H4) | theRadBrad
    invidious
    294 views
    Thumbnail for Now I am going to be the terrorist. You have three seconds to attract attention! 0:09
    Now I am going to be the terrorist. You have three seconds to attract attention!
    bestofupgoat
    106 views
    Thumbnail for This is what happens in America when you mildly criticize israel0:30
    This is what happens in America when you mildly criticize israel
    bestofupgoat
    432 views
    Thumbnail for Bug man speaks:  Science is fake & gay3:30
    Bug man speaks: Science is fake & gay
    bestofupgoat
    479 views
    Thumbnail for Power of the jaguar0:15
    Power of the jaguar
    bestofupgoat
    211 views
    Thumbnail for Media Manipulation and Unconventional Marketing: Author Ryan Holiday on "Trust Me I'm Lying"7:52
    Media Manipulation and Unconventional Marketing: Author Ryan Holiday on "Trust Me I'm Lying"
    ReasonVids
    858 views
    Thumbnail for Anaheim Reacts  to Police Shootings2:44
    Anaheim Reacts to Police Shootings
    ReasonVids
    857 views
    Thumbnail for Top Christmas Songs Playlist 2024 🎅🎄 Non-stop Christmas Songs Medley with lyrics 2024 🎁 (lyrics) | Christmas Music1:00
    Top Christmas Songs Playlist 2024 🎅🎄 Non-stop Christmas Songs Medley with lyrics 2024 🎁 (lyrics) | Christmas Music
    invidious
    326 views

points

Permalink
Reply
dilbert (comic strip)
,
scott adams (author)
,
donald trump (organization leader)
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle