Also empty statements that are poorly defined and usually used to crush dissent and opposition by some fake ideal of unity. See it everywhere in MFM
Also
“Communism = bad; capitalism = good”
Poorly defined and intended to trigger an emotional reaction rather than clarifying definitions, criteria, levels of confidence around observable phenomenon meeting those criteria, corollaries etc.
“Have faith” “it’s a spiritual battle”
This is usually code for “Christianity should be the only thing that counts as “faith”” but sufficiently vague to feel inclusive of anything people deem to be spiritual.
“XYZ is a psyop” “So and so is controlled opposition”
Again very specific words bandied around often without definition, criteria or evidence to trigger an emotional reaction rather than make a factual case
Having read this, I’m reflecting on a statement that is frequently and repeatedly used to convince people everything is fine and correct “No Coincidences”. Is this another Barnum? Being used to convince people of something, thereby manipulating them into a false belief?
“They’re trying to divide us”
“We must unite”
Also empty statements that are poorly defined and usually used to crush dissent and opposition by some fake ideal of unity. See it everywhere in MFM
Also
“Communism = bad; capitalism = good”
Poorly defined and intended to trigger an emotional reaction rather than clarifying definitions, criteria, levels of confidence around observable phenomenon meeting those criteria, corollaries etc.
“Have faith” “it’s a spiritual battle”
This is usually code for “Christianity should be the only thing that counts as “faith”” but sufficiently vague to feel inclusive of anything people deem to be spiritual.
“XYZ is a psyop” “So and so is controlled opposition”
Again very specific words bandied around often without definition, criteria or evidence to trigger an emotional reaction rather than make a factual case
“Anti-Semitic” “White Supremacist” “Right wing” “Left wing” “Liberal” “Cultural Marxism” “Post-Modernism” “Woke” “Transphobe” “Racist” “Communist”
Overused words that have become meaningless and more about slander and dismissal than reasoned critique from both sides
Having read this, I’m reflecting on a statement that is frequently and repeatedly used to convince people everything is fine and correct “No Coincidences”. Is this another Barnum? Being used to convince people of something, thereby manipulating them into a false belief?
A perfect example of bathe Barnum effect is Bob Dylan’s song Blowin in the Wind. Just read the lyrics. Vacuous meaninglessness.