Just a short post today, as it's going to be a busy day ... my sister Lisa and her family will be coming in this evening for our annual pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving weekend, and there are lots of things to do, in addition to going to work*.
So ...
In the interest of brevity, I thought I'd dig into the Blog Fodder file and share this interesting article with you: Why Do Auctioneers Talk Like That?
Yes, Dear Readers, it's not only politicians that try to con you with fast talk ... they learned the technique from the professional auctioneers, who master that super-fast hypnotic monotone in order to lull you, as the article explains, into a "conditioned pattern of call and response" and send a subliminal message of urgency - that you have to act right now or else miss out on the chance to own whatever is being sold.
You may remember the story told in Leroy Van Dyke's 1962 classic The Auctioneer Song ...
So the next time you get irritated by some fast-talking politician, just remember that he (or she) draws on a grand tradition of getting you to buy (or buy into) things you probably wouldn't buy otherwise.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
* Sigh.
I never thought of it that way; but would introduce that sense of urgency. Many people, myself included, like to be deliberate in making purchases. This helps them choose more wisely. But if the auctioneer or salesman or politician introduces a semblance of urgency, then one may make purchases that are followed bybuyer's remorse.
ReplyDelete...or you could be Missouri's 7th District rep, auctioneer Billy Long.
ReplyDeleteI can never understand what they are saying so I never buy anything.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of sad to see an auction of a house and its furnishings.
ReplyDelete