Member Article

Why the ‘right thing’ is the wrong thing for David Cameron

The blog that follows has no political angle or agenda and serves only to show how language patterns can influence and persuade.

I’ve never taken much interest in who is at number 10 Downing Street, but this month Mr Cameron has pushed me to do ‘the right thing’ and that is to explain to you what ‘the right thing’ is designed to do, namely influence you by creating a one sided argument.

Think about this for a moment: if someone says to you that ‘this is the right thing to do’ a counter argument would be ‘the wrong thing to do’ would it not? Now, I’m not talking academically, about professors sending papers back and fourth for the next fifty years, no, I am talking about the Prime Minister of this country who has used this catch phrase consistently since 2009.

This month Maria Miller made an apology to the Commons and repaid the £5,800, which she had over-claimed for her mortgage. Mr Cameron supported the Culture Secretary by saying (guess what) that “she had done the right thing!” Now, this has prompted me to get on my soap box. Maria Miller is only one of a very long line of politicians and bankers who have apologised for their misgivings, but they all seem to fall very short of what apologies mean up north!

You see, Mr Cameron, an apology follows an accident or something that you might feel remorseful about, and acts as a request for forgiveness. At no point have I seen or heard any of the aforementioned do anything but apologise for getting caught in the act. Prime Minister if you want to make a difference then why not clean up your house, surely that is the right thing to do?

The wrong thing to do with Scotland, Mr Cameron

Why are current negotiations between English ministers and Scottish ministers are going badly wrong for England, and playing into the hands of Mr Salmond?

If you ever want to motivate someone to do something, just tell them that they can’t. It’s that simple. A few months ago Scotland wasn’t bothered about independence, except for the few ministers who will want to have the power, because it’s the right thing for Scotland, nothing in it for themselves you understand, they are simply an altruistic crowd further north.

So, as we head into the summer let’s hope that whoever has handled the negotiations thus far, takes a long leave of absence and there follows some sound consultations that are overseen by true statesmen.

The Conservatives, Labour and Lib. Dems are failing

This week the same ‘negative persuasion technique’ is being deployed by the top three parties, namely ‘Don’t vote for UKIP!“ It’s a negative command and it actually sends the message ‘vote for UKIP’. The more the electorate is told that they shouldn’t do something, the more they will find ways of doing it. Mr Farage would appear to be telling the voters what he will do, therefore he is gaining ground. If the big three are listening, please tell us what YOU are proposing and stop wasting time and giving the hard right more fuel.

Between The Lines

That’s my rant over. If you read between the lines there are some very powerful persuasion techniques being employed. If you would like to learn more about how to command and influence or how not to be enslaved by powerful language, keep on popping by, because it’s the right thing to do!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Hudson .