Galaxy Gazer
New member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2015
- Messages
- 941
- Instinctual Variant
- sp/sx
I don't know if this is an NT thing or just a personal thing, but I can't stand the use of emotional appeal. I don't even know why; I guess it just seems manipulative.
I remember watching documentaries in high school about inequality, poverty, etc. Of course I care about these issues, but when they're presented in a way that's specifically designed to make you feel bad, I become very unsympathetic. It becomes much worse if someone claims that it will "make us think," because the idea isn't to get us to think. The idea is to persuade us using a purely emotional method.
Because I'm terrible at explaining things, I'll use an example.
If I see a homeless person on the street, I'm going to feel empathy and/or sympathy for them and there's about a 90% chance I'll either give them money or food. If I'm watching a documentary on homelessness and why we should all care about it, complete with sad background music and lots of tearful interviews, it just pisses me off. I think I dislike the idea of being told how I should feel.
Can anyone relate?
I remember watching documentaries in high school about inequality, poverty, etc. Of course I care about these issues, but when they're presented in a way that's specifically designed to make you feel bad, I become very unsympathetic. It becomes much worse if someone claims that it will "make us think," because the idea isn't to get us to think. The idea is to persuade us using a purely emotional method.
Because I'm terrible at explaining things, I'll use an example.
If I see a homeless person on the street, I'm going to feel empathy and/or sympathy for them and there's about a 90% chance I'll either give them money or food. If I'm watching a documentary on homelessness and why we should all care about it, complete with sad background music and lots of tearful interviews, it just pisses me off. I think I dislike the idea of being told how I should feel.
Can anyone relate?