So Much Negative Campaigning Because…

Oct. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Author Scot Conway is giving away his book, Emotional IQ, for free starting on the date of the Vice-Presidential Debate, Thursday, 10/11/12.  "This will help everyone understand the emotions candidates use to manipulate the voting public."

The original purpose of the book is to transform the reader into an Emotional Genius.  There is even access to a free Emotional Intelligence Quiz to get a baseline and see the impact of what you've learned when you've finished the book.  

In this political season, it is also helpful to see how politicians try to manipulate the voting public using emotion.  When we see what they are doing, it is easy to become immune to it.  In the book, Conway describes what emotions really mean, what they tend to prompt us to do, and gives step by step action plans on what we should do.

For just a few days, it is free to anyone with a Kindle or computer through Amazon.com.  


ARTICLE

   “The most successful negative ads are based on fear.” – David Jaffe, Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL.

   Scot Conway is the author of Emotional IQ.  He has first hand experience as a candidate for national office.  “As much as people say they dislike negative campaigning, it works for a reason.”  

   According to Conway’s book, negative emotions are “emotions of change.”  When a person feels a negative emotion, he or she wants something to change.  It spurs a person to some kind of action, or, at least, a sense that some action must be taken.

   David Jaffe of Lynn University says “Arguably, the most effective type of negative advertisement in political campaigns are issue-based fear appeals that are directed at loved ones.”

   Conway explains.  “Fear is an emotion that says ‘something’s coming; I’m not ready.’ When an ad prompts fear, the emotions are firing off that message.  The emotions then want to hide from that possible outcome.  The easiest way to do that is to avoid having the scary candidate win the office.”

   Some ads are intended to spark outrage.  “Anger means one of my rules has been broken,” says Conway, “and we want to impose our rule by force.”  That “force” in politics is found in voting, and in this election more than any other, posting “internet memes.”  A meme is an idea, image, phrase or video that spreads for no apparent reason.  Political memes often have very little to do with facts.  Rather, they are often dramatic exaggerations intended primarily to elicit an emotional response.

   “It is far easier to tear someone down than it is to build someone up.”  Thus, positive campaigning is less effective than negative campaigning.  People say they don’t like negative campaigning, but it works.  A candidate can capitalize on fear of or anger toward the opposition to win votes.  Combine that with enough positive campaigning to garner some positive feelings toward oneself and an election is won.

   “The downside is what it does to our perception of our political leaders and government.  When most of our ‘feelings’ result from how much the sides are criticized, we tend to have negative views of everyone.  Campaigning often turns into a game of being considered the “lesser evil,” but an evil nonetheless.”  

   When everyone in government is considered bad by a large segment of the population, the view of government is negative.  Thus, we dislike politicians, and we distrust our government.

   Is there hope?  Perhaps, but it is a small hope.  “Candidates would have to agree to let their positions stand on the merits.  They would have to campaign cooperatively rather than competitively.”

   What does Conway mean by that?  “This was my fantasy, had I won my primary: Get together with my opposition and actually talk.  Work out where we agreed and disagreed.  Actually run some ads together where we talk like human beings.  Express to the voters that we both want what is best for the country, but we disagree on some key things.  Then put those things side by side together.”

   “It would take two candidates more interested in letting the voters make an informed choice than in doing whatever it took to win.” Conway said.  “The odds of that happening are very slim.”

   Conway’s book is available for free. Download it at Amazon.com. (Emotional IQ by Scot Conway, http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-IQ-Instant-Insight-ebook/...).

   Conway’s work on Emotional Intelligence is groundbreaking.  He teaches a concept called Language of Emotions.  In short, emotions have meaning.  In broad categories, emotions come in two basic forms.  

   “Emotions of Duplication” say “Do that again!”  There is a little bit of art to finding out exactly what to duplicate.  All of us have had the experience of doing something a second time and not quite having the same feeling.

   “Emotions of Change” say “Something must change!”  Conway explains “The most common things that needs to change is ‘me.’  Even when something outside needs to change, in order for me to get it to change, I must do something different.”

   “Each emotion has it’s own unique and specific message.  Fluency in the Language of Emotions leads to Emotional Genius.”

   The model Conway uses for Emotional Intelligence is PUMU: Perceive, Understand, Manage, Use.  “The Language of Emotions dramatically increases your ability to Understand.  That, in turn, helps you perceive, manage and use emotions.  It’s built in to the system.”

   Conway is giving his book away on Amazon.com for free starting Thursday, 10/11/12 and ending on Monday, 10/15/12.  It is well worth the retail price.  However, you can save $10 by getting it right now.  Greatly increase your Emotional Intelligence with Emotional IQ by Scot Conway, http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-IQ-Instant-Insight-ebook/dp/B00832FUZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349894488&sr=8-1&keywords=Scot+Conway.

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Contact: Scot Conway, Scot@MasterRevelation.com, 619-670-8764.  Conway lives in the San Diego area of Southern California.  He is available for interviews and appearances.