Q Those Who Persuade You Purpose: The purpose of this discussion is to allow you to identify and reflect on the amount of persuasion that you encounter in your everyday life. Preparation: Over the past couple of weeks, you've spent some time dealing with the subject of persuasion, what it is, how it is accomplished, and learning how best to do it yourself. Now let's look at who is persuading you. A search on Dictionary.com turned up the following list of synonyms for the word "persuade": • actuate, • advise, affect, • allure, argue into, • assure, blandish, • brainwash, • bring around, • cajole, coax, convert, • counsel, • draw, enlist, • entice, exhort, • get, • impel, impress, • incite, incline, induce, • influence, • inveigle, lead, • move, prevail upon, • prompt, • propagandize, • proselyte, proselytize, • reason, satisfy, seduce, • sell, • sell on, • stroke, sway, • talk into, touch, • urge, • wear down, • wheedle, win argument, • win over, woo, work over. Think about those synonyms for a moment. • Do certain of those words bring to mind different ideas of persuasion than what you tried to accomplish in your last speech? • Pick a few of those synonyms and list the people (individuals or groups, friends or strangers) that you associate with those particular words who try to exercise some degree of persuasion toward you. Points 6 points 4 points 2 points Initial response Addresses all parts of the question clearly, thoughtfully, and thoroughly. All parts of the question are answered, but detail is lacking, or detail is present, but not all parts of the question are answered. Minimal response. Points 4 points 2 point 0 points Peer Responses At least 2 responses meet specifications and encourage interaction and/or discussion. Less than 2 responses meet specifications. No responses meet specifications. Those Who Persuade You Instructions: For the next 24 hours, keep a log (mental or otherwise) of all the times, ways, methods, and people who try to persuade you (successfully or not). Then, return here to engage in the discussion. In your initial response (Due Thursday) consider these questions: • Who tried to persuade you? • How did they try to persuade you? • Who was most successful in trying to persuade you? Why? • Who was least successful in trying to persuade you? Why? • Were there certain times of day that you were more easily persuaded than others? • Were you aware of the amount of persuasion that surrounds you before keeping the log? In your responses to your peers’ initial postings, (Due Sunday night): • Engage in discussion about the comments your classmates have made. • Reflect on ways to deal with the persuasion you encounter regularly.