Create compelling spectacles

When re-creating yourself, re-inventing yourself, create compelling spectacles, striking imagery and grand symbolic gestures to create this aura of power to which everyone will respond. Stage spectacles, full of arresting visuals and radiant symbols that will heighten your presence for those around you. Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing.

Human nature is such that people do not always want words, or rational explanations, or demonstrations of the powers of science; they want an immediate appeal to their emotions. Give them that and they will do the rest. The simpler the spectacle the better. Understand and remember this: Your search for success and power depends on shortcuts. You must always circumvent people’s suspicions, their perverse desire to resist your will.

Images are an extremely effective shortcut: Bypassing the head, the seat of doubt and resistance, they aim straight for the heart. Overwhelming the eyes, they, they create powerful associations, bringing people together and stirring their emotions. Symbols and images, like colors, are very potent weapons.

Weave visual clues into an encompassing gestalt to establish a trademark that will set you apart. Then, take the game further: Find an image or symbol from the past that will neatly fit your situation, and put it on your shoulders. It will make you seem larger than life.

Short-circuit the labyrinth of words

Using words to lead your case is risky business: Words are dangerous instruments, and often go astray. The words people use to persuade us virtually invite us to reflect on them with words of our own; we null them over, and often end up believing the opposite of what they say. It also happens that words offend us, stirring up associations unintended by the speaker. The visual, on the other hand, short-circuits the labyrinth of words. It strikes with an emotional power and immediacy that leave no gaps for reflection and doubt. It leaps right over rational, reasonable thoughts.

Understand this: Words put you on the defensive. If you have to explain yourself your power is already in question. The image, on the other hand, imposes itself as given. It discourages questions, creates forceful associations, resists unintended interpretations, communicates instantly, and forges bonds that transcend social differences. Words stir up arguments and divisions; images bring people together. They are the quintessential instruments of success and power.

The symbol has the same force, whether it is visual or a verbal description of something visual. The symbolic object stands for something else, something abstract. The abstract concept, patriotism, courage, love, is full of emotional and powerful associations. The symbol is a shortcut of expression, containing dozens of meanings in one simple phrase or object. The symbol contains untold power.

Never neglect the way you arrange things visually

The first step in using symbols and images is to understand the primacy of sight among the senses. In the past, it has been argued, sight and the other senses operated on a relatively equal plane. Today, the visual has come to dominate the others, and is the sense we most depend on and trust.

Never neglect the way you arrange things visually. Factors like color, have enormous symbolic resonance. The visual contains great emotional power. Find and associate yourself with the images and symbols that will communicate in this immediate way today, and you will have untold power.

Most effective of all is a new combination, a fusion of images and symbols that have not been seen together before, but that through their association clearly demonstrate your new idea or message. The creation of new images and symbols out of old ones in this way has a poetic effect; viewers’ associations run rampant, giving them a sense of participation.

Visual images often appear in sequence, and the order in which they appear creates a symbol. The first to appear symbolizes power; the image at the center seems to have central importance. The idea is to give yourself an aura, a stature that your normal banal appearance simply will not create.

The best way to use images and symbols is to organize them into a grand spectacle that awes people and distracts them from unpleasant realities. This is easy to do: People love what is grand, spectacular, and larger than life. Appeal to their emotions and they will flock to your spectacle in hordes. The visual is the easiest route to their hearts.

People are always impressed by the superficial appearance of things.

JMD

Owner of Bunkumless.com and King Global Earth and Environmental Sciences Corporation, JMD, a former attorney, is a Columnist for The Futurist Daily News and editor of the Social and Political Blog JMDlive.com  Follow JMD @ jmdlive

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