“Some dogs just don’t get it: If you lose your toy under the sofa, just move the sofa.”
Claude Hopkins wasn’t wrong, but he was writing for people who like to read. Shakespeare was mocking Polonius, but so what? Brevity is your only hope.
If you can make a cogent argument in a tweet, you’re in command of the material. If you can do it with a meme, so much the better. But the challenge for every persuasive writer is brevity beyond brevity:
The bumper sticker.
If you can sell an idea with a bumper sticker, you can sell.
Seven words is far too many. If people can’t absorb it at a glance – and remember it forever – it’s not working. Persuasion is a verb and a noun. Everything more is weighing you down and costing you influence.
So, accordingly, here is my Buck Phiden bumper sticker:
“Mock evil.”
–Buck Phiden
I’ll be making more.
In other news:
CNBC: Mortgage rates hit their highest level in a month, and weekly demand drops.
CNBC: Homebuilder sentiment falls to lowest level in a year as buyers face sticker shock.
City Journal: In Los Angeles County, a Democratic sheriff who wants to enforce the law finds himself on the wrong side of his own party.
The Federalist: How To See If Critical Race Theory Is In Your Kids’ School—And Fight It.
Bob Barr: Afghanistan: an Intelligence Failure Bigger than 9/11.
Christopher Bedford: How To Stop People From Falsely Accusing You Of Racism.
American Greatness: The ‘Thank You for Your Service’ Red Pill: Citizen armies don’t fight endless wars with literally nothing to show for it; professional armies do.
