Adrienne Rivera 04/03

 1“When we are confronted with information that challenges the beliefs we hold as true, instead of changing our minds we often double down on our original belief systems. This is why you'll never be able to convince your belligerent half drunk uncle at the family reunion that he's wrong about 9/11 being a big government conspiracy, about covid-19 on existing, and about Trump winning his reelection. Every bit of evidence you present to prove the contrary will either be ignored, refrained, to conform his views, or be taken as evidence of how far reaching the conspiracy is and how many people have been fooled. we believe in what we already believe in, and you will never win the argument with your uncle, but, then again, he won't win it either. arguing more furiously for what you believe in is easier than admitting you're wrong and changing your mind.”184

This hit hard at home for me, as I’ve expressed before really struggling with my own personal experiences with family members who followed false prophets, twisted belief systems ultimately as a result of indoctrination. It’s difficult to explain how one can think like that and also change but I think this chapter does a powerful job of explaining human psychology and the weird quirks that are sometimes left with, as well as go on to exploit those quirks almost when engaging in these conversations. Overall, I found it to break down the subject well and provide insight.

2“Understanding that people often have more than one mind when it comes to an issue is not about pointing out their logical fallacies:” how can you call yourself pro-life when you support war?” people are inconsistent, and pointing this out will not further your cause. We need to recognize that people are full of contradictory ideas, then bypass the ideas and associations that run counter to our objectives. then we can focus on and work with the ones that can help us. 193

This is another quote that hit home to me as I often catch myself in the crossfires of hypocrisy, especially in a group scale in regards to my family or previously affiliated religious community. Very much of this chapter made me realize that much of my approach to my cause was rather aggressive, and by pointing out hypocrisy in others I fall victim to the same thing, while also not getting my true point and intentions across to the other party.

1”A new knife appears. we're showing a razor sharp blade that can cut through anything and will never need sharpening. we see how easy it is to use and how happy it makes every woman. The night even has the power to literally return color to her life. These are the benefits of the new Behavior– of buying and using this particular knife. At the same time, the infomercial addresses and minimizes the cost of the new night. it's never $40, but always only for easy payments of. 95.” finally a sense of urgency is created… impressing upon viewers that they must act immediately in order to receive the most benefit for the least cost.” (224)

This process is synonymous to being the recipe for marketing processes, and truly the art that it is to try to persuade people to change their behavior–in this case, to purchase a product. But it can be used to parallel the process that artistic activists undergo in trying to convince others to join their cause, I think especially when considering the way that this method of conditioning in particular has been highly exposed and used on almost every living person today.

2”But we actually have rooms much larger in the mind than the gains we've never seen. It's like the old aphorism:” a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Our version of loss explains why– in the face of so many good arguments, and when they're seemingly “ nothing to lose”--  people can yet be so resistant to change. impractical terms, this means that we have to make our case– for the cost of the old Behavior and the benefits of the new behavior – Beyond reasonable doubt. We need to understand why, even in the face of all the good arguments we put forth, and why, even when they seemingly have " nothing to lose” , people are so resistant to change. not because they're bad, dumb, or stubborn, but because they experience loss aversion. Understanding Tendencies of loss aversion can help us to become better artistic activists. It is important that our work acknowledges the various costs people face and validate their fears and doubts. This not only allows us to build trust with those that we work with, but also means that the resistance we inevitably encounter when asking people to change is less frustrating. by understanding loss of version, we can also better relate to and emphasize with people we're trying to help. we see people where they are, instead of where they wish they were.” (227) 

By recognizing and validating people's fears and doubts, activists can build trust and rapport with those they seek to influence. This approach not only makes the resistance to change less frustrating but also enables activists to better empathize with the individuals they are trying to help. Overall, the quote emphasizes the importance of understanding loss aversion in influencing behavior and underscores the value of empathy and validation in facilitating meaningful change. It encourages a more nuanced and compassionate approach to activism, one that meets people where they are and provides a space for them to be able to have their concerns addressed before being able to do the same for others.

Persuasion Art Piece EX1 “In the mid-1980s, the Texas Department of Transportation began a campaign to change text and associations regarding environmentalism. Its slogan was simple and Powerful: don't mess with texas. By making littering in a front to texas, the dot was able to harness Texan pride and transform environmentalism from something imposed from outside into a protective challenge issued by Texans themselves. and it worked. In the first four years of its implementation, roadside litter in Texas dropped by 72%, and 30 years later the slogan is still in use. the texas. didn't try to change the story as Texans like to tell themselves, they merely made an anti-littering part of them.” 190

This is solid because it's about making something that people already with the grup can identify with. As well, by creating an art piece with words in the form of a slogan, the ideas are truly limitless to what can accompany this cause in protest in the future as well. As an outsider, and I lived in the South for some time too, I just assumed the slogan meant to not bother texan people or perhaps to not come to texas even. But, for people on the inside who know their state, they can tie the word “mess' ' to the rampant pollution crisis that they are experiencing, and equate it to environmentalism and an identity of preserving Texas by keeping it clean.