So many people come forth claiming to “know” something or to have some piece of truth that you don’t have. I’m guilty of this, and so is just about everyone else. It is really easy to be persuaded by someone’s words into doing something. If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be so many advertisements. The crazy thing about rhetoric, is that it does not discriminate. It can be used to help raise money for a charity organization, or to convince someone to bomb a building. It can include true fact and blatant lies that are so well masked by a person’s speech, that it becomes impossible to tell what is true and what is not. So how do you find out what is legitimate and what is empty words? Ask questions. Break down their words to find the gaps, the lies, the inconsistencies.
Lets use an advertisement as an example. You see an advertisement on TV and you’re considering buying the product but you’re not sure about it. So ask questions. Why was this advertisement made? How was it made? Did it use any special effects? How come? Is it trying to hide something? Is the effectiveness of the product being exaggerated? These are questions you can ask to break through the front that has been presented to you and to gain access to the inner workings.
Pop the hood on your sports car and see what the engine looks like. All the looks in the world aren’t going to do you any good if the engine doesn’t work.
When you ask questions about everything; again everything, you are less likely to get hurt in the long run, you can make informed decisions, and are less likely to get suckered. Asking questions is one of the greatest ways to learn. So ask a few, about things you take for granted and see what comes up.
