Appeals To Emotion

 

 

When college graduates heard Joe Biden's promise of student loan forgiveness, relief seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel. The fear of never obtaining financial freedom, the outrage from seeing continued government bailouts, and the dreams of being debt-free all pull at the heartstrings and make voters really consider who ultimately gets their vote. Appeals to emotion is a formidable tool politicians use to influence voters to support their agendas and campaigns. 

On the opposing end, Donald Trump promised to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. in the name of a safer country. Appeals to emotions aim to arouse feelings of fear, anger and even hope. Politicians employ this type of rhetoric in speeches using technology to connect those feelings. Nationally televised presidential addresses to the country, campaign ads streamed on social media, and media-sponsored podcasts are all stages used to solicit viewers/listeners' feelings and form opinions. 

Are voters making decisions based on how the candidate makes them feel? Or are they making sound decisions based on the facts? How can we as voters use critical thinking skills to ensure candidates are not playing to our vulnerabilities but being accountable for what they promise?