Intelligence > Writing, fnord >
A fnord is a word that you have, unknowingly since the start of your “education,” been conditioned to associate with fear and unease. You have also been conditioned not to notice that they are there. The institution of “fnord conditioning” into American elementary education was first done in the fifties.
Why do this?
Well, if a government or other large organization wants to have some immediate control of a large crowd, they must use preconditioned reflexes. Fear and general unease are always good emotions to evoke when seeking control. The use of fnords in news casting can be used to create either a sense of revultion towards specific people or things (creating bias without your knowing why) or, applied differently, a sense of urgency and importance towards the issues focused upon. The use, or specific lack of use, of fnords in advertising is the reason that the American public only feels happy when they are consuming.
It works somthing like this: Everyday the people are bombarded with thousands of fnords – in newspapers, newscasts, television shows, radio programs, lectures, texbooks, novels, etc. Therefore, as the fnords are creating unease at every turn, a lack of fnords causes great relief – much like taking off a heavy pack after hiking all day. The folks at Madison Avenue realize this all too well, and use it to their benefit. By including absolutely no fnords in their advertisements they create a sense of well being that always occurs, quite inexplicably, whenever their product is advertised. After a while poeple begin to associate well being with that product subconsciously. Then, next time they are shopping, their subconscious urges them to buy that which relieves the unease, and they buy the advertised product.
Sneaky, but very effective. Watch for them.
ported, with the typos kept
the original publication date is unknown