How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Bad Idea

Techniques > Resisting persuasion > Bad Idea

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Method

Say that what they are proposing is bad, immoral, nasty, unkind, wrong or evil in some way.

Show that you are very unhappy and disapproving of this. You can also indicate that other people would be even more horrified and very angry to hear what is being suggested.

Example

Ooh. I can't tell people that. They'd be up in arms. You'd get into real trouble for proposing something that's against our core values.

Excuse me? Are you suggesting we don't consult James? That wouldn't be very nice.

That would be against our policy. The board simply wouldn't buy it.

Discussion

Values and other social rules are very important in keeping a society working. These are policed by the people themselves, such that transgression leads to severe reprimands or even ostracization. This makes people very careful about breaking such rules and the objection here may be seen as a serious threat.

Although talk may be about how the proposal is bad, it is a short jump to imply that the person is bad even to think about this and certainly to bring it up as a viable suggestion.