Character Assassination

This is a political tactic as old as politics…..It was used against Jefferson and it has continued unabated…….

In case you are not sure of the definition…..

Character Assassination refers to the slandering or vicious personal verbal attack on a person with the intention of destroying or damaging that person’s reputation or confidence. In other words it is malicious verbal assaults designed to damage or tarnish the reputation of a person. Once done, these acts are often difficult to reverse or rectify

It involves a deliberate attempt to destroy a person’s reputation, especially by criticizing them in an unfair and dishonest way when they are not present. It can also involve exaggeration or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person, double speak, spreading of rumors, innuendo or deliberate misinformation on topics relating to the subject’s morals, integrity, and reputation. It is a form of defamation

Does any of that sound at all familiar?

This character assassination is kinda like the play by Shakespeare, “Othello”…..(Remember him from high school?)

Iago is an unexampled Shakespearean villain. From the outset of the play, he is after both his general Othello and lieutenant Michael Cassio. He resents Othello for promoting the younger Cassio above him; he says he suspects both of sleeping with his wife. He seeks revenge and self-empowerment. His acquaintance Roderigo is a suitor of Desdamona, a beauty whom he learns has married Othello. Iago convinces the distraught and dissolute paramour he can win Desdamona through an elaborate scheme that begins by Roderigo’s baiting of Cassio, causing his downfall and Iago’s elevation.

At a feast on the isle of Cypress, Iago tells dinner guests on the sly that although Cassio is great soldier, drink is his unappeasable vice. Iago helps get Cassio drunk. Roderigo baits him. A brawl ensues. Cassio injures Roderigo and a young soldier. Othello appears in a fury and ends the fighting. The general demands an explanation from his ensign. Iago acts stunned and distraught by the chaos he secretly engineered, and feigns concern that the disturbance might frighten the townsfolk (they are defending Cypress from the Turks). After Iago’s explanation, Othello fires Cassio. Once everyone else has gone, Iago affects concern for Cassio, who is disconsolate. He cries out to Iago,

Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.–My reputation, Iago, my reputation! (2.3.216-19)

American Iago: On Washington’s Character Assassins

The Realty Star President is an expert of character assassination……”Little Marco”, “Lying Ted”, “Pocahontas”, “Crazy Joe”, Shifty Schiff and a wealth of other short lived insults.

It should get thicker the closer we get to the 2020 election…..I have never been a fan of negative campaigning or voted for a candidate that is filled with negativity.  My thought is if you cannot run on your issues then making wild accusations does not make you a better candidate.

Check out Propaganda 2.0……..https://lobotero.com/2014/01/06/propaganda-2-0/ or if you prefer a more academic approach……https://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/Propaganda/ipatypes.html ……..http://www.rbs0.com/propaganda.pdf

Why be truthful when a lie is more effective?

Ask Trump he should know.

“I Read, I Wrote now You Know”

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

9 thoughts on “Character Assassination

  1. The reason they use character assassination is because it works. People are ready to believe bad stuff about anyone. Just as quick as they are unlikely to believe any good things they hear about them.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    1. Yep and a sad indictment of the human condition……and then you have liars and scum that cannot go without attacking someone’s character. chuq

  2. Thank you for the very useful lesson, Chuq! As Pete wrote “It works”, and POTUS is the best newer example for this. However i think this was and is always part of “higher politics”. Here I really regret that I did not become a diplomat of the Roman Catholic Church. Of course, the Pope does not do such a thing himself, but he has – even known to me – performers. 😉 Best wishes, Michael

  3. Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    CLASSIC DRUMPF … ‘Character Assassination refers to the slandering or vicious personal verbal attack on a person with the intention of destroying or damaging that person’s reputation or confidence. In other words it is malicious verbal assaults designed to damage or tarnish the reputation of a person. Once done, these acts are often difficult to reverse or rectify.’

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