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How to Make Your Own Judgement on PM’s NDR 2013 Speech


Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had finally delivered his National Day Rally speech for 2013.  He concluded that there was a new way forward and announced that the government was making major strategic changes.

You also read about the comments from two different sources: mainstream media and social media. Now, consider this is as a political rally speech in the General Election 2016, will you be persuaded and influenced to vote for Lee and the People’s Action Party (PAP)?

Professor Robert Cialdini and Steve Martin have developed a scientific technique to help you to assess the effectiveness of a persuasion. In the persuasion of science, they list the following 6 short-cuts:  

Reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking and consensus.

You can view the video in YouTube:



Reciprocity: People are obliged to give back to others the form of behaviour, gift, or service that they have received first.

Lee has made some changes in housing, education, and health care etc. Are you the one who will be benefited from the changes?  What will you do in return?

Scarcity: Simply put, people want more of those things they can have less of.

Lee said there are very few successful countries like Singapore in the world. Indirectly, he was saying the PAP is a scarcity. He stressed, ‘we are not taking these steps because our system is bad. On the contrary, we are starting from a good position.’ He also said, ‘very few countries or cities can think or plan over such a long term.’

Authority: The idea that people follow the lead of credible, knowledgeable experts.

Lee announced big projects like new airport terminal, new port in Tuas, the moving of Paya Lebar Airbase, etc. They are experts in economic development.

Consistency: People like to be consistent with the things they have previously said or done.

Lee said Singapore was making a shift and a major one. But at the same thing, he said, ‘we may have made major shifts in our policies, but our core purpose has not changed.’  He wants changes but also wants consistency. 

Liking: People prefer to say yes to those that they like.

During the speech, Lee was seen moving to tears. Do you like it or not? Overall, do you like his speech?

This ‘liking’ factor needs further explanation. In the video, it mentions: We like people who are similar to us, we like people who pay us compliments, and we like people who cooperate with us towards mutual goals.
  
Similarity, compliments and mutual goals, have you found these in Lee’s speech?

Consensus: Especially when they are uncertain, people will look to the actions and behaviours of others to determine their own.

Lee said his speech was a feedback of Our Singapore Conversation that seeks consensus for the future development of Singapore. Do you agree with this consensus?  Do you see the consensus?


After viewing the video, you can then use the 6 short-cuts to make you own judgement.  If the election is called tomorrow, will you vote for Lee and the PAP?  Which one of the short-cuts is the most critical factor for you to make your decision? And are you a marginal voter and will you make a change after listening to his speech?

Voting is secret and we should all make a wise choice for Singapore. There is rumour in social media, if Lee’s sales technique and persuasion work, the PAP will call for early election. 


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