Suggestions Daily Info Blog

That human personalities are molded by suggestion, will be generally admitted. Take, for instance, the art of advertising. A business man, in offering his products on the market, will not describe their qualities, good and bad, in an objective manner; rather, he will dwell on the attractive, exclusive, important features and thus try to arouse human attention and desire. A sign or a slogan does not impose, it suggests. And people yield to it, if it is built and presented according to the rules of popular psychology. These facts are appreciated in the business world to such an extent that, despite the colossal expense of education by advertising, no firm or industry can afford to neglect it. Business men have grasped this lesson in educating the public "by suggestion." They know full well that public taste is directed by being whetted. But our high schools and colleges still continue to resort to the old-fashioned methods of dry assignment and recitation, with almost a complete disregard of psychology and common sense. As a result, class work is notoriously boring and ineffective, education being achieved, as it were, despite the educators' efforts, in extra-curricular activities rather than in the class-room. Some people would not believe the tragedy of this situation, but let them ask schoolboys and schoolgirls. If these are intelligent, observant and frank, the truth will be told.