Most of us use the art of persuasive thinking every day, in one way or another. However, most of the time we don't even realize that we are using persuasion to influence this person. Unless we are using the power of persuasion for some purpose, like selling something or influencing the target of something. There are many ways to be persuasive, but first we need to understand some things such as human nature, think carefully, and learn to control our emotions. When we try to persuade someone to accept our message, we are using the art of persuasion. One way to persuade someone to adopt your way of thinking is to appeal to their pride is deceptive persuasion. Appealing to pride is a logical fallacy and allows for incorrect reasoning. When we appeal to someone's pride, we are appealing to their emotions rather than facts or logic. By appealing to a person's pride, the person we are targeting is persuaded to accept through pride. If someone has little pride in themselves, you can still appeal to their pride, just as if you were trying to appeal to someone who is very proud. Pride is pride, whether it is a little or a lot. Appealing to someone's pride is easily accomplished through flattery addressed to the target. Comments about a person's appearance or possessions are usually a good place to start. Flattery still goes a long way for most people. Viewing flattery as a positive way to get someone on your side can make it easier to move forward. Even someone with little pride sometimes likes to be flattered, and appealing to their little pride can have the same results with someone who has a lot of pride. We all have some sort of pride about something, it's just a matter of determining what that pride might be....... middle of paper...... 8) Deceptive persuasion such as appealing to pride is just one. many ways to think persuasively. Learning to defend ourselves against misleading persuasion can be a useful tool, especially the next time we make a big purchase and get help from a salesperson. Kirby describes how we are influenced by a salesman and the technique of appealing to our pride by writing: "Feeling flattered may make us more willing to purchase his items." When we point out that other retailers in the area have suggested that we aren't investing in the "best" product line, she asks why we would even consider their perspective on the matter. Certainly, she tells us, we are not the kind of people who are told what to do. (Kirby 278) Works Cited Kirby “Feeling” Kirby, Gary R., Goodpaster Jeffery R., Scientific Thought. Pearson Education, Inc: Upper Saddle, New Jersey, 2007. 259-286.