Kurt Vile Quotes

If I get ‘em by the short and curlies, the hearts and minds will follow.

Those who tell us to be in touch with our own desires are often merely trying to make us believe that what we want is the thing that they are selling. […] We're used to that kind of persuasion, for political candidates as well as commercial products.

It turns out we are all quite easily swayed if someone knows what they are doing - which is a great thing and a dangerous thing.

You think you know her. Just wait and see the change. I'll have her trained in no time.

Propaganda is a soft weapon; hold it in your hands too long, and it will move about like a snake, and strike the other way.

It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.

Power is the most persuasive rhetoric.

Propaganda is the art of persuading others of what one does not believe oneself.

Manipulation is persuading people to make up their minds while withholding some of the facts from them.

Propaganda does not aim to elevate man, but to make him serve.

Power works best when it is indirect - never coercing people; instead, getting them to voluntarily align with your interests.

Everybody, to some extent, manipulates. Even children learn to cry when they want something. There are all kinds of subtle things we do to get others to follow our lead, not bother us, and so on.

To persuade is more trouble than to dominate, and the powerful seldom take this trouble if they can avoid it.

We need to be aware of all different forms of brainwashing and radicalization.

When it comes to controlling human beings there is no better instrument than lies. Because, you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts ... Who knows what use they’ll make of you? Maybe you’ll help them to persuade people to buy things they don’t need, or hate things they know nothing about, or hold beliefs that make them easy to handle, or doubt the truths that might save them.

When it comes to controlling human beings, there is no better instrument than lies. Because you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.

The most important thing about power is to make sure you don't have to use it.

I usually control the environment I'm in, but my control is very quiet and subtle.

Power is a tool, influence is a skill; one is a fist, the other a fingertip.

I have no interest in trying to manipulate people's emotions or opinions.

I make people step over the ant trail.

It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to.

Terrorism is you winning hearts and minds of people.

The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.

The great masses of the people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one.