Comments for John Cremer http://www.johncremer.co.uk Finding Your Creative Edge Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:11:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Comment on Bridging The Gap by Amanda http://www.johncremer.co.uk/2011/03/bridging-the-gap/#comment-194 Amanda Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:11:22 +0000 http://www.johncremer.co.uk/?p=202#comment-194 So funny you should write about this - I just wrote a post for my blog about the split between my spiritual and intellectual selves, and my struggle to reconcile the two. The dualism you write about (art v/ business) is another one I struggle with. The underlying issue, I think, is the challenge to remain authentic, no matter what context you might find yourself in. Then the question becomes: what contexts do I most want to spend time in? Where am I my most authentic? Despite my personal impatience, I realize this is probably a question it takes a lifetime to answer. So funny you should write about this – I just wrote a post for my blog about the split between my spiritual and intellectual selves, and my struggle to reconcile the two. The dualism you write about (art v/ business) is another one I struggle with. The underlying issue, I think, is the challenge to remain authentic, no matter what context you might find yourself in. Then the question becomes: what contexts do I most want to spend time in? Where am I my most authentic? Despite my personal impatience, I realize this is probably a question it takes a lifetime to answer.

]]> Comment on Mr Obama Needs Improvisation Training by Michael Dodd http://www.johncremer.co.uk/2010/11/mr-obama-needs-improvisation-training/#comment-3 Michael Dodd Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:42:17 +0000 http://85.13.255.210/~cremer/?p=104#comment-3 John Cremer's thesis is correct. By saying "but" Obama walked straight into the trap which Jon Stewart had laid, which is why the audience instantly laughs. Saying "and" would have been incomparably smarter as it would utilise a principle I deploy when showing people how to respond to some tough questions in media interview training. By doing this you can capitalise on the same principle which Judo players use - utilising the force of one's opponent's thrust towards you to throw them in the direction they were heading while adjusting their trajectory. Philip Khan-Panni raises an interesting point about "casuistry" ("specious, deceptive or oversubtle reasoning"- Dictionary OnLine). Whether it was casuistry or not would depend on what Obama said after the "but" or the "and". If the president had opted for the "and" he could have quite logically reminded his audience of what he said after his victory in the South Carolina primary on 27 January 2008 when he said: "If there's anything, though, that we have been reminded of since Iowa, it's that the kind of change we seek will not come easy." When doing interviews - even if you're not the US President - it's always wise to plan for the worst questions you expect and in this instance Obama, the often-but-not-always-brilliant communicator, would have done better by consulting John Cremer first. michael@michaeldoddmedia.com John Cremer’s thesis is correct. By saying “but” Obama walked straight into the trap which Jon Stewart had laid, which is why the audience instantly laughs. Saying “and” would have been incomparably smarter as it would utilise a principle I deploy when showing people how to respond to some tough questions in media interview training. By doing this you can capitalise on the same principle which Judo players use – utilising the force of one’s opponent’s thrust towards you to throw them in the direction they were heading while adjusting their trajectory.
Philip Khan-Panni raises an interesting point about “casuistry” (“specious, deceptive or oversubtle reasoning”- Dictionary OnLine). Whether it was casuistry or not would depend on what Obama said after the “but” or the “and”. If the president had opted for the “and” he could have quite logically reminded his audience of what he said after his victory in the South Carolina primary on 27 January 2008 when he said: “If there’s anything, though, that we have been reminded of since Iowa, it’s that the kind of change we seek will not come easy.” When doing interviews – even if you’re not the US President – it’s always wise to plan for the worst questions you expect and in this instance Obama, the often-but-not-always-brilliant communicator, would have done better by consulting John Cremer first. michael@michaeldoddmedia.com

]]> Comment on Mr Obama Needs Improvisation Training by Phillip Khan-Panni http://www.johncremer.co.uk/2010/11/mr-obama-needs-improvisation-training/#comment-2 Phillip Khan-Panni Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:26:18 +0000 http://85.13.255.210/~cremer/?p=104#comment-2 Yes and ... and Yes but ... have such different meanings, that they are not interchangeable. For example you cannot say, Yes we can and we need to be cautious. It causes a cognitive dissonance. If Obama is currently adding a reservation to his campaign promises, he has no option but to add a 'but'. To say Yes and ... when you wish to enter a qualification amounts to casuistry, and is one of the greater sins a speaker can commit. Yes and … and Yes but … have such different meanings, that they are not interchangeable.

For example you cannot say, Yes we can and we need to be cautious. It causes a cognitive dissonance.

If Obama is currently adding a reservation to his campaign promises, he has no option but to add a ‘but’. To say Yes and … when you wish to enter a qualification amounts to casuistry, and is one of the greater sins a speaker can commit.

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