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How Advertising Can Manipulate Your Mind
“Weighting” the Words

Each word in an advertisement is carefully selected for maximum thrust, yet minimum fact if proof is lacking. Advertising men themselves call these “weasel words.” Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary defines a “weasel word” as one that is “used in order to evade or retreat from a direct or forthright statement or position.” See if you can pick them out in this television soap commercial:

A winsome young woman tells you that the soap she uses ‘helps my skin keep healthy looking.’ Are you not left with the idea that this particular soap “keeps skin healthy”? But did you notice the weighted words? (1) “Helps” is a word often used to avoid saying that a product actually does something. (2) “Looking” changes the word “healthy” from a fact to an opinion​—that of the soapmaker. Almost any soap can make the same claim, but the sponsor is counting on you to think of his brand when shopping.

Le choix des mots

Dans une réclame, chaque mot est soigneusement choisi pour frapper au maximum tout en donnant un minimum de faits, si les preuves manquent. Les publicitaires eux-​mêmes admettent qu’ils emploient des termes ambigus. Le Dictionnaire Robert définit un terme ambigu comme un mot “qui présente deux ou plusieurs sens possibles, dont l’interprétation est incertaine”. Voyez si vous pouvez reconnaître ces termes dans cette réclame télévisée :

Une jeune femme séduisante vous dit que le savon qu’elle emploie ‘aide sa peau à garder un aspect sain’. En entendant cela, n’êtes-​vous pas enclin à penser que ce savon “garde la peau saine” ? Mais remarquez le choix des mots : 1) Le verbe “aider” est souvent employé pour éviter de dire qu’un produit fait réellement quelque chose. 2) Le mot “aspect” change le sens du terme “sain” ; il ne s’agit pas d’un fait, mais d’une opinion : celle du fabricant de savons. On peut dire la même chose de n’importe quel savon, mais le fabricant espère que vous penserez à sa marque quand vous ferez vos achats.

WHAT WILL THE KING OF THE NORTH DO IN THE NEAR FUTURE?
13-14. Who is “Gog of the land of Magog,” and what may provoke him to attack God’s people?

13 A prophecy recorded by Ezekiel gives some insight into what may happen during the last days of the king of the north and the king of the south. If we view the prophecies of Ezekiel 38:10-23; Daniel 2:43-45; 11:44–12:1; and Revelation 16:13-16, 21 as speaking about the same time period and events, it appears that we can expect the following developments.

14 Sometime after the start of the great tribulation, “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” will form a coalition of nations. (Rev. 16:13, 14; 19:19) That coalition becomes what the Scriptures call “Gog of the land of Magog.” (Ezek. 38:2) That coalition of nations will make one final all-out assault on God’s people. What will provoke the attack? Speaking of this time, the apostle John saw a storm of unusually large hailstones raining down on God’s enemies. That symbolic hailstorm may take the form of a hard-hitting judgment message delivered by Jehovah’s people. It could be that this message provokes Gog of Magog into attacking God’s people with the intention of wiping them off the earth.​—Rev. 16:21.

15-16. (a) To what event may Daniel 11:44, 45 be referring? (b) What happens to the king of the north and the rest of Gog of Magog?

15 This hard-hitting message and the final attack by God’s enemies may be the same events referred to at Daniel 11:44, 45. (Read.) There, Daniel says that “reports out of the east and out of the north” disturb the king of the north, who goes off in “a great rage.” The king of the north intends “to devote many to destruction.” The “many” referred to seem to be Jehovah’s people.c Daniel may here be describing the final all-out assault on God’s people.

16 This attack by the king of the north, acting along with the rest of the world’s governments, provokes the Almighty and brings on the war of Armageddon. (Rev. 16:14, 16) At that time, the king of the north, along with the rest of the nations that make up Gog of Magog, comes to his end, and there will be “no helper for him”.​—Dan. 11:45.


At the war of Armageddon, Jesus Christ and his heavenly armies will destroy Satan’s wicked world and deliver God’s people (See paragraph 17)