"Slogans rarely convince the unconvinced. However, they do rally the troops already on your side"
About this Quote
McCarthy’s line is a small act of honesty about a big political temptation: mistaking noise for persuasion. “Slogans” aren’t framed as inspiring or evil, just instrumentally limited. The verb choice matters. “Convince” is rational, slow, and costly; it implies a person changing their mind. “Rally” is emotional, fast, and efficient; it implies people who already agree being reminded to show up, clap, donate, vote, and keep believing. He’s mapping politics onto two different problems - conversion versus mobilization - and bluntly conceding which one slogans actually solve.
The subtext is a critique of performative messaging without sounding like one. By saying “rarely,” not “never,” McCarthy leaves room for exceptions (a crisis, a viral phrase, a perfectly timed framing), but the practical takeaway is clear: slogans are more about cohesion than debate. “The unconvinced” are treated as a distinct audience with their own standards - they want evidence, credibility, or lived proof, not bumper-sticker clarity. “Troops” is the tell: it’s martial, tribal language that turns supporters into a unit with a mission. Once your politics becomes a campaign, your voters become an army, and your language becomes a chant.
Contextually, this reads like insider advice from someone who’s seen messaging meetings up close: slogans are not arguments, they’re signals. They function as identity markers, permission structures, and loyalty tests - great for maintaining a coalition, mediocre for building a new one. The intent isn’t to romanticize that reality; it’s to warn against confusing a loud base with a growing one.
The subtext is a critique of performative messaging without sounding like one. By saying “rarely,” not “never,” McCarthy leaves room for exceptions (a crisis, a viral phrase, a perfectly timed framing), but the practical takeaway is clear: slogans are more about cohesion than debate. “The unconvinced” are treated as a distinct audience with their own standards - they want evidence, credibility, or lived proof, not bumper-sticker clarity. “Troops” is the tell: it’s martial, tribal language that turns supporters into a unit with a mission. Once your politics becomes a campaign, your voters become an army, and your language becomes a chant.
Contextually, this reads like insider advice from someone who’s seen messaging meetings up close: slogans are not arguments, they’re signals. They function as identity markers, permission structures, and loyalty tests - great for maintaining a coalition, mediocre for building a new one. The intent isn’t to romanticize that reality; it’s to warn against confusing a loud base with a growing one.
Quote Details
| Topic | Leadership |
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