Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DEMAGOGUERY

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explore the archives: "Demagoguery" has its roots in the Greek terms for "people" (demos) and "lead" (agogos), although demagoguery today is more about misleading people. Other words that arose from demos include familiar ones like "democracy" and "demographics." How about another that means "a disease that is spreading among all the people"?  It starts with P. make your point with... "DEMAGOGUERY" A demagogue is a leader who gains power by manipulating the people and appealing to their worst emotions. So, demagoguery is that whole idea or activity: it's misleading a large group of people by taking advantage of their fears and desires. Pronunciation: DEM uh GOG uh ree Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like "milk," "rice," and "education," uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of education," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many educations." Likewise, talk about "the demagoguery," "such demagoguery," "a lot of demagoguery," "no demagoguery," and so on, but don’t say "demagogueries.") Other forms: Demagogue(s), demagogic/demagogical. I've chosen to feature "demagoguery" as the noun, but you've got some alternates: demagogy, demagogism, and demagoguism. How to use it: "Demagoguery" is a harsh, critical term that's useful for pointing out how people are being controlled by someone who claims to share their negative emotions: hatred, fear, intolerance. Sad to say, it's a word we really need right now. You can attribute it to a person: Hitler's demagoguery, Stalin's demagoguery, her blatant demagoguery, the endless demagoguery of the party's leader. Or, simply talk about demagoguery in general: voters highly susceptible to demagoguery, the demagoguery characterizing our election season, a population who won't be swayed by demagoguery, efforts to stem the demagoguery or resist the demagoguery, speeches rife with demagoguery, the demagoguery that has carried the candidate this far, etc. examples: To me, the most frightening aspect of demagoguery is the message it sends: "They're different from us, so we should hate them. And hurt them." You'd think there would be no tolerance of demagoguery in a modern society like ours. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "demagoguery" means when you can explain it without saying "exploitative manipulation" or "control via riling up hatred and fear." try it out: Think of something that a good leader does, and fill in the blank: "Rather than resorting to demagoguery, a respectable leader _____." Example: "Rather than resorting to demagoguery, a respectable leader appeals to the values we share and to our sense of logic." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Well-Named Creatures: Some names for animals and other creatures define themselves instantly or after a brief moment’s thought: anteater, grasshopper, hummingbird, seahorse, octopus (eight-foot). But other names deserve some exploration; they hold hidden clues about what the animals look like or what they do. And sometimes the names reveal how baffled people were when they first caught a glimpse of the creatures and tried to name them. This month, I’ll give you the literal meaning of a creature's name, and you come up with what it is. Answers will appear in alphabetical order this month. (Oh, and the answers might be animals, birds, insects, or even extinct creatures.) Enjoy! From yesterday: A "wild ox" is a b________. Answer: This is a buffalo, simply named from the Latin bubalus: "wild ox." Try this one today: A "shaggy cat" is not a cat but a c________. review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of DEMAGOGUERY is A. GRADUAL INSURRECTIONISM B. PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP C. RATIONAL POPULATION 2. _____ as ever, he refused to capitulate to demagoguery. A. Ambitious B. Judicious C. Wily Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B