Thinking about shocking Broca, a marketing ploy to break through the brain function that filters out the predictable and boring, brings to mind Donald Trump.The Donald trumps everyone in shocking Broca. He is building a presidential campaign on shocking his way into the national conscious with outrageous statements. Some of us wince. We grimace and double over in pain. But we all pay attention and do exactly what he wants us to do. We think more deeply about the issues. We participate in a national dialog that forces all the other candidates to articulate their position on the issues Trump feels are important.

Buffoonery is an effective technique. In days of old, every court had its jester. On the surface the jester was an entertaining clown, but don’t be fooled. A physically or verbally dextrous actor on a stage, a jester sometimes offers criticism and advice in the guise of performing silly antics. Of course there are risks. Historically, some jesters went too far and lost their heads.

Writers shocking Broca

As a writer, I am told I must shock broca with every blog, twitter, and Facebook post. A daunting challenge, the call to arm myself with pith and wit and deliver zingers that rip through readers’ filters to pierce their hearts. To shock broca employing SEO searchable key words that appear in the headline and first sentence is even more difficult. But if you care enough about connecting with people, you try. And if you are trying to communicate from a place of authenticity, the challenge is even greater.

Which leads me to wonder, is that why Jesus chose to communicate God’s love by hanging on a cross?

photo credit: [Ex libris Majlath Antal] via photopin (license)