The Art of Influence: Mastering Jonah Berger’s Magic Words

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In his book "Ways of Seeing," Jonqh Berger introduces the concept of "magic words" to explore the power of language in shaping our perception of images. According to Berger, these "magic words" function as a disguise, often distracting us from seeing the true meaning and context of a visual representation. Berger argues that our familiarity with certain phrases, such as "art," "beauty," or "originality," influences our interpretation of images. These words suggest an inherent value or significance, leading us to perceive certain artworks or objects as more important or meaningful than others. Consequently, Berger suggests that the use of "magic words" can perpetuate a hierarchical understanding of art and reinforce established norms and biases. One example Berger provides is the word "original.



The Witch Part 1, The Subversion: …and the Girl who bridged two South Korea’s (Review)

The Witch Part 1: the Subversion is the latest directorial effort from the man behind New World and I saw the Devil writer, Park Hoon-Jung, and it is unlike either of those high profile movies. New World is a prominent gangster epic (of comparable stature to A Dirty Carnival), I Saw The Devil is a grim satire of the Korean Revenge narrative that saw Korea garner global recognition and the Witch? Honestly… it’s a little anime.

The movie opens with a nasty scene in which some adults are attempting to kill some children who are part of their illicit underground school, one girl escapes and is saved by collapsing exhausted in the grounds of a well-to-do couple who end up taking her in as their daughter. Fast forward ten years and that little girl now goes by Ja-Yoon (Kim Da-Mi), and best friend to the flighty Myung-Hee (Go Min-Si). Together the two girls have a relatively normal life in the Korean countryside, they talk about boys and are fully committed to Ja-Yoon doing well on a TV talent show. Together they are adorable, there’s nothing complicated about either of them but their friendship is a joy to just be around. In the second half, tone and direction completely change. Throughout that first hour, Ja-Yoon is shown to be suffering from violent headaches, twin that with the nasty violence of the first scene and we know that this tension is building towards a violent release.

Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, watch any of their film output and the one consistent will be their inconsistency. Western cinema, rather dully if you ask me, establishes one tone and sticks to it like a toy car to its electronic track. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that, however, there are more ways to tell a story than by slavishly adhering to a singular tone. I bring this up, as, like any other Korean film, The Witch subverts the slice of life tone about as dramatically as possible. Throughout the first half, Ja-Yoon is seemingly stalked by a character credited as “Young Man” (Choi Woo-Sik), he looks like a K-pop star but underneath his look, something insidious lurks. Eventually, Young Man and his cohorts catch up with our heroine and take her to their HQ for a profound 180.

Whether or Park Hoon-Jung is being satirical is not for me to say – however, just like she is bridging a divide between twee and violent she is also bridging a divide between two very different faces of Korean pop culture.

THE WITCH PART 1: THE SUBVERSION

In that second hour, the film basically becomes a superpowered fight – think last years Psychokinesis (Netflix) or Volcano High (from peak-era Cine Asia). It includes slickly produced superpowers, super speed, flashbacks, clockwork orange setups while the big bad explain their plan, people being punched through walls, regenerating from gunshots and a very convoluted conspiracy. As I said previously, very “anime”.

Now, if you are inexperienced with cinema from this part of the world, it doesn’t change a thing – you either think of The Witch as typical for films from that part of the world or two hour-long movies glued back to back. The result is the same either way, this is an entertaining movie – albeit two different styles of entertainment. Hour one is sweet and charming as you spend time zigzagging between the contemplative quiet of country life and dreams of pop-star fame. And the second half is full of beefy, nihilistic violence. Logically and logistically this is at odds with itself as unfortunately fans of the first half may not be fans of the second, and frankly carving up the audience in such a bold way isn’t the wisest of creative decision; especially here in the West, hell, the severity of the change may be slightly alienating in the East too.

Whether you like sweet characters or blood-soaked beef, Kim Da-Mi carries all the weight with surprising ease. I won’t describe how her role changes, needless to say, hers is a breakout performance. From meek and charming to the Korean ideal of an action star, she rolls with all the punches. She can sing too.

Whether or not the writer/director, Park Hoon-Jung, is being satirical is not for me to say – however, just like she is bridging a divide between twee and violent she is also bridging a divide between two very different faces of Korean pop culture. There’s the Korean cinema that is exported internationally, and bubble gum Korea – which are as mutually exclusive as they come. As good as Korea is at making stars, they fall into either one group or the other, very rarely do they fit into both. Kim Da-Mi is the exception to that role, and it’s because of her that we can’t wait to see The Witch Part 2.

THE WITCH (PART 1: THE SUBVERSION) IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH NOW ON DIGITAL COURTESY OF SIGNATURE ENTERTAINMENT

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO RENT FROM ITUNES

CATCHPLAY Corporate

Founded in 2007, CATCHPLAY quickly became a major player in movie entertainment business in Taiwan by providing a wide selection of films excelling in both quantity and quality. Over the years, CATCHPLAY has continued to distribute more than 30 films theatrically every year, an average of one movie every other week, and more than 100 titles for release on home videos, TV and digital platforms. Today, we are the largest independent distributor in Taiwan with a library of more than 2,000 titles, most of which CATCHPLAY owns all rights to exclusively.

One example Berger provides is the word "original." He explains how the concept of originality has become strongly associated with artistic value in Western society. An original artwork, he argues, is seen as having more worth than a copy or a reproduction.

LINEAR MOVIE CHANNEL

Capitalizing on the digitalization of Taiwan’s pay TV systems, CATCHPLAY launched CATCHPLAY HD Movie Channel in early 2013. Today it has about 1 million subscribers through partnerships with major pay TV operators. Our diverse and wide range of content has made CATCHPLAY HD one of the most popular linear movie channels in Taiwan.

Jonqh berger magic wordd

This emphasis on the original can limit our understanding of art, as it focuses our attention on the object itself rather than the ideas, emotions, or social commentaries it may convey. By encouraging us to value a particular form of art, these "magic words" can stifle creativity and limit the diversity of artistic expressions. Another concept explored by Berger is the word "beauty." Berger suggests that the word "beauty" has become synonymous with physical attractiveness and, by extension, with femininity. Through the use of this "magic word," images of women are often reduced to mere objects of visual pleasure, reinforcing gender stereotypes and objectifying women. In this way, "magic words" not only shape our perception of art but can also perpetuate harmful societal norms and power dynamics. In conclusion, Berger's exploration of "magic words" in "Ways of Seeing" sheds light on the influence of language in our interpretation of images. By uncovering the role of these words, Berger invites us to question and challenge our preconceived notions of art and beauty. He encourages us to critically engage with visual representations and uncover the hidden meanings and contexts behind them. Through this process, we can develop a more nuanced and democratic understanding of art and challenge the power dynamics perpetuated by these "magic words.".

Reviews for "The Science Behind Jonah Berger’s Magic Words and Their Effect on Decision-Making"

1. Sarah - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Jonqh berger magic wordd". The whole concept seemed interesting, but the execution was lacking. The writing was amateur, with numerous spelling and grammar errors that became distracting. The characters were one-dimensional and poorly developed, making it hard to feel any connection or investment in their stories. Overall, the book felt rushed and poorly edited, which greatly affected my enjoyment of it.
2. Mark - 2 stars
"Jonqh berger magic wordd" had an intriguing premise, but it failed to deliver on its promises. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt disjointed and confusing at times. The author tried to incorporate too many elements without giving them enough depth, resulting in a shallow and unsatisfying read. I was left wanting more character development and a clearer direction for the story. While the book had potential, it fell short of my expectations.
3. Emily - 1.5 stars
I struggled to finish "Jonqh berger magic wordd". The writing style was dry and lacked any emotion or depth. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to connect with the characters. Additionally, the world-building was confusing and poorly explained, leaving me with more questions than answers. Overall, I found the book to be uninteresting and forgettable. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating read.

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