The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a subconscious physical reaction often experienced while listening to satisfying and unpredictable changes in music or a moving speech. The response tends to be described as a tingling sensation that runs from the head, to the neck, and down the upper spine that induces feelings of assurance.
ASMR is often taken into consideration by political speechwriters in order to coax a sensory stimulation. They might use negative terms such as: terror, challenge, decrease, defense, necessary, condition, and time. Take a moment to say these words aloud. Say each of them slowly and take note of what kind of thoughts each word provokes. If nothing comes to mind, repeat each word once more. As you say these words out loud, you will notice a change in emotion or thought. You may be clouded by reflections of war or national turmoil.
Now we will look at a list of positive words frequently used in political speeches such as: peace, freedom, hope, security, support, time, prosperity, health, relief, increase, improve, power, duty, rights, and service. Once again, speak these words aloud slowly, repeating them if necessary. Your thoughts and emotions should now be fused with feelings of empowerment.
You might have noticed the word "time" was used in each list. Time is an example of a word remaining open to contextual interpretation. When reciting the word in the negative list, it should have been associated with the absence of time. When observing it in the positive list, it may have been correlated with thoughts of having plenty of time. Words such as these are practiced repetitively by politicians and world leaders prior to delivering a speech in order to prevent fueling an inadvertent reaction from supporters.
After observing the emotional reaction, we will now delve into the physical response of ASMR by watching Tom Amandes' rendition of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
You may have felt a slight shiver run down the back of your spine toward the end of the speech. This is the response politicians strive to produce in their supporters as well as those who are on the fence. Some might refer to this as an unshakable feeling of inspiration. While this may be true, it is also the result of carefully articulated dialogue that solicits a chain reaction leading to voter support.
To further assess this response in it's melodic form, take a moment to listen to one of the most heartrending songs in the history of American patriotism, the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Once more, you might have felt that now-familiar tingling sensation race down your back. There is a reason the Battle Hymn of the Republic continues to be played every Inauguration Day. It stabilizes a sense of duty, power, and reassurance enticing citizens to invest their trust in the newly-elected president to represent the nation to the best of their ability and hold constitutional rights and freedom as the highest priority above all else.
While ASMR dates back prior to 1861, it continues to be used and occasionally abused by politicians today. Now that you are knowledgeable of this involuntary physical reaction, you will be more aware of your true thoughts regarding potential candidates. You will be able to step away after listening to a speech and ask yourself whether the emotion you experienced was a result of a finely worded speech or the actual message a candidate intended to convey. Ultimately, voters should use reason and proper interpretation before instinctively supporting an individual. If you are unable to distinguish the difference, reading the speech could be a favorable alternative because it extracts a candidate's persuasive tone of voice leaving you to decide the significance of their message.