Democracy: How to Use One of the Most Effective Communication Tools Available to Make Your Words Stick Like Glue

Why Almost Everyone Ignores This—And How It Can Make You Unforgettable

How to Use One of the Most Effective Communication Tools (Controversy) to Make Your Words Stick Like Glue

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #404

This might sting a little.

If you’re out there writing like a delicate little daisy…posting your thoughts on social media…a letter to the editor…or speaking at your local Rotary Club meeting…hoping to whisper your way into people’s attention spans…you’re going to get flattened.

I know this much—every single person out there posting…talking…screaming into the wind about the crisis we’re in right now… what they really want…what they crave…is for their words to stick.

Not for a minute. Not for an hour. But to still be rattling around in people’s heads long after they’ve gone home… long after the conversation’s over. That’s the holy grail. To say something that won’t let go.

For those who fell they just can’t seem to make that happen…there’s a reason their words aren’t sticking. There’s a reason people skim what they write…or speak…nod politely…and then forget they exist by dinner time.

It’s because they’re afraid of controversy.

Big mistake.

See, controversy isn’t some optional seasoning you sprinkle on your work. It’s one of the most powerful communication tools available to you…and if you don’t learn how to wield it…you’re playing the communication game with one hand tied behind your back.

Controversy grabs attention. It sticks in people’s heads. It pulls them in…forces them to choose sides…makes them care…makes them mad…makes them move.

And let me tell you something most people won’t: controversy is not about being outrageous for the sake of outrage. It’s about understanding what your audience is emotionally invested in and stepping right into the middle of it.

Why Controversy Works Like Glue

Let’s walk through this like grown-ups…because this isn’t some slick marketing hack. This is primal…biological hardwiring.

1. We’re Hardwired for Conflict

Your brain is a finely-tuned threat detection machine. You are hardwired to notice anything that signals disruption—danger, betrayal, challenge, social rupture.

Controversy trips that alarm.

It activates the amygdala…the part of the brain that processes emotion and threat. When you use controversy…you are literally flipping the brain’s "Hey, pay attention to this!" switch. It forces people to lock in.

If your writing feels "safe" to everyone…chances are it’s not registering with anyone.

Safe writing gets skimmed. Controversial writing gets remembered.