A tribute to and a lament for Marshall McLuhan. Five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, I present one of McLuhan’s observations and talk about its relevance today. 300 ideas. 300 days. 300 posts.
How to deal with hecklers.
Marshall McLuhan (June 13, 1974, age 62). For what it is worth
Hecklers are easily dealt with. The heckler’s goal is “to annoy or confuse a speaker by interrupting with questions or taunts.” As I was telling Pierre Trudeau here are my two favourite ploys. Depending on your mood you can: (1) invite them to come to the microphone and address the audience; or (2) look at them quizzically and ask them, “You mean my fallacies are all wrong?” Very few hecklers are prepared to deal with either approach. [for more on heckling]
Me (May 2010, age 57) I wonder
Marshall McLuhan might have found these effective strategies . I doubt that Pierre Trudeau would have found them helpful. But then …
What are the best ways of dealing with hecklers?
Cordially, Marshall and Me
Reading for this post
Letters of Marshall McLuhan, 1987, pp. 499.
How to deal with hecklers? Just watch me, Michael, just watch me.