Effective mass media messages move us from attention to persuasion - and a persuasive message must have a rational base. Unfortunately, the limited time that a MM message typically gets hinders reflective thought. The solution is to distort the message through brief appealing rhetoric that seems rational (but isn't upon reflection). Common examples are political promises to increase services and reduce taxes, ads that indicate that a product is improved (but don't say over what), TV drug commercials that begin with clearly promised positive results, but end with a rapid incomprehensible listing of the dangers associated with the medicine (the televised equivalent of the small print in a contract or print ad).