How Art Made The World 说服的艺术 -17 (End)

Augustus had used images to manipulate people into believing one thing when in fact the very opposite was true. So he discovered how to use art to tell a political lie. It was a technique that would be embraced by dictators down the ages. They too would turn to art to deceive their people. Through art, they would persuade their people to hate, to turn on their foreign enemies, and even on their own neighbors, and worse, to persuade them to believe that some people were less than human. Over thousands of years, leaders in the ancient world discovered the extraordinary power of art to persuade. They realized its potential to promote themselves and their ideas. And with Augustus, they learnt to exploit art for more sinister¹ purposes.

Today's politicians are using techniques very similar to those invented by leaders thousands of years ago. Both exploit the same universal human traits. The leaders of the past used paint and marble, today's politicians, digital technology. But we humans remain as vulnerable now as we ever were to the persuasive² power of art.

Next on How Art Made the World, we'll uncover the ancient origins of the feature film. We'll reveal how human beings invented the hero, how they came to tell stories with pictures and how we discovered the extraordinary power of the sound track.

Everyone's taste in art is different. What makes you like the art that you do, help us to find out by taking part in a scientific experiment, log on at bbc.co.uk/science. Next week's program is at 9:30. Tomorrow night at 9 on BBC 2. The Experiment draws to a close in a monastery³.

1 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

2 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

3 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。