# 27. Rhetorical manipulation ## 27.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 27.5.4. Content Manipulation #### 27.5.4.18. Anecdotal evidence Testimonials and vivid anecdotes are one of the most popular and convincing forms of evidence, and very popular in manipulative rhetoric. Nevertheless, testimonials and anecdotes in such matters are often valueless. Anecdotes tend to be unreliable, because they are prone to contamination by beliefs, later experiences, feedback, selective attention to details, and so on. Most stories get distorted in the telling and the retelling. Events get exaggerated. Time sequences get confused. Details get muddled. Memories are imperfect and selective; gaps are often filled in after the fact. People misinterpret their experiences. Experiences are conditioned by biases, memories and beliefs, so people's perceptions might not be accurate. Anecdotal evidence is in common use in political, religious and commercial manipulation when it suits the manipulator. ***Parent:** [[Content Manipulation]]*