Before this class, and the readings for it, I don’t think I was too sure what rhetoric was. I had some vague idea, and I’d heard the word before, but it was definitely in the gray area for me. When hearing the word, I’d think of politics. The exclamation “That’s mere rhetoric!” would come to mind. I assumed it was speech full of jargon, intended to express a person’s distorted view about ideas or events.
I now realize the much broader definition of rhetoric. I never really imagined how all encompassing and universal it is. The reading really helped me to see this. I also always thought of more modern times when hearing the word rhetoric. I never knew that the use of rhetoric is thousands of years old, going back to the times of Plato. Upon thinking more about it, I see that we all use rhetoric every day.
I especially liked the example Herrick gave about rhetoric use in relationships. He stated how we may unconsciously present ourselves in a certain way, in order to persuade the object of our affection that we are the person he/she desires. I found it intriguing that we use rhetoric without even knowing it. I also thought rhetoric use in sports and medicine was interesting. Usually when I think of persuasion and convincing, these fields don’t come to mind. Both sports and medicine are governed by rules, regulations, and ideals. Herrick points out however, that many times arguments occur in sports over a call from a referee. When there are arguments, there will be persuasion. Also, in medicine, doctors have to make decisions. A clear-cut answer doesn’t always exist.
Another important point is that rhetoric must be adapted to a specific audience. You must realize what your audience knows, how they feel, and how receptive they are to new ideas before you can try to convince them of anything.
I thought our discussion in class today was interesting also. I especially enjoyed the clips from Thank You for Smoking. I found the main characters description of his job to his young son both comical and strangely uplifting. I never thought that a lobbyist for a tobacco company could be a good guy, but the way he spun his description made is seem innocent, and merely just another job. It seems he was excellent when it came to rhetoric use.
Rhetoric is clearly a far more complex subject than I had ever imagined it could be. It surrounds us and we all make use of it, probably every day. Rhetoric has been around for thousands of years, and no matter what your opinion is of it, it’s here to stay.
2 comments:
I also thought the clip from "Thank You For Smoking" was interesting. You said that the lobbyist's description of himself to his son made him seem more endearing. I wonder if one could say that through his use of rhetoric to make himself seem like a better person, he actually becomes a better person? Or is he worse still for trying to hide the truth through rhetoric?
I agree with you not only on the use of rhetoric in relationships with other people, but also in your thoughts on Thank You for Smoking. You say that the lobbyist was an excellent rhetor, which made him seem like a good guy. Could this be an example of creating knowledge or building of community?
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