Now that we understand the players in the media world and how to consume knowledge content. We must understand the tools that companies and content creators use that make their arguments, stories, and ideas more appealing to the viewer and this begins with Rhetoric.
Word of the Day
Rhetoric [ˈredərik]
NOUN: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
or
Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.
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Don't let this boring S.A.T word fool you; Rhetoric is a very powerful tool that writers use to make their message more appealing towards his or her audience. You probably use this every day, and you don't even know it. When you're asking for an extension in a project, persuading your best friend to go to a movie, or even finding the right words to say in your essay; you are using rhetoric.
So how can we recognize rhetoric being used on us? Is their some pair of magic glasses that make you see the writers true intention like in John Carpenters 1988 horror film They Live.
Although that would be cool and kind of creepy. To observe one’s rhetoric is a skill rather than an accessory. You've probably caught someone lying to of why they didn't go to the party, or a by a friend’s tone of voice, you know that they are longer than five minutes away from your house. You learned these observations by perceiving the world around you. With understanding Rhetoric, someone who is media literate can breakdown a particular text and use critical thinking to ask these particular questions.
Who is writing to whom?
Who is the one communicating the message and whom is the audience the Communicator is trying to reach?
A relatable example,
you are reading a letter from your mother who wants you visit her during Spring Break.
Find the speaker and their audience in this instance?
What appeals are affecting the message?
Now there many rhetorical appeals one can use to impact their message. For now, let us use the appeals of Aristotle's Rhetorical triangle.
Frist, you have Pathos, or appealing to the induvial' s values and emotions. Like asking your professor to give you an extension for you essay on the grounds that, “your dog ate your homework”; Although this is not true, you are appealing the emotional response of your professor to throw you bone by extending your deadline.
Then theres Logos, or the appeal of logic. Let’s say for the sake of argument, you want to buy a piece of chocolate because you're starving. But the money for the candy bar was meant for bus ride to work. The pathos appeal would let you give in to your cravings an buy the candy bar. Yet you think it over and see that if you make it work early, you'll be able to buy as many chocolates as you want because you’ll be making more money. You went argument that made more sense you used Logos!
Finally, theres Ethos, the appeal of morality and writer’s credibility. This one’s a little bit overlooked but it’s very important. Now, you see an ad on Instagram for this miracle pill that makes lose weight if taken every week. You then speak to your doctor about this wonder drug and ask for her recommendation. She laughs at your joke and just recommends for you to exercise every week. You didn't fall for the advertisement because you took the advice of someone who is a licensed and trained medical professional and most importantly, a real doctor! Because of credibility of the doctor, you saw the Ethos appeal of her advice and saved money for some more candy bars.
Now that veil of rhetoric ha been lifted from your eyes, can spot some BS that you see in media? Will you respond the problems you see in the world around you?