Age before wisdom?

When I was a child, I was often told of things that I was unaware of, or had no reason to discount. The earth is round; the dinosaurs died millions of years ago; global warming is caused by cows farting. A variety of things were bestowed upon me in a manner that make it hard to discredit any discernible fact from truth, and from these, which I should credit, and which were merely speculation.

When you are young, these things sound great. The age of wisdom is that which you are unfamiliar with, and because you are young, it is there responsibility to give their knowledge to you at any means necessary. Today however, especially in the media and politics, we are it is different by a landslide. We're led to believe in facts over opinions, and undisputed truths. Today's media has made it easier for any generation before us to access information at literally the click of a button.

Age may have helped those before us establish those intrinsic proofs they needed to verify something, but our extrinsic reality allows us to default something as they're saying it. There is a form of artistry to crafting an argument that allows the reader to not only know, but understand without a reason of a doubt that you're genuine.

Rhetorical Activity #5

Hey Charlie,
I just thought I'd let you know that I got that job over at the magazine. It sucks that I don't hear from you. You should wright me sometime. Anyway, this job is going to be awesome. There's lots of cool stuff to do, and it's right up my alley with all that English I did in College. We should catch up sometime at dinner.

-Josh

Dear Dr. Souder,
I am e-mailing to inform you that I received the job at Such-N-Such Magazine. I appreciate your recommendation with the editor, and I really look forward to my first day. The articles of the publication are interesting and entertaining, and there is always something to occupy my time. The editor is exactly like you said he would be, and his enthusiasm for the job is admirable. I hope later we can discuss this during your office hours.

Yours truly,
Joshua Edgecomb


What I found out was that in the first letter, to my friend Charlie, I am a lot less formal. He isn't necessarily interested in what the publication does, or who my boss is. The purpose of the letter is mostly just to touch ground and to allow that conversational aspect of my life into his life. To let him know what is going on, and to establish that commonplace for us later on.

With Donna, it is a lot more formal. I noticed I used substantially more descriptive adjectives, and more description in general. I gave the publication a name, rather than leaving it ambiguous, and with that, I gave life to the job, rather than just stating I had it. Establishing ethos is a monumental step in writing to your peers, and to someone you are more formally engaged.

Rhetorical Activity #3: Appropriate Appeals

Appealing to one's emotions can be a tactful, and wise choice in determining which aspects of the audience you want to convince, and how. Using a pathos approach to your argument appropriately can add the flare that you need to spur the audiences attention, win their hearts over, anger them, as well as a slue of emotions that are equally, and potently effective. I have used this tactic myself when trying to convince my friends on arguments I feel passionate about, that they might or might not have an opinion on. As a student, I am often times found trying to defend my own beliefs against those around me. Appealing to the emotional aspects of my audience I have found to win over my audience more often than not.

Appealing my audience to shame may seem like a lack-luster approach to winning an audience, but that's because you may not see it the same way I do. Shame is a powerful tool; A scornful look from a mother, teacher, or peer can correct a situation in many ways that conversation can not. That isn't to say that shame can't be expressed through the use of words, but a guilty mind will go farther than a dedicated one, in my experience. We can see this used through religion as a means of keeping order, or establishing a means of persuasion through the congregation. Allowing the believer to know that they may be absolved of their shame by simply confessing them has a tremendous power over them.

Appealing to shame may be one way to persuade an audience but allowing them to feel compassionate about it can have the same effect. Making the feeling mutually available for both parties establishes a commonplace with your audience, and gives them footing into the topic. This method may also be used to inspire, or motivate the audience to action. Feeling passionate about a topic may be one of the most solid ways to express your emotions for the subject. Tears, yelling, getting up and moving around are all great examples of how the compassion for the topic has spread throughout the audience. Allowing them to share your emotions with you can have a great impact on them.