Sunday, February 9, 2014

Post #1


Rhetorical virtue. In the chapter titled Make Them Listen, Jay Heinrichs explains how to easily persuade an audience using virtue, practical wisdom, and disinterest. I think this chapter vividly illustrates how various types of audiences stay attentive to their speaker or performer. I believe that attaching the same values or beliefs of the audience is a great way to steal their awareness. I agree with the statement that Heinrichs makes about how bragging does not always work and is not effective in getting the audience’s attention. While reading this chapter, it made me think of stand up comedy. When comedians set out to impress an audience they show a clear understanding of the age range of their audience. In the American television series Tosh.O, Daniel Tosh provides video clips and photos as rhetorical devices that add credibility to his persuasion. Practical wisdom, or “appearing to know the right thing to do on every occasion” is used in this series by combining celebrities with certain messages in every episode. This creates a desire for the audience to pay attention. Famous celebrities are well known as idols throughout society and help to reinforce what is being stated. Media appeals to society with style, tastes, and morals, in the same way that celebrities persuade the audience to share their beliefs and earn trustworthiness. This show how rhetorical virtue has a great amount of impact on society.

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