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Friday, February 14, 2020

The Rhetoric Behind Choosing White’s Successor – Educate Louisiana

The Rhetoric Behind Choosing White’s Successor – Educate Louisiana

The Rhetoric Behind Choosing White’s Successor

If you want to observe an example of building consensus behind a narrative by employing rhetoric, look no further than the search that is underway to find someone to replace outgoing Superintendent of Education, John White. I am disappointed in myself for not seeing it sooner.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the practice of persuasion using rhetoric, I provide a brief summary. There are three primary types of rhetoric which are referred to as Pathos, Ethos, and Logos.
  • Pathos uses language and illustrations that appeal to your emotions. Examples of this are ASPCA commercials about animal cruelty, or the fundraising campaigns to feed hungry children.
  • Ethos engages the desire to believe someone who appears to have credibility. For example, the American Heart Association’s campaign showing a doctor (an actor) revealing the results of heart disease.
  • Logos rhetoric depends on your ability to rationalize, or make decisions by employing logic. The arguments for and against climate change employ logos. The irony is that logic can lead someone to either side of the argument.
If you would like to learn a little more about these techniques in a short read that explains the fallacies associated with rhetoric, click this link—-> Logical Fallacies.
Now that you have an idea of what I’m talking about, I’ll explain what I have seen take place over the CONTINUE READING: The Rhetoric Behind Choosing White’s Successor – Educate Louisiana