Rhetoric

O’Shaughnessy says that rhetoric s one of the major role players on propaganda. As it is known, most of America doesn’t not think rationally therefore or persuaded with different uses of rhetoric to take advantage of this lack of thought. He says rhetoric is the subset of propaganda but it is important not to confuse it with propaganda. So the question no blooms what exactly is rhetoric? (As if the definition of propaganda itself wasn’t confusing enough to begin with.) Rhetoric as most would say is the art of emotional persuasion provoking irrational thought.

But what issues play a part in rhetoric to get these emotional thoughts to come about? A major part of rhetoric is metaphor. Since the goal of rhetoric is to drift the person away from the oppositions ideal or opinion and to bring them to theirs and theirs only. So what can cause this drift, a metaphor? As Gibbs said “metaphors de-familiarize the familiar to reorient thinking”. So once the person is successful in his metaphor the viewer/reader/listener is only focusing on the propagandist’s commands alone. This also touches up on the Orwell article we read when he said that to many writers’ use to many metaphors resulting in the reader not having any idea what the writer is saying.

Along with metaphors comes the tact of visual aid or a phrase. Because when both these are done they stick in your head. That’s why politicians are known to make al those classic phrases. This is also why the political ads are so absurd because when you see a crazy ad it sticks in your head.

Another main tool of rhetoric is perspective, it is always very important to know who you’re relaying the message to. That is way there is so many different kinds of these ads each tending to the interest of the area at hand.

So were and what does rhetoric do for us today? Rhetoric had evolved over the years. It started off only being in speeches because back than it was the bets way to persuade. One would say a use and emotional word during this speech so only that word would stick with you and effectively changing anything any rational thought that would be used. For example the speaker would use the word that would stick in your head for the rest of your speech like good, bad, evil, blood ect…

It then went to newspapers were they would uses these same tactics with images. the main goal is to get whatever your saying to stick in your head this is best done visually.

So now day’s propagandists are in heaven. Given the advancements of technology America had become slaves to the screen. Always susceptible to be victims of irrational thought. They first get us with the absurd message getting our emotions going then them plant the lasting image in our heads. Making it impossible for the average American to actually analyze what is taking place.