Thursday, February 5, 2009
Discussion Question #1 Blog Week 1
I have recently found a speaker who genuinely moves me. His tone, poise, and emotion are admirable. Barack Obama has earned the trust and hope of millions of Americans. His power to persuade others mostly stems from pathos and ethos. When speaking, he knows how to draw on the emotional desires of the people. His presence over the past couple of years has provided him the opportunity to establish a liking based upon his knowledge and moral ground, which plays on ethos. In regards to myself, I think that I draw on these same points. I always want to draw my points of persuasion from what an individual can relate with emotionally. In addition, I work to establish ethos. It is much easier for me to persuade others through speaking when they can clearly see my moral stand. I think that overall Barack Obama’s power to persuade fits perfectly within Aristotle’s classification scheme. He is a distinct combination of both ethos and pathos that make him a strong speaker.
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I liked how you talked about your speaking style in that you tried to find examples to what the audience you are speaking to can relate with. That is a great way to get thorough to people.
ReplyDeleteObama is more successful than other candidates because he connects with his audience. Granted, people who are listening to him are generally already fans, or interested in what he will say. But for the most part, he is able to form a strong connection with these people from the podium. He’s very smart in the way he actually builds this connection up though. All the above gets you listening and believing in him, but he makes you his ‘friends’ by throwing in anecdotes and jokes and ‘fun’ things. And in finishing a speech, Obama is, again, different to his competitors. He ends on a tone of hope, just like he carries it through.
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