The first thing that came to my mind after reading “What is Rhetoric” by Thomas Miller was salesperson/businessperson. What Thomas called a “means of persuasion” is exactly the type of mastered skill necessary for an individual in said profession to be successful. Rhetoric is also the type of skill necessary for efficiency as a professor at a university, for anyone delivering a speech, for an activist trying to recruit others to join their movement, and so on. Rhetoric is a lot more involved and valuable asset to personal discussion and interaction than I first realized. For anyone trying to make an argument or to gain followers for a cause, it is important to be able to understand the way the mind works and what will gain people’s trust (ethos), what will make their words most reputable and truthful (logos), and how to best connect with the people they are speaking to (pathos). It’s a lot to think about: more than I’ve realized should be considered in such situations.

Emily Weiss

02.11.2016