DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Rhetoric is engaging people and aligning them with your beliefs or, at the very least, attempting to. We use rhetoric every day when we talk to people, whether they be friends, family, or a stranger we just met in the street. Usually when we use rhetoric with friends and family, it is to convince them of some sort of idea, like Android is better than iPhones. When we meet a stranger for the first time, we use rhetoric at its deepest meaning: using words to invite and persuade. We are social creatures, and we tend to hope that people like us. How do we get people to like us? We use rhetoric to plead our case as to why we should be friends or just get to know one another better. 

 

Why Persuasion?

Ah, good old persuasion. Persuasion is a little bit more than just using your charm to get people to like you. Yeah, that’s the idea, but there is more to it than just that. First off, you have to show everyone that you know what you’re doing. It’s like applying for a job at NASA as an aeronautics engineer without ever graduating college. You have to have some type of experience and someone to vouch for you, like your degree and the college you attended. Second, you have to show people that you’re not some blubbering idiot. Yeah, that degree in aeronautical engineering is great, but when your first project comes up and you have no clue what you’re doing, no one will take you seriously. Third, you have to show that you’re not just some sort of robot. When you send your resume to NASA and someone looks it over, they’re going to want see a cover letter saying more than “I can do math and physics. Please hire me.” You have to show emotion.

 

Identification and repetition are some of the lesser known qualities of rhetoric. Identification is your ability to rub elbows with people. You have to be able to mix in and associate yourself with others. This is where emotion also comes into play. You have to be able to open up to people, but at the same time don’t share your odd habits. Think of it like if you’re trying to get elected mayor of New York City. You’re not going to stay in your house and watch TV all day to get elected. You’re going to go outside and get your hands dirty with the people of the city, and not just ones on the upper east side. As for repetition, it is something that we have come to know in our everyday lives. Ever heard of “third time’s the charm?” Well, apparently, we all respond well to things when they are stated three times; three times is enough. 

 

And last but certainly not least, there's kairos. Kairos is just another name for timing, the right timing to be exact. Kairos is all about executing things at the right time. Its like when you’re boxing, you have to wait for the right time to hit back. You need to find that right one, two moment. It’s like applying to NASA as an aeronautical engineer when their budget was just increased for their programs. You have to wait for the right moment to do things and implement them. 

 

As For Today...

Well, today’s online age is all about flash. We try to keep people on our websites for as long as possible, and the only way to do that is to put appealing, interesting things on our pages.  Each website fights to keep as many users on it as possible, but the only way to keep up with new websites, that pop up every second of everyday, is to persuade people that your site is better than everyone else's. 
Now, you can’t just come out and say that, because that will just piss people off, but you have to make it show in every aspect of your site, from the design of it to the words you put on every page.  
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

 

Websites are made for the reason of showing off what you produce. You made something great. You have a great business. Well, put it up on the internet to convince the whole world how great your product or your service is. After all, people just want the best they can get.  That's how rhetoric works.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.