Rhetoric

I have been watching powerful speeches throughout this presidential campaign from both parties. I find it very interesting the way spoken words resonate within the core values that we hold dear. When that resonation echoes through our mind and touches our soul we often experience emotional responses. I'm not talking about the "applause line" that the crowd knows is a talking point they should rally behind. I'm talking about the conviction of the speaker that meets the thematic touch points of our heart strings. It is moving.

I also find it remarkable how the use of words can move us to agreement with things that we don't really agree with, or support people or agendas that we never meant to support. Public speaking is not just words that communicate logical information. It is motivation through emotional persuasion. It is as beautiful as any art, and as manipulative as we allow it to be.

--Ben