7 Things to Know About the Art of Persuasion (Rhetoric)

You might be an activist who has been speaking up about issues you feel strongly about. You want to be heard. Or, you might not think of yourself as an activist, and you might be only posting on Facebook, but you want to persuade others to think as you do, or at least, to understand your position.

You might be going about it all wrong.

You might need a short refresher on the art of persuasion. This classical approach might help you, and your audience, come to a place of understanding. Here are seven things to know about the art of persuasion.

1. Rhetoric. While sometimes used as a word to describe “same old same old,” rhetoric is actually the term we use, when we talk about the art of persuading or informing.

2. Know your audience. An audience can be one, a few, or many. In order to persuade, you must consider the cultural beliefs, attitudes, and emotions of your audience.

3. Three types of persuasion: Pathos, Logos, Ethos. These are three Greek words that Aristotle listed among his ingredients for persuasion. There’s also Kairos, which refers to the opportune time to persuade, but below we’ll just explore the main three.

4. Pathos: The pathetic appeal seeks to bring the audience’s emotions in line with the speaker’s. Think: Sarah McLachlan imploring you to help animals.

5. Ethos: The ethical appeal uses the speaker’s moral authority or a shared concern between the speaker and the audience. Think: Pre-movie appeals to put your cell phone away so you don’t ruin the experience of fellow movie goers.

6. Logos: The logical appeal may also have elements of pathos and ethos. Here, the speaker makes use of wisdom that the audience respects or examples, which are meaningful to the audience, considering its cultural history. Think: The American Cancer Society trying to get you to stop smoking.

7. Knowledge: In order to persuade, you must have knowledge of the subject you are trying to discuss. Trying to persuade another with the use of hearsay or sound bites is useless to both you, and your audience.

So there you have it: Seven things to know about the art of persuasion, otherwise known as rhetoric. Some current activists are missing the mark and could do much better at persuasion. To convince people whose position is different from yours, first put yourself in their shoes. Determine what they value, and try to craft your argument in a way that might appeal to their particular beliefs, attitudes, or emotions.

Ann Silverthorn earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in English from Gannon University. Her graduate class on rhetorical tradition included readings from renowned rhetoricians, such as Jacques Derrida (1930-2004). Sorting out Derrida’s and others’ page-long sentences almost made her go postal at the time, but she managed to earn an A in the class. Bizzell and Herzberg’s The Rhetorical Tradition remains in her personal library today.

Ann Silverthorn