Explaining small parts of a larger
whole provides clarity for an audience. This type of explanation is called
division. Both Elder Bednar and Socrates use this technique in their respective
oratory.
Elder Bednar uses division when he mentions
the genre of social media, then identifies “five of the presently popular
social media channels,” or five smaller parts of that larger whole. He briefly
names and explains the individual social media channels of Facebook,
YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and
Pinterest. After he explains each one, the audience better understands at least
in part what social media consists of. This way, teenagers and grandparents
alike come to understand what Elder Bednar means when he speaks more generally
of “social media.”
The
division serves not only to clarify or to define, but also to peak the
audience’s wide-spread interests. Some listening may be avid Facebook posters,
others snap-happy Instagrammers, or others
YouTube video fanatics. Others may be inspired to use a program they had never
used before. I myself was so inspired by Elder Bednar’s specific references to
Instagram that I subscribed to follow the Church’s accounts in the middle of
the talk! That’s what I call effective rhetoric; Elder Bednar’s purpose in
speaking of these five channels was not only to show that they exist but to
stimulate us to use them!
Socrates also
practices divisions in his dialogue with Gorgias. He breaks down the larger
category of “the arts” into specific activities. Some of the activities mentioned
include doctoring, gymnastics training, business (36), “arithmetic…geometry,
and even checkers” (34). By indicating individual members of “the arts”
Socrates more clearly defines the whole.
While I found the use of division
in both of the above mentioned
addresses, I could not see how the two were interrelated. Thus, I pose the
question to the class.
Excellent point about division. Effective division can really add clarity and understanding to the purpose of the oration. I like how you mentioned that this technique helped make Elder Bednar's speech persuasive to the extent that you started following the church on instagram because ever since his speech I've been thinking its time I have more of a social footprint by opening my own instagram account. I never thought I'd be persuaded to do that, but thanks to rhetoric, and by extension division, instagram is about to get another user!
ReplyDeleteGreat point Mindee. While reading Plato's Gorgias one of the main points that really stood out to me was how Socrates broke things down. It was really cool because he went all the way back to the basics and worked his way up from there. I think it was really effective because he found some common ground and then led Gorgias on this little mind trip until he finally connected all the points. I was super impressed by this idea and have been practicing taking things back to the fundamentals. I really would love to be good at that. I think that its also really cool that Socrates has pondered all these things. He didn't just make up all his claims on the spot. I'm sure he took a long time to ponder and reflect on his values and why they were the way they were. I think its important for each one of us to take time to reflect on what we personally believe and why we believe that is
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about this technique, maybe because when someone starts talking about tweeting or instagram, I tune out because I don't have a smart phone. But I can see how the use of division is beneficial. Like you explained, if division is used when speaking to the right audience, it can help further explain the topic.
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