Carrot and the Stick

There's probably nothing better in life than being praised. As humans, we thrive off of the acceptance of others. From a very young age, we are taught that being the "best" is superior to being anything else. We were envious of the children who get praised by the teacher for the best handwriting. We were jealous of the kids who got bigger trophies on the team. To be the best, is frankly, the best.

Knowing this, it is easy to see why revolutionary speechwriters would choose to use epideictic oratory, particularly encomium. Encomium is using praise to get a point across. In his speech, activist Robert Owens continuously uses encomium to encourage his audience to realize the importance of truth.

There are many uses of phrases like: "Men of industry, and of good, virtuous habits!" "Men of industry, producers of wealth and knowledge, and of all that is truly valuable in society!" "Men of industrious habits, you who are the most honest, useful and valuable portion of society, by producing for it all its wealth and knowledge..." So on, and so forth. It is very obvious that this guy is good at praising the people he is addressing.

What is the rhetorical effect of such a move? For me, it comes down to a sort of "carrot-stick" idea. Some people respond better to punishment, some to reward. Owens is using praise as a form of reward to encourage his audience to listen to him and to respect him. Think about it, isn't it easier to respect someone who apparently respects you? By creating a sense of mutual respect between himself and the audience, he increases the chances of his audience listening to him and putting his ideas into action.