Be real!

I don't feel I could make a better comparison between Plato's Gorgias and Cicero's De oratore than has already been made by Macey Richardson in her post. I agree with all of the points that she made and even found greater insight of how the two treatises relate by reading her post.

I don't know if any of you have seen the BBC series Sherlock, but I like it enough
to watch it, which is saying a lot... I'm a fan of  Benedict
Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes in the series. I think I'm a fan because the actor
has become Sherlock, he has taken on his emotions, his personality, everything that is
Sherlock Holmes, so that I actually believe him when he's acting, he's genuine because in a way
what he feels when he acts as this fictional character is probably what the writers felt as they
created that character.

In the closing paragraphs of De oratore Cicero narrates the dialogue of Crassus, who is discussing style. But he finishes powerfully by declaring that "...delivery is the supreme factor in successful oratory." and then goes on to say that the emotions and the delivery used in oratory cannot be faked. He says that artificiality is easily and quickly detected. Many of the previous blog posts have aligned Cicero with the Sophists, which I mostly agree with. But in the dialogue between Socrates and Gorgias in Plato's Gorgias one of the common points brought up by Socrates his belief that it would be better for the masters of any given subject to speak about their subject instead of a professional orator, because it is more genuine. In De oratore Cicero seems to bridge a disconnect fabricated by Socrates; good rhetoric and oratory does need genuine deliverers, but just because someone isn't a specialist in a given subject doesn't mean he or she isn't passionate about it. (However, having more knowledge about a subject definitely makes it easier to talk about that subject; notice how much shorter this blog post is than my posts about architecture... I usually have to cut stuff out of those posts because they're too long.) 

It's very interesting to see Cicero draw his knowledge from so many different sources of learning, I think that is a part of what Macey was talking about in her post about the difference in the dialogue in De oratore  versus the dialogue in Gorgias; the dialogue was much less biased and more open, or as Macey put it; "mature". 

My nephew!!! Isn't he cute? He's so happy in this picture
because he's doing his favorite thing, dipping things and then eating them.
He's passionate about it and you can tell, so the emotion is contagious!

Decorum Necessary for Teaching

I want to highlight the form and function of Elder Bednar’s speech and some of the monologues that Socrates has in Plato's Gorgias. In my attempt to identify and better understand the use of decorum, I also learned about Roman levels of style and their purposes.

Elder Bednar began in a reverent tone, saying thank and speaking clearly and slowly to his very large audience. The Marriott Center had transformed into a formal auditorium-style lecture hall, and all of the audience that I could see was dressed nicely and were paying close attention to his words. I think it is clear that Elder Bednar used decorum to effectively respect the people and the place where he was speaking. 

This use of decorum put Elder Bednar in a perfect position to teach effectively.  The reverence and mutual respect in that setting allowed him to effectively use several numbered lists and examples to teach the audience how "To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood." That being said, the fact that he is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ with power from the Holy Ghost made his remarks very moving, which is one of the purposes of a high level style of speech.

In contrast to Elder Bednar’s great use of decorum in order to teach, I don’t believe that Socrates, as he somewhat disrespectfully scrutinized rhetoric, was able to teach effectively. However, I found that this forced him to rise to the high level of style where he could effectively move Gorgias to further explanation and discussion. Socrates asked lot of questions and even proposed a role-play (p. 36) in an effort to invite and move Gorgias to discuss with him, and their discourse went on for many pages!

I AM SO LIVID RIGHT NOW!!!!

“I am so livid and angry right now.” 

Now, looking back, I could have calmly made that statement jokingly, with a smile on my face or I could have yelled it with fury as I simultaneously punched my neighbor in the arm. What both Elder Bednar and Socrates understand is that the way one communicates his or herself is crucial. I cannot help but grin as I imagine Gorgias trying to be clever and rhetorical, yet getting circles ran around him by Socrates who knows how to use rhetoric to prove that rhetoric isn’t everything! It’s pure irony and the key is that Socrates knows how to communicate himself. He points at the little things that Gorgias gets tripped up on and exploits them. He is a powerful rhetorician. It’s incredible the way he uses that and ironically enough, it seems to me, he is building ethos there. He is proving himself to be a worthy source who knows what he’s talking about. I would even consider the fact that he is demonstrating kairos because of his impeccable timing and sense of the “when” to communicate himself as he breaks down certain concepts, similar to what Mindee Sharp said. 

Elder Bednar is extremely similar in multiple ways. First, this is a terrific example of epideictic rhetoric as he stands before millions of viewers. One of the first things he says is “I pray that the Holy Ghost will teach and edify us…” as if he is literally calling down the powers of heaven. I believe that this statement has multiple rhetorical appeals, however I think more than anything he understands the setting which is a form of kairos. Also, right off the bat he breaks his speech down to simple concepts which demonstrates logos. He is an overall powerful speaker and though it’s already been said in past posts, I too think that if Elder Bednar and Socrates teamed up, they would be explosive. 

trust us, what we say can help you! -Elder Bednar & Socrates

One of the most fascinating aspects of both Elder Bednar’s speech and Socrates’ dialogue is the implementation of conceit in their argument. Conceits are extended metaphors that pervade the entirety of the discourse. They are powerful vehicles for achieving the end goal of all rhetoric – a call to action.

Nevertheless, to understand the real value of the conceit, we must understand what the speakers want the audience to do. 

On the one hand, Elder Bednar who wants to spread the gospel throughout the world. Therefore, he wants each person in the audience to be more active in spreading the gospel. On the other, Socrates, a proponent of techne, wants his audience to understand the potency of techne in their own lives. Socrates tries to persuade people to develop techne because of its inherent value. To better illustrate the extent to which he wants to spread the gospel, Elder Bednar integrates a conceit in his rhetoric of a flood that could sweep the Earth with the gospel. This conceit helps address one of the biggest concerns that Elder Bednar things (and rightly so) the audience has with spreading the gospel – inconsequential efforts. However, this conceit helps Elder Bednar prove that if everyone who heard that speech did a comfortable amount of sharing on their social media accounts, we would see tremendous, consequential results. 

Socrates did essentially the same thing. Throughout his dialogue, he compares evilness to ugliness. He does this to help create an aversion to evil actions (poverty, disease, etc). Unfortunately, as averted from ugliness as the audience may be, it will regardless befall everyone. This condition engenders a desire for a cure. The cure, Socrates argues, is the arts or techne. By helping the audience understand that the arts can cure the inevitable ugliness or evil in life, he fosters within the audience a desire to develop a techne. Thereby, he, and similarly Elder Bednar, realize the goal of rhetoric – call to action.

The Persuasive Art of Teaching

I firmly believe that few things in our world were created with harmful intentions. However, I'm not oblivious to the fact that there is often a gap between intent and ultimate use. For example, Orville and Wilbur Wright intended their airplane to be used as a new means of transportation, not a bomb delivery service as it was subsequently used in the war. Or, individual medicines created for the preservation of the body that are now used in harmful combinations and illegal activities. Gorgias said that when skills are used poorly the teachers “aren't the ones who are corrupt, and the art is not to blame…” (pg 41).

The Wright Brother's Airplane

I agree with this quote to a point. While the teacher is not to blame, the teacher has a duty-- a duty to teach and emphasize the good. As the sophist he claims to be, Gorgias of all the people should be using the most convincing and uplifting form of rhetoric; and yet, it was Socrates who was most persuasive. He would note an improper use and then proceed to suggest a correct application. This then emphasized a good use of rhetoric. Elder Bednar also utilized such tactics in his talk. Both men first established their ethos by quoting prominent voices on the subject (read Macey R’s post, she has an awesome “drip” analogy that explains this means of establishing ethos). Once they have in a sense, “proven” themselves knowledgeable, they proceeded to offer guidance and correction tailored for their specific audience. For example, Elder Bednar was speaking at education Week which incorporates a large span of age groups. He took the time to explain what Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube was and their righteous applications in the church. Another good use of rhetoric. Ultimately, “teacher” is not a label that needs to be professed, it should be obvious in the manner that the material is presented. By evaluating the use of rhetoric Socrates and Elder Bednar stand out as true teachers and rhetoricians.

Just Go With the Flow!

In Plato’s Gorgias, it quickly becomes apparent that Socrates is the one driving the conversation. The other characters participate in the debate, but the way that Socrates phrases his questions and structures his replies almost forces the conversation in his intended direction. The debate never seems to drift out of his control because he carefully organizes his thoughts in a way that flows. President Bednar was not having a conversation per se, because he was addressing such a large audience, but he worded his speech in such a way that the audiences’ thoughts flowed from one idea to the next in the way that he intended. He achieved this in many forms, but I only have time and space to address two of them.

First he made lists, much like how I am doing now, in order to get his audience to focus on his main points. The same thing happens in General Conference, devotionals, etc. When someone says that they have three points and starts to talk, your attention may start to drift, but as soon as they say they are moving on to the next point you naturally pay attention again just long enough to catch what it is. The speaker does this because he/she knows that the audience will probably not have a long enough attention span to listen to every word, but the list allows for at least the main points to get across.

Secondly, his speech had a natural order to it. He started in the past and moved on to the present and the social media aspects of what he was talking about. Did anyone else notice that the people he quoted, for the most part, went in chronological order? I thought that was really cool; because of the increasing time periods he went from pictures of the prophets, to audio bits, and then to videos of increasing quality.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Katie mentioned at the end of her post that Elder Bednar quoted prophets to strengthen his argument.

Indeed, Elder Bednar quotes five prophets at the beginning of his talk to improve his ethos. Each quote adds a drop of strength to his argument that Church members should "flood"the world with the gospel.

As members of the Church, we revere the prophets. So hearing Elder Bednar quote Brigham Young, "Every discovery in science and art . . . has been given by direct revelation from God," strongly affects us.


Brigham Young? He was, like, the prophet after Joseph Smith.

That means he's old.

That means he knew about technology long before our time.

That means prophets know stuff, and that Elder Bednar knows that prophets know stuff.

That means we should listen to Elder Bednar.

This is essentially what goes through our minds as we hear that quote from Brigham Young. Drip. And then again when we hear the voice of Spencer W. Kimball. Drip. And again as we watch our beloved Gordon B. Hinckley. Drip.


Socrates makes reference to leaders in his argument, too. He recounts how he personally heard Pericles, a prominent political figure, speak (p. 40). Then, he alludes to the writings of a known philosopher, Anaxagorus (p. 49). They must have been figures of import; otherwise, Socrates wouldn't have mentioned them.

At first it appears that this isn't as effective as Elder Bednar's drip-drip-drip strategy at the beginning of his talk. Perhaps, though, it is more effective for Socrates' audience. By mentioning these famous leaders throughout his argument, Socrates reminds his audience that, "Hey. I've listened to Pericles. Drip. I've studied other philosophers. Drip. I know what's up."

Thus, this rhetorical strategy of testimony helps strengthen the ethos (and therefore the arguments) of both Elder Bednar and Socrates.

Bednar's lesson from Socrates

In Plato's Gorgias, and in Elder Bednar's speech "To Sweep the Earth as With a Flood" similar rhetoric appeals are used in order to convey their messages persuasively to their given audience. 

Socrates uses logical appeals and reason to show the flaws there are to rhetoric while questioning Gorgias, a sophist. For example, on page thirty seven Socrates states "Don't arithmetic and the person skilled at arithmetic teach us as many things as have to do with number?" Socrates points out that someone like a mathematician who is skilled and learned of a specific subject is just as capable, or better qualified to teach others about their techne, which adds to his argument that rhetoric has many flaws. Just like Socrates used reason and logic, Elder Bednar uses logical appeals through his use of multiple statistics about the use of social media when spreading the gospel. For example, he tells us that the "Because of Him" video that the church created was "viewed more than five million times during Easter week in 191 countries and territories of the world." In both instances, the use of the logical appeal gives their audience a clear reason to believe their claims being made.

Bednar also establishes this ethical appeal at the beginning of his speech by replaying many videos of church leaders explaining how future technological advances will unite the church and bring the gospel to millions around the world. This was a wise way of establishing his ethos because he did so in two ways. First, he quotes respectable men who church members trust which connects him to their honored character. Second, the videos show his credibility to the subject of technology use because he uses technology to prove his point. Socrates uses a similar approach by using oral rhetoric, Gorgias' main expertise, to prove to Gorgias that rhetoric can be flawed. Gorgias gets pushed into a corner because of some of the points that Socrates brings up which adds to his credibility and ethical appeal.

"Brothers and Sisters"

Perhaps as members of the Church, we all too often overlook or take for granted the audience we become a part of when someone begins their talk.  So it is with Elder Bednar's "To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood."  Opening with "Brothers and sisters," the simple three-word phrase immediately kindles a sense of belonging and familiarity among members while simultaneously creating that familial bond with those not of the faith.  This is both an excellent and effective means of demonstrating ethos—and even pathos somewhat—as this phrasing not only shows equal standing among the speaker and audience, but also connects the two. 

Through this opening establishment, Elder Bednar then goes on to talk about the overwhelmingly positive potential contained within social media, namely all of the many networking services available (Facebook, Pinterest, etc.) and their corresponding utility.  In a matter of seconds, information can travel from point A to point B through Z, regardless of geographical location.  By this, Elder Bednar focuses on the virtue of modern technology and media in this epideictic oratory. 

Still, as in the case of Socrates, to show that his laud is not blindly given, Elder Bednar addresses some of the weaknesses and flaws in the system he so praises.  With Socrates, he initially opts to be friendly and visibly interested in what wisdom Gorgias has to offer, ensuring that best intentions are meant before cautioning and questioning the "perfect" validity and coherence of the wisdom for which the rhetorician is so widely acclaimed.  With this gentle reproval, both Elder Bednar and Socrates humanize with their audience by acknowledging fault, both in themselves and in their subjects.  By using communication and going into the mechanics behind it, both speakers adequately convey their messages in a way that listeners can follow without naiveté.  

Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis of David A. Bednar's "To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood"

The purpose of this assignment is to practice rhetorical analysis using terminology learned to date, and to consider this contemporary public speech in light of classical Greek rhetoric and philosophy.

Steps:

1. Watch and read the address delivered on August 19, 2014 by David A. Bednar, "To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood." 
2. Review the rhetorical concepts studied to date and use these (selectively) to analyze the speech and/or its contexts (which can include the live event, the video recording, or the written transcript). 
3. In a post of close to 300 words, present your analysis within a short argument that relates the ideas or the methods in Elder Bednar's speech to the ideas or methods used by Socrates in Plato's Gorgias. Consider that communication is both a means and a topic (for both Plato/Socrates and for Elder Bednar).
4. Use an illustration or picture if possible. This could even be a photo of your marked-up version of either text.

Due: Friday, September 12, 2014 by 10:00pm (initial posts). Comments can follow.