Final Exam Essays: Alexis Inouye

Short Essay

Since the beginning of time, rhetoric has been a vital aspect of religion. Ancient Greeks and Romans spoke about the powers of the Gods to persuade people to fall in love or go to war. For instance, Odysseus and other characters in Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey were very much controlled by the actions of the Gods. These religious stories are what compelled members of society to maintain different societal traditions that separated societies.

St. Augustine—who was not always religious—took notice of Christian literature from a more academic angle. In Of Christian Doctrine, he takes on topics such as the danger of taking figurative concepts literally and teaches that all things interpreted must promote the love of God and man in order to be valid. This was an important concept because of many religious leaders’ focus on the literal meaning of texts to the point of insult or injury to individuals rather than focusing on the purpose of Christianity—to foster a love of Christ.

Honesty is the Best Policy

When people think about public relations, they often think of a ‘PR Stunt,’ or some kind of advertisement or campaign meant to draw attention, often on the verge of scamming the audience. People commonly don’t trust public relations because it seems to promise with no delivery. Today, public relations has built its own brand where honesty in information and relationships is the most vital way to not only increase loyalty of consumers, but to break down the walls of distrust with public relations itself. Over the course of history, public relations has developed from a ridiculous notion to the key to brand success and consumer retention.

History

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Public Relations started because it came about when people began to persuade for an organization or cause—where people began to reach out to the public. So, really, where it can be traced back to is the Athenian rhetoricians with their public speeches and writing to persuade the people of their ideas. Even Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses can be counted as early public relations. (Lattimore et. al., 2009)

It wasn’t until about 300 years later that modern public relations began to emerge through P.T. Barnum’s tactics to get publicity for his circus—publicity solely for persuasion that ignored the truth because it wasn’t interesting enough. It was his dishonest, outrageous advertisements and displays that gave public relations a reputation of deception for the sake of making money that carries on today.

Cover and page from Barnum Courier, 1883. 2010. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

In the 1900’s, George Michaelis established the Publicity Bureau where he essentially set the ground work for the focus on fact over fiction with press releases by gathering information to publish in newspapers in order to inform the public of current happenings.Through distributing information, it was obviously more effective to communicate truth to the public that would keep consumers’ trust and loyalty. Around the same time, Ivy Lee defined public relations as a “management function” (Lattimore et. al., 2009)—making public relations a more reputable medium for companies or public figures to create a certain image and get their initiatives known to the public.  

After this, public relations even moved into the political realm as President Theodore Roosevelt communicated to the United States through press conferences and interviews. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Once again this emphasized persuasion through being honest with the public.

Several years later, exaggeration creeped back in with perhaps the most memorable propaganda-filled public relations campaigns put on by the government during World War One and Two. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Although these campaigns rallied loyalty and support for the war and the country, the propaganda brought about negative perceptions of certain countries and cultures.

As time went on, though, effective public relations was adapted into businesses by Edward Bernays with promotional events, Arthur Page of AT&T and his emphasis on connecting with customers, and Moss Kendrix and his advertising campaigns. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Soon, departments and firms were established and public relations became more of a professional affair in building a trustworthy image rather than just initiatives to get attention.

According to Wren Ludlow, a current public relations professional who attended BYU, the biggest changes in public relations that will affect the careers of my peers and I are its convergence with marketing, journalism and advertising. New developments in our era such as social media and other technology have brought data and content for engaging and strategic public relations efforts. All of these aspects contribute to more efficient financial management and decision making. Organizations’ transparency about this information is what fosters trusting, “mutually beneficial relationships with key publics.”  

Howle, Jason. Social Media Apps. 2013. Flickr. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

Communication and Loyalty

Over the course of this progression, public relations has changed from being 100% about persuasion for business and has brought its focus into being open and transparent with its audiences. This is an essential part of the effectiveness of businesses today.

The purpose of public relations, as BYU professors have said in classes is to ‘build mutually beneficial relationships.’ Public relations professionals’ number one priority is to know exactly what is needed to build that mutually beneficial relationship with a public, individual, company, department, ect. in using effective communication and persuasion tailored to that specific audience.

The purpose of public relations firms and departments is also primarily to build up the image, or brand, of an organization. In other words, the focus of my career is to use strategic planning to increase the credibility of whoever/whatever I represent through relationships, campaigns and other tactics to gain loyalty and trust.

In order to do this, I have to be aware of current trends in society in order to make my communication kairotic enough for people to pay attention. Emotional and logical appeal are then used deliberately to craft messages with distinct rhetorical techniques designed for each specific public. 

Throughout all of these communication techniques, the real loyalty comes from the transparency and vulnerability that an organization offers. To tie this all together, I’ll use an example. When Tylenol's reputation was as stake, Johnson & Johnson saved their image (which is why Tylenol is still a household name) while creating a historic case study:

In the Fall of 1982, cyanide was found in several bottles of Tylenol in the mid-west. Several people were fatally poisoned and a nationwide scare quickly arose due to extensive media coverage. Johnson&Johnson lost the trust of millions of customers as people suspected that they created dangerous products or may have been careless in the production process.

Tylenol rapid release pills. Wikipedia. Web. 2015 Dec. 9. Courtesy of Creative Commons.

In order to fix this, Johnson&Johnson kept the public informed through news and other media about what they were doing to find the source of the tragedy. They also recalled their products, warning consumers not to partake of the medication in case it might be dangerous. This strategy maintained consumer trust and is the reason why we still see Tylenol on store shelves today. (Markel, 2014)

Analysis

This case study not only shows the value in transparency, but how to utilize that transparency to be most effective. If Johnson&Johnson had not been honest with their audience, they would have lost the valuable relationship with consumers that kept them in business. By being transparent, they were able to portray to consumers that their first priority was the consumer’s health and lives rather than trying to salvage what money they could from what was lost after recalling so many bottles of Tylenol.

This may seem counter-productive to the business as a huge aspect of why businesses exist is to make money, but it actually works for both sides. When a company is honest and willing to have open communication, the customer feels cared about and connected to that company. In turn, companies are able to retain a loyal audience and continue to keep their business growing and being successful.

Overall, we have come a long way from the days of P.T. Barnum’s tall tales meant to use deception as the main tactic for drawing in attention and ultimately revenue. Today, public relations professionals are kept honest not only through the success of their company, but by the Public Relations Society of America and its authority, network and code of ethics. To be transparent in public relations is almost not a choice, as the consequence of being discovered for dishonest PR Stunts is the loss of reputation, consumer loyalty and business as a whole. Looking at the whole picture, public relations builds loyalty with honesty in businesses in order to create its own image of honesty to earn the loyalty and trust of the public.

Works Cited

Lattimore, Dan, Otis Baskin, Suzzette T. Heiman, and Elizabeth L. Toth. "The History of Public Relations." Public Relations: the Profession and the Practice. 3rd ed. N.p.: Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2009. 25-43. PDF.

Markel, Howard. "How the Tylenol Murders of 1982 Changed the Way We Consume Medication." PBS. NewsHour Productions LLC., 29 Sept. 2014. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Annotated Working Draft and Hot Spots in Public Relations

Component Assignments:

1.            Relating to the Public

This post explains that the functions of public relations include building relationships, strategic planning and effective communication. I also show the importance of Kairos, ethos, pathos and logos in crisis communication and creating campaigns targeted towards specific publics.

2.            Storytelling in Public Relations

In this post I use the example of cyanide-laced Tylenol killing several people and how public relations saved Johnson & Johnson’s reputation. This shows how public relations professionals use stories creatively and succinctly to generate ideas and resolutions.

3.            Public Relations within the History of Civilization

Public Relations dates back to ancient rhetoricians. In this post, I briefly outline the stages and development of public relations from ancient times to modern practices involving the convergence of marketing, journalism and advertising.

4.            Institutional Authority and Communication in Public Relations

This is a fictional story about a student who turns to his mentor—a professor at BYU—for ways to continue networking past graduation at BYU. It talks about the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)—one of the key ways to stay connected while working in the field—and some of the resources and opportunities it offers including the PRSA International Conference.

Hot Spots

1. (Field/History) In the past, such as with the example of P.T. Barnum, public relations has had a reputation for using ‘stunts’ to rope people into purchasing or committing to a company in some way. On the contrary, most public relations initiatives today focus on complete transparency as many companies have found that being completely honest with the public fosters better relationships.

2. (Personal) Many times, public relations focuses on money and commercial gain as quantifiable measurements of success in crisis communication and campaign planning. As I want to focus on more non-profit and humanitarian public relations, I want to be able to measure success by people helped and lives changed—raising awareness of positive messages and relationships.

3. (Authority) Sometimes, public relations practitioners are put in a position where their superiors instruct them to build messages based off of dishonest intentions to boost or save a reputation. Employees must strategically make decisions based on their ethical standards and the standing of their careers. 

Institutional Authority and Communication in Public Relations

“I’m a member of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) and I attend all the events, I’ve gotten a few internships and I might stay with one firm that I like for a little bit after I graduate, but I’ve been reading the Public Relations Journal [4. Authoritative Publication] and I think I may want to explore a wider variety of opportunities,” said John, a senior at BYU. 

Dr. Brown, on of John’s mentors in the School of Communications, leaned forward a little across his desk. “So you want to continue to build your network and attend events? Did you know that PRSA—the official Public Relations Society of America [1. Authoritative Organization]—will allow you to extend your membership and even give you a discount for having already been a student member?”

John’s eyes lit up, “Really? Would I still be able to get the same benefits that I have now in PRSSA?”

“Of course! I would suggest that you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the PRSA Member Code of Ethics [2. Regulating Standard]. Having a PRSA membership is a valuable asset to your career and if you violate the code of ethics—even by accident—PRSA could bar, limit or expel you from membership—not to mention you could get arrested. Think of the lost networking opportunities!” Dr. Brown shook his head at the imaginary scenario.

“What kind of networking opportunities? How can I get to them?” John pulled out a notebook.

“Not only networking, but internship and even career opportunities, trainings to strengthen your strategic planning skills and presentations to challenge your view on modern public relations practices. The field is changing so fast…”

By that November, John had crossed the stage with a diploma in hand, worked at a firm and was now making his way around to different key public relations practitioners in what the PRSA International Conference [3. Influential Event] called the ‘Networking Hall.’ Afterwards was a workshop on how to deal with authorities that make unethical decisions within a business or firm. John was eager to learn more about how to stay honest with the public in order to keep in line with his moral and career goals while perhaps risking his relationship with bosses and organizations. [5. Challenging Authority/Changing Standards] Public relations was so much more strategic, in-depth and interesting than he had ever imagined!

Biblical Eloquence in Philippians 4:8

In Philippians 4, Paul addresses his brethren with joy, beginning the chapter as a sort of encomium as he praises them and teaches of some ways that they can further unite themselves with the Lord, Jesus Christ. In verse 8, this is what he says to conclude his list of suggestions:

(As Dr. Burton did in his example, I want to rearrange the appearance of this verse to highlight the anaphora, anastrophe and climax used.)

“Finally, brethren,

whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue, and

if there be any praise, 

think on these things.”

Paul could have said, “think on true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy things that are of good report,” however, the fact that he places each adjective in its own line emphasizes the importance of each quality in anything we associate ourselves with. By using anaphora to list out these qualities, he creates a pattern so that the reader can anticipate the next quality while considering the differences and importance of each.

The list is also arranged to reach a point of climax—guiding the reader to the ultimate ending. First, Paul uses adjectives that are easy to grasp (true, honest, just, pure, lovely), then he introduces an idea that is a little more abstract—of good report. What does this mean? Individuals must be the ones to judge the validity of a report, so this idea gives them the agency to decide for themselves what might be in line with what God wants. After this, the repeated phrase changes to “if there be any.” Again, this gives the impression that individuals must actively seek and decide if a thought contains virtue and praise—and, once again, judge if that praise is valid. This build up moves from general qualities to a more active approach to considering the things of God.

Because Paul uses anastrophe  to exhort his brethren to “think on these things” towards the end of the verse instead of beginning with the significance of the list, he builds up this question in a way that allows the reader to consider the purpose of the attributes that they just read. This might even cause the reader to go back through the list in order to commit to memory the qualities they should look for in the things they think about.

Public Relations within the History of Civilization

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Public Relations started because it came about when people began to persuade for an organization or cause—where people began to reach out to the public. So, really, where it can be traced back is to the Athenian rhetoricians with their public speeches and writing to persuade the people of their ideas. Even Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses can be counted as early public relations. (Lattimore et. al.,2009)

It wasn’t until about 300 years later that modern public relations began to emerge through P.T. Barnum’s tactics to get publicity for his circus. It was his dishonest, outrageous advertisements and displays that gave public relations a reputation of deception for the sake of making money that carries on today even though there is now a huge emphasis on truth and transparency. (Lattimore et. al., 2009)

This is actually a dead monkey and a dead fish sewn together. Gross, right?

 In the 1900’s, George Michaelis established the Publicity Bureau where he essentially set the groundwork for press releases by gathering information to publish in newspapers in order to inform the public of current happenings. Around the same time, Ivy Lee defined public relations as a “management function.” (Lattimore et. al., 2009) It was at this stage that public relations began to be a more reputable medium for companies or public figures to create a certain image and get their initiatives known to the public.

After this, public relations even moved into the political realm as President Theodore Roosevelt communicated to the United States through press conferences and interviews. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) Perhaps the most memorable propaganda-filled public relations campaigns were put on by the government during World War One and Two. (Lattimore et. al., 2009)

 It was also adapted in businesses by Edward Bernays with promotional events, Arthur Page of AT&T and his emphasis on connecting with customers, and Moss Kendrix and his advertising campaigns. (Lattimore et. al., 2009) As public relations developed, it grew from initiatives within businesses to departments and firms created specifically to relate to the public.

According to Wren Ludlow, a current public relations professional who attended BYU, the biggest change that has come over the years in public relations is its convergence with marketing, journalism and advertising. This has come about with new technology that has brought data and content for engaging and strategic public relations efforts. All of these aspects contribute to more efficient financial management and decision making in fostering trusting, mutually beneficial relationships with key publics. 

Take One for which Team?

1. Take One for which Team?
2. Audience: people I may have just met or are acquaintances, but probably not super close friends | Kairos: in a get-to-know-you sort of conversation about playing sports in high school
3. Story:

At 13 years old, I joined Canyon High School's girls’ basketball program. As our freshman team formed, I started and played most games all the way through without subs during pre-season. Our team had true chemistry.

One day at practice, the head varsity coach approached me.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" 

We walked off to the side of the court as he asked, "we'd like to ask you to play in the JV tournament in La Canada next week. Would you be willing to do that?"

My eyes lit up, "Sure!"

A week later, there I was warming up with the JV girls before our first game

The majority of baskets were made by me and Marissa. Three other girls trotted along--confusedly trying to remember where they were supposed to be for whatever play Marissa signaled.

We didn't do so hot in that tournament. The team didn't work together. Plays and defense were everywhere. Even after that, I don't remember the scores, but I do remember standing in the locker room with the whole team and the short, Asian coach smiling at me as I basked in the spotlight. They wanted me because their scores were at least higher than usual. They really, really wanted me. And I really wanted... to be the one who they wanted. 

When the tournament was over, I alternated practicing with the JV and freshman teams. After being asked several times if I wanted to join JV and not giving a direct answer, my mom got a call from the Varsity coach.

"So what did she decide?"

At 13 I stopped and considered what was in front of me--a year of either basking in a light that would soon fade with a disconnected team or challenging myself with a team that had chemistry and potential;. 

I chose my team in the end. And we placed in our league that season while the JV team lost every game. I may have stepped down from that pedestal, but I still got to be in the spotlight with a team that was mine.

1. All for Basketball

2. I would tell this to someone who I might be trying to show my character and work ethic to (like on a resume or letter of intent-type thing). 

3. Story:

“It’s just because you’re tall and they need taller players.”

“No, it’s because you’re good and they want you.”

My family and teammates said a lot of things. And I’m sure my teammates said a lot more behind my back when they heard I was chosen.

Either I take the opportunity play at the JV level at 13 or I regret losing the opportunity. [Contradiction] But it wasn’t really that simple. 

It began with the tournament. I improved their points, but one player can't win alone. Even then, I had been welcomed and esteemed as an asset to the JV team and I knew I could find my place as one of the starting, respected players during the season if I wanted to. [Past Act/Future Act]. Would it be worth it to abandon my team and what I had worked for with them? [Rhetorical Question]

Dribble, shoot, swish. [Onomatopoeia] “We need you on this team because Regan is our only other post player.” Even at practice, the chemistry between my freshman teammates and I was so much better. When I practiced with JV, all I could feel was the disconnect.

Finally, the Varsity coach called up my mom and said that a decision had to be made. The rules said I could not continue to be a part of both teams into the season [Possible/Impossible and Law]. 

At 13 I stood with a choice—a choice [Anadiplosis] not just between basketball teams, but between  potential and recognition. Mere endurance or purposeful, enduring hard work. Earning respect or having it handed to me. [Ellipsis]

In the end I chose to challenge myself and work with a team that worked—even when having to work on the usual jealous competition between team members. We placed that year. And the status and praise I turned from? Maybe it was intuition, but that team lost every game that season.

Aesop’s "The One-Eyed Doe"

“Presumption was the curse that blinded me, but now it is the bullet’s curse that has opened my eyes,” said the dying doe. “Finally, we’ve got us some eat!” was the sailor’s cry of victory, as his shot was gave way to the doe's moan of demise. All she had noted with her good eye was the posted sign that allowed enemies to her path, so all that she looked for were the boots on land. As her other eye, it was blind to the ships on the sea.

Personal Story Catalog - Alexis Inouye

1. The story of how I somehow got to BYU [reflection, everything happens for a reason story]. I tell this story to explain to people how we can't always understand why random things happen until we look back at what we've achieved.

2. The story of how my best friend and I met and ultimately changed each other's lives [best friends story, high school story, growing up story]. I tell this story to show that people are placed in our lives for a reason.

3. The story of how my finger was sliced open with dull school scissors [painful story, scar story, lessons learned in elementary school]. I tell this story to teach people why we don't play with scissors.

4. The story of how I found my sister unconscious in the swimming pool while we were on vacation [miraculous story, family story, scary story, medical scare]. I tell this story to help people understand the dangers of being ignorant about epilepsy.

5. The story of how I ended up in my apartment with my roommates [friends story, everything happens for a reason story, college life story]. I tell this story pretty much to tell people that my roommates are awesome and we were meant to be.

6. The story of how my basketball team lost a game because I made a basket on the wrong side when I was 13 [embarrassing/humiliating story, sports story, basketball story]. I tell people this story when we're all sharing stupid mistakes we've made.

7. The story of how I discovered a passion for public relations in a reverse way when I had no idea what it was [story of finding my passion, major/career story, everything happens for a reason story]. I tell this story when people tell me they don't know what major to pick and I want to show them that sometimes we find our talents in ways we never expected.

8. The story of how I rejected the offer to be on Junior Varsity at my high school when I was 13 [basketball story, high school story]. I honestly tell this story to prove to people that I was good at basketball at least at some point in my life, but also to show that sometimes decisions should be made on values besides the offer for higher status.

9. The story of how I overreacted for a foul and was carried off the court and taken to the hospital for what turned out to be a mild sprained ankle [not the proudest moment of my life story, basketball story]. I tell this story to show people how girls high school basketball is an emotional game.

10.  The story of how my friend announced the name of a guy I had been talking about and I over the loudspeaker at a stake dance and forced us to slow dance with each other in the middle of the dance floor [embarrassing story, high school drama, stealing the DJs microphone story]. I tell this story when people are sharing embarrassing high school stories and I can't think of anything else.

Storytelling in Public Relations

Foreword

In public relations, storytelling is vital because it is how we analyze cases and then decide how we want to portray an organization or figure and what would be the best way to communicate that to our target key publics. These stories illustrate the situation or crisis at hand so that those in the public relations department or firm can understand how a situation is affecting people and how that can be addressed. They are generally concise, yet have enough detail to appeal to logic and emotion.
A well-known example of a crisis that was solved by public relations professionals in the past was when Tylenol's reputation was as stake and Johnson & Johnson saved their image (which is why we all still know what Tylenol is and consume it today) while creating a historic case study.

Example Story

This might be someone explaining the public relations case to a group in order for them to judge a new case based off of this case study.

In the Fall of 1982, cyanide was found in several bottles of Tylenol in the mid-west. Several people were fatally poisoned and a nationwide scare quickly arose due to extensive media coverage. Johnson&Johnson lost the trust of millions of customers as people suspected that they created dangerous products or may have been careless in the production process.

Analysis

The important components in this story are the general area and people involved in the crisis. This story is very straight forward as it states what happened and then a brief, yet catastrophic chain of events. 

Persuasion works here in the conciseness of this story. The details in each sentence are powerful and impactful, causing people to want to look further into the issue and how it might affect them or their loved ones. 

Retelling the Story

This telling of the story would be more of a presentation to the public relations team of Johnson&Johnson in 1982.

Johnson&Johnson stands at a threshold of our reputation. Our next step must be strategic. Are we careless? Are we killers?
 It didn't take long after the initial incident for every major news outlet to traumatize the nation with the rumor of poison that may be sitting in their bathroom cupboard at this very moment. The parents did nothing but send their 12-year-old daughter to bed on a mild painkiller for cold symptoms only to find her writhing for her life--the result of cyanide poisoning--in their own home in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Six more would have the same fate as more bottles of the medication were found intentionally laced with cyanide by nameless murderers.

By placing the crisis in the beginning, the political result in the middle and the more gruesome detail at the end, the story has more of a persuasive emotional appeal as it builds up to and relates a specific human fatality as a result of the tragedy at hand.

Relating to the Public

Public relations is 100% about effective communication and persuasion. Actually, that’s pretty much exactly what it is.

One of the most vital aspects of public relations is, as the BYU program puts it, “building mutually beneficial relationships.” Public relations professionals’ number one priority is to know exactly what is needed to build that mutually beneficial relationship with a public, individual, company, department, ect. in using effective communication and persuasion tailored to that specific audience.

The purpose of public relations firms and departments is also primarily to build up the image, or brand, of an organization. In other words, the focus of my career is to use strategic planning to increase the ethos of whoever/whatever I represent through relationships, campaigns and other tactics to gain loyalty and trust.

In order to do this, I have to be aware of current trends in society in order to make my communication kairotic enough for people to pay attention. Pathos and logos are then used deliberately to craft messages with distinct rhetorical techniques designed for each specific public.  

For instance, a public relations firm might target a campaign for some kind of fast food towards young adults. They would build ethos by attaching some sort of celebrity to the brand through commercials, ads and social media; pathos by showing “cool people” eating the fast food and, in turn, making young adults think that they somehow be or feel more attractive by eating the same food; and logos by explaining why the food is an ethical or financially wise choice.

So, I guess what I’m saying is that public relations is literally relating to publics, which, as made evident by Cicero, Pericles and many other ancient and modern communicators, requires the use of rhetoric/communication and persuasion to elicit effective action. 

A Timeless Society

According to a pbs.org article about Ancient Roman life, Romans lived at extremes in terms of social status. Even two people living in the same city could be having completely different experiences with a huge financial gap between them. The wealthy enjoyed luxurious furnishings and parties while the impoverished had it much harder. Yet, they both enjoyed entertainment, lived in families with the man as the head of the house and interacted with one another in social situations. 

I grew up in Southern California in a city in Los Angeles County. My house was planted in a low to middle income salary area full of ethnic and social diversity. My neighbors and I lived with enough to get by and then some to experience enough of the luxuries of American life. However, even a few streets down from us were people—often immigrants—struggling to make ends meet with multiple families living under the same small roof.

Then, about 10 minutes away from my neighborhood, past parks, schools, fast food and shopping plazas were very large houses and gated communities where lawyers and doctors lived with their families, pets and tennis courts.

 Oddly enough, all of us (those of low, middle and high income), ended up at the same schools, shopping at the same mall for leisure (although I wouldn’t say we all shopped at the same grocery stores) and driving the same streets. Needless to say, we all interacted with one another on a daily basis. We all had friends in living under various circumstances.

Although Roman customs were obviously very different than those of modern Southern Californians, I feel as though I kind of have an idea of the interesting social positives and negatives they may have faced in terms of disputes among friends, pride and prejudice. In fact, the classic Pride and Prejudice illustrates this social set-up pretty well, too. When I think about it, this kind society is timeless with only period traditions and fashions that really made the difference.

Midterm Essays

Prompt 5 - Politics and Rhetoric

In Ancient Greece, politics required rhetoric. The government was run by the people and completely depended on leaders’ and citizens’ ability to persuade one another to rally to one side or another and vote for specific leaders and laws. In a predominantly oral culture, people had to know how to plead their cause in a strategic way especially by taking into account the branches of oratory, the Canons of rhetoric and the different schools of thought that they most identified with.

When we really think about it, politics is just made up of different perceptions of people and the world around us. Governments run a certain way because people believe, or at least once believed, that that way would be most compatible with human nature to form an effective society.

In Ancient Greece, unlike today, there wasn’t extensive research to back up political agendas. People had to take an idea, for instance the Socratic concept of idealism, and then look to the past to see what was done justly or unjustly without idealism (judicial); look to the future to see if idealism would be advantageous or disadvantageous to society (deliberative); and then present it at a kairotic time while raising it up as a virtuous cause and perhaps blaming or praising members of society who had or hadn’t implemented it and either succeeded or failed as a result to solidify its validity (epideictic). In communicating a proposal relating to idealism, one would have to go through all stages of the Canons of rhetoric by inventing a political idea, carefully arranging it, crafting it stylistically, finding ways to make it memorable for themselves and others, and finally delivering it to the people using their rhetorical strategy.

I honestly don’t think that it’s too bold to say that rhetoric was the essential cornerstone of the creation of government and political ideals in Ancient Greece. 

Prompt 4 - Medium and Message

Socrates was a leader in philosophy and thought in the way that he encouraged deep thought processes. As I thought about the way that he discouraged writing for its tendency to decontextualize ideas, I realized that his intentions must have been different than his fellow philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, who wanted to record and spread their ideas in order to implement a certain idealism in society. What Socrates wanted to elicit was the actual act of thinking—digging deeper to reflect on life and to question what and why things happen. His primary medium of communication was oral dialogue, especially one-on-one.

One-on-one oral communication was vital to his philosophy as he worked with mentees by having reflective, logical conversations with them. By abstaining from writing and other methods of recording, he eliminated distractions from the raw thought. He went further than considering what was true and introduced the concept that perhaps there are few things that we can really prove absolutely. So, we have to connect with ourselves and truly ask: what is moral and right? In talking this all out, he used syllogism to put a little bit of a form to thoughts so that they could be considered through a logical process.

Further, structuring ideas in this pattern allowed them to be more memorable. Even though he opposed writing, he encouraged acquiring knowledge by committing it to memory. It seems as though this were a sort of process: have a reflective conversation about an idea, think about it deeply, verbalize it structurally and then commit it to memory. This not only encouraged Socrates’ own beliefs for effective pondering, but set the groundwork for future philosophizing in a more concrete way than ever before.

The Building Blocks of Rhetoric

I was originally going to go back after conference and analyze a talk I had heard in an earlier session, but as Elder Bednar spoke, I found the structure and approach to the topic of why it’s “wonderful” that the church is led by older, “spiritually seasoned” men under God too intriguing to pass up.

After the story of Gordon B. Hinckley responding to a reporter about our church’s leadership and then sharing his purpose, Elder Bednar states that he “speaks about this topic from a decidedly distinctive perspective” as he’s served as alongside many, much older apostles and prophets as the youngest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He then contrasts their physical weakness with their spiritual strength, relates scripture and testifies of the truth and power of their priesthood positions. Towards the end of his talk, he quotes some of these men, parallels each quote with the phrase “______’s message is a powerful lesson of a lifetime from a man I love” and then ends his talk with a promise that if we heed the words of General Authorities, our testimony of Christ will increase and we’ll be able to receive specific, individual guidance.  

The reason that this structure is so effective is because it persuades us from all sides. The story in the beginning provides a pathetic appeal as we imagine the smile on President Hinckley’s face as he responds confidently to the reporter. We remember President Hinckley’s positive personality and how much we respected his counsel. Next, Elder Bednar sets the stage for his talk with logos by explaining his ‘distinct’ perspective and statistics on his age compared to the oldest average age of the apostles. In the middle of his talk, the testimonies and scriptures that he relates combine pathos, logos and ethos because of the culturally common way that Latter-day Saints perceive scriptures and testimonies as emotional, logical and reputable evidence. He ends his talk with a strong ethical appeal as he quotes the respected apostles and prophets and then uses his own authority to make his promise.

Ultimately, all of these aspects come together powerfully to communicate the validity and strength of Heavenly Father’s older, earthly servants that Elder Bednar intends.

Just Another E-mail

One semester I was in a class where we regularly had to attend events and then write short papers on each of them. The professor warned us to plan ahead to make sure that we would be able to get enough in by the end of the semester. She said to make sure that we had a plan B for every event.

Toward the end of the semester, I had one event left to go to with both a plan A and B, but somehow both fell through. So, I e-mailed my professor to see if she knew of any alternatives. When I got a response about a day later, I was shocked by a sort of irritated response that accused me of trying to make excuses and telling me that I should've had a back-up plan.

At first, I was offended that she would think that I hadn't listened to her warning and that I would try to make excuses. Then, during the next class period, I overheard some people talking about how they didn't get to enough of the events and TAs confronting students about papers being done incorrectly. Before class, the professor ended up making a little bit of an annoyed announcement about a few extra events that could count and clarified how the papers were supposed to be done.

I ended up completing the conversation over e-mail and everything got cleared up, but I realized that I should have considered the fact that I wasn’t the only one who would be e-mailing her about the assignment. Although my situation was because of circumstances out of my control, the fact that I was just another e-mail about an assignment that she had already thoroughly explained, she received my response with the preconceived idea that I was trying to avoid responsibility for not paying attention. My approach probably would’ve been more effective if I had waited until after she addressed the issue in class and then approached her in person about my unique case.

Comical?

I was about to write about something completely different until I read various posts about the humor in the live performance of Electra. This was definitely not my experience. I watched the MGM film version which was comical in some aspects, but not intentionally.

The movie built up this dark seriousness that pretty much persisted throughout. For instance, even when something 'happy' (like when Orestes came back after succeeding in killing Aegisthus) happened, the music was almost as deary as when Electra and Orestes walk away guiltily at the end. Additionally, the fact that most of the action took place in this isolated village added to the lonely that Electra obviously felt. On top of this, the melodramatic movements and delivery of each line (and pause) built up a certain kind of tension. I have to admit that I literally laughed out loud for much of the movie because of how melodramatic the characters were in every one of their responses. However, I do think that all of this succeeded in showcasing Greek drama and how it strives to stick to a specific plot line and prove a point about humanity (in this case jealousy, rage, betrayal, guilt, etc.). Although, a bit of intentional comic relief wouldn't have hurt.


Also, as Chloe mentioned in her post, in most of the first quarter of the movie, the characters barely speak and then, when there is dialogue, it's in Greek. However, because I've watched a bit of foreign film/television shows, the subtitles didn't bother me too much. I actually think that the fact the the movie was in Greek rather than English added to the ethos of it all. If it had been in English, it would've had a bit of the 1960's The Ten Commandments feel. (It still kind of had that feel.)

Overall, the production was convincing as a Greek drama in the way it was produced. I could feel the tension and pick up on the emotions and themes of each character--even if I was laughing at their every dramatic gaze into the sky.

Vulnerability- Past, Present, Future

After reading Jon's post, I changed my perspective of 'Pericles' Funeral Oration so that I could see it in a little bit of a better focus in terms of why and how Pericles approached his agenda.

Pericles (or at least through Thucydides' interpretation of his speech) carefully crafts the decorum of his speech according to his audience and the point that they're at. He takes advantage of a kairotic opportunity in realizing that the people of Athens are vulnerable. They're coping with the loss of their husbands, lovers, sons and friends and their feelings are overwhelming. They're seeking consolation and some kind of logical reason for why this happened. How can this be okay? They want to be assured by the right voice, a credible, ethical voice that this tragic event has purpose or at least can be made purposeful. They are at a point where they crave pathos, logos and ethos so that, as humans, they can find a motive to emotionally recover from this tragic event.

This is comparable to the way that we remind each other of the Plan of Salvation at LDS funerals so that we can move on with our lives in the knowledge that death has a purpose. For example, Pericles tells the Athenians that death brings an honor that is no longer "liable to the jealousy of one’s competitors, but...sincere and unchallenged." To the Athenians, this appeals to them pathetically as they can relate to the desire for that kind of honor and they can find solace in the fact that the ones they love have reached that aspiration. This is also logical because of their societal emphasis on honor and authority. The dead are painted as honored figures for the living to aspire to become. Finally, this is an ethical argument because Pericles, an authority, is addressing them and they honor his words because authority is important to them. This use of rhetoric shows the Athenians that this mass death was not in vain.

Pericles goes on to explain that, to make this loss even more purposeful, the people must look at the success of their government and society and how political/patriotic ambition and self-motivation makes their "city an education to Greece."

In all of these things, Pericles creates a judicial, epideictic and deliberative conversation by prompting the people to 1) honor, defend and glorify the valiant that they have lost from their society as he does 2) celebrate pretty much the awesomeness of Athenian culture and conduct/praise the virtue of their society right now and 3) continue being and raise more children to be similarly courageous in society while seeking "rewards of valor."

Fomo is Real

The other day I was at a ward activity when I joined a conversation with some of my friends. They were joking around about one of my friends' serious case of "fomo" (fear of missing out). As they teased her about the struggle of deciding whether or not to be responsible versus procrastinate some assignments she had to do, I laughed and joined in the teasing.

After a little bit, I started to wave goodbye as I explained to them that I had to go pick something up from a friend as I hadn't been able to do it all week and she was finally home at that moment. Bla, bla bla.


Just before I walked away, someone said, "Alright, so whose apartment are we all going to?" Without much thought, I changed directions and started following them instead.

"Actually, I'll just go with you guys."

Of course, then they all started laughing at me.

Repetition and Parallelism

It’s no secret that repetition makes ideas stick. Many times, when leaders in the Iliad want to arouse an emotion and a sense of togetherness in a crowd in order to persuade them to join together and do something, they don’t just repeat ideas, but the structuring of those ideas.

For example, when Ulysses hears “any common man” speaking up, he says to them:

“…You are a coward and no soldier; you are nobody either in fight or council; we cannot all be kings; it is not well that there should be many masters; one man must be supreme—one king to whom the son of scheming Saturn has given the scepter of sovereignty over you all.”

Ulysses could’ve just said, “Shut up. You’re a nobody,” as this would've served a similar purpose in using ad hominem speech as Jared talked about in his post, but that would not have been nearly as effective as pointing out what a common man isn’t, and then repeating what that means more specifically, showing the commoner his place in society and then shutting him down by further stating that that place has no voice especially compared to another with power.

We can compare this to monologues in movies and speeches given during political campaigns. For instance, near the beginning of Obama’s inaugural speech, he repeats the words “Together, we…” when listing three statements that make America unique.

 He does this to foster a feeling of, well, togetherness. He does this to unite himself with the people. He does this to give himself the power to persuade—to set up what he’s planned to say to his country. We all do this because it draws people in to what is being said—because it works.

Where the Heck Am I

.

I had a little bit of trouble trying to figure out what connection I could possibly have with the ancient Greeks... until I discovered that they are huge contributors to the reason why I can get anywhere on a daily basis. In other words, I am horrible at directions. Luckily, the ancient Greeks provided the foundation for our modern GPS’s and maps—which I use pretty frequently.

By the way, this is me (on the left) at Disneyland--which we used a map to get to.

Pythagoras was the first to propose that the world was a sphere—“the most perfect of all geometric shapes.” I would say that that was a pretty solid first step on our way to the invention of the GPS. From there, ancient Greeks (one of them named Anaximander) developed the first world map and maps with boundaries between geographical regions. So, publicly, I would like to thank them because without them I would not have gotten as far as I have in this life. Literally.