Rhetoric has been around for a really long time and it has taken on many different

interpretations and definitions. Many believe that rhetoric is used mainly in politics, but they

dont realize that we use rhetoric every day. In order to understand how we use rhetoric, we need

to first understand what rhetoric is. Many people believe that rhetoric is lying to people and

tricking them into believing everything you say, like in politics. However, rhetoric is much more

than that. Rhetoric is the ability to persuade someone to listen to your views and, oftentimes,

make them agree with you. Rhetoric encompasses a vast number of tools that we use on a daily

basis, but we, for the most part, do not even realize that we are doing it. There are concepts that

help drive rhetoric, such as ethos, pathos, and logos, but ultimately, these terms do not do it

justice. The best way to define it would be to say that the way we communicate is based on many

factors, such as who we are speaking to, what we are looking to get, and what we want to

express. Rhetoric requires a thought-process and, in applying rhetorical theory, we consider how

we must communicate to reach our goals.

Rhetoric is especially used when there is a disagreement or if people are looking for a

solution to a specific problem. A perfect example is when you are trying to figure out where to

get a bite to eat. I want you guys to think of a time when you were hungry for a specific meal,

whether it be pizza, burgers, or Chinese. However, your friends wanted something different. So,

in order to get your way, you presented your own case, where you argued many key points on

why they should choose your preferred choice, which was, for the purposes of this paper,

Chipotle. You told them that Chipotle is the closest restaurant nearby and that they would waste

more gas looking for another place to grab a bite to eat. You additionally told them the portions

were huge, so you knew they would not be hungry after that. That, right there, is rhetoric. You

presented your case to them. You used logos, which means that you used facts and logic to make
and support your claim. You knew that if you pointed out the gas factor, they would most likely

budge. By telling them that it was more logical to go the nearest place, you already made it clear

to them that Chipotle would be the place to eat at; by using the excuse of wasting less gas, it

persuaded them to settle for something that is nearby and wouldnt put a dent in their wallet.

That is how you use rhetoric. You appealed to them; you made them think that Chipotle really

seems like the obvious choice; and you gave them reasons that would benefit them overall.

Rhetoric is not only about what you say or do, but it also relies on when you say it and to

whom. For example, as a kid, I did not have an allowance, but I would need valid reasons if I

wanted more than $20 or spent more than that in an unusually short period. When I would ask

my parents for money because I wanted a toy, I would often exaggerate the needs; if I needed

$25, I would say $40 just in case I wanted to buy something extra, but I would claim it would be

used for emergencies. This could be considered manipulation, especially because kids often do

manipulate as part of their day-to-day without even realizing it, but it is certainly a form of

rhetoric. We begin using rhetoric before any of us really know what it is--as kids.

The elements used in this kind of interaction are rhetorical. In this type of situation as a

kid, I would usually be methodical in when I would askmeaning, I would make sure my

parents were not angryand I would make sure that I had been helpful around the house for a

day or so. Not only was I appealing to my parents by doing more chores and housework to win

good favor, but I also made sure to ask them when the time was right. If I asked them when they

were upset, then I knew the answer would be no. By using kairos, which is all about the right

timing of things, I was able to get more money than I needed. Thats why its important to

recognize that rhetoric is important in everything we do. It could be a small task, such as asking
for money as a kid, or a big task, such as convincing people to vote for you during Senate

elections.

Lobbying is essentially all about rhetoric. This week, I lobbied on Capitol Hill, speaking

for those who feel that they dont have a voice. It is important for people to understand the power

of their words and the power of clear communication. It doesnt always have to be used in an

evil, manipulative way, designed merely to make your own ends meet, regardless of who it hurts.

But poverty is a global issue, quite prevalent in the U.S. in particular, and anti-poverty legislation

is worth fighting for. Whos going to deny that poverty is an issue that requires a solution--or

various solutions? Everybody needs food and water as well as shelter in order to survive, right?

By fighting against poverty and making sure politicians understand the extremity of the

situation, they should listen not because of reelection, but because this issue is possibly the most

important of all. Finding information and statistics is, of course, a crucial part of lobbying, but in

this particular case, it is even more crucial that personal stories are used as a means of pathos. I

have met people at FIU that maybe arent as fortunate as I am and the food stamp program has

saved them and given them hope to keep on trying. So I speak for them, gaining sympathy,

despite the fact that it is not my story.

It is undeniable that humans need energy--energy that can only be received from food. So

personal stories are vital. There is so much noise in politics that its refreshing when politicians

actually use their power to fight this. You both have to be on the same page, though it is quite

obvious when somebody does not even want to meet in the middle. If a politician, for instance, is

set on his ways, many attempts to meet in the middle might seem futile, but both kairos and

stasis should play a role in this. If youre efficient at employing rhetorical concepts, you should
be able to capture even the most stubborn persons attention. You should be able to make them

listen.

Politics and rhetoric do go hand in hand -- many people start off in the realm of politics

because they want to make a difference. Oftentimes, this attempt to make a difference comes

with a broad range of corrupt temptations, making it difficult to deny--especially because people

want more flexibility than just a salary. They justify it by saying that theyre just voting for the

issue because they need to give their families a good life with the money received; because if

they vote for the issue they disagree with, theyll get reelected and truly be able to make a

difference; or because theyll get favors in return. The cycle continues because they take money,

get reelected, and want to continue getting reelected. In the end, power and money might end up

corrupting politicians.

That was just one example. As for current events, its happening all around us. This is the

easiest way to become familiar with the concept, because youll begin to see it everywhere and

make sense of it in relation to things you care about or read about constantly. For instance,

Trumps rhetoric involves making America great againand it led an entire campaign,

eventually leading to his victory. This slogan has appealed to many because it leads them to

believe that everything they hate about America could be fixed easily.

Politicians in general must make sure that they are dressed appropriately, that they are

saying the things that the specific crowd wants to hear, and that opportunity presents itself before

making certain statements. Donald Trump uses this to his advantage: whenever there is a terrorist

attack, he uses it to his advantage, in order to work around his personal agenda. However,

because conservatives believe in the right to bear arms, they will try to avoid the topic of gun

control or sway voters the other way if there are incidents with guns, such as school shootings.
There is, of course, the fact that Republicans own the NRA, so theyll use their right to bear

arms as an exaggerate excuse to cover their personal interests. They will deny and ignore

questions that prove that gun control should indeed be enforced. In Trumps words lies are

merely alternative truths, correct?

This is the reason why politics and rhetoric are often used synonymously and in the same

context. It is such a common occurrence and makes it so easy to relate and understand the

concept primarily in its daily role. However, when we start to observe, we realize that rhetoric is,

in essence, enveloped in everything we do. It is in the way we behave in front of others, though

often, not in the way we act in private. But in every part of public life or in everyday

relationships, it is undeniable that rhetoric plays an important role, whether or not its a

conscious effort.

The reality is that rhetoric does not have one definition; it is mixed into every part of our

lives in some way. Every ad that we see, every commercial that is filmed, and every house that

you enter has been designed in a way that tries to either appeal to a certain audience or is trying

to send some sort of message. Even the design on, for instance, a sofa or a pattern on a bed sheet

has been plotted out to say something or appeal to the eye. The designer had to be feeling a

certain way, and possibly portrayed his or her feelings in an indirect way. That is rhetoric, too. It

makes up our existence wherever we go.

 Now, look at the picture of the dog. What is the purpose of this picture? Is it trying to

inform or persuade you to do something? Or is it simply trying to show you a picture of a dog?

Everything in this picture is there for a reason. The first thing you notice is the dog and how he is

behind a cage and staring at you with sad eyes. Right there, the author is trying to appeal to you

emotionally; meaning he is trying to appeal to your pathos. Most people like animals, so that

would make them pay attention to the picture. The next thing you see is a quote that states,

Every 8 seconds a cat or dog is euthanized in the U.S. Right there, the author presented you

with a statistic. By providing you with this data, not only is the author using pathos to persuade

you, but is also using logos to make you believe that this is a serious issue and that you must

adopt these animals. The author could have said that every week, dogs and cats are euthanized,

but that would not have been as effective as every 8 seconds. By measuring the time in seconds,

it gives us the feeling that thousands are dogs and cats are being put down every 8 seconds and it

makes us want to stop it. The author did a great job motivating us to adopt and to stop the killing

of these animals.

As you can see, rhetoric happens every day and is in everything we do and say. It is the

way we are spoken to, the way we are presented with an ad or a commercial that advocates for

adoption. It could be the way we convince our parents to let us out past midnight on a school

night or the way we sell ourselves in an interview with a future employer. Whatever it is, rhetoric

is always taking place.