Rhetoric, Rhetoric, Rhetoric.
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Last night I went to a small gathering of about 200, where upon an intellectually charismatic speaker addressed the throng. His point and the context of his dissertation is irrelevant to my purpose, but his prose and grandiloquence is germane. What do I intimate? Simply this.
Where has our understanding gone? How does the proletariat get swayed so easily? What makes current leaders so unctuously persuasive? And I’m not just talking about Obama, I’m talking about many of the world’s leaders: Achmadenajad, Chavez, Putin, et al.
I followed the speaker closely and the language he used was sometimes arcane. The more I listened the more I wondered if those in attendance truly understood his view. Words like vis-à-vis were used. Not in the context of face to face, but, “in relation to”. E.g. “Our leaders, vis-à-vis human rights…. Vestige, visceral and tour de force were amongst many.
What is my point? Only this. Does the distinguished statesman, the affluent, or those with agendas want the masses to understand and grade them on their merit, or merely pontificate? I think the latter. Do they wish to impress and mesmerize with prose? Absolutely. I fear many fall prey to just that.
Our leaders speak esoterically, inscrutably, and their words belie their actions. Witness healthcare reform. Is it actually reform? Witness green energy and global warming, arcane subjects to say the least. Is it real? How does one find out for themselves? Unfortunately, the plebeians and vassals of society are not educated enough to understand, thus, they fall helplessly upon empty words. For that reason demagoguery springs forth and most follow the charismatic leader. The one who can deliver dynamism.
Last night after the event I spoke privately to many and upon further discourse I found most had a view different than I. Then I used the language of the speaker and discovered the fascination and mesmerization of the goers became rife once again. They had no idea what I was talking about and these commoners were no different than I. The only significant distinction is I’ve taken it upon myself to get educated in the art of language. I want to be able to understand what those of aristocracy, those of power and influence have to say. And now I realize and understand what they use to control and what they have used for centuries to influence the masses ¾ rhetoric, sonorousness and demagoguery.
Don’t fall prey to the bankers, governmental pundits, nomenclature aficionados and the like. Educate yourselves. Understand what one says before you follow, or worse, join sides. Education is priceless, the most valuable gift one can give.
Comment by DJohnson on 2 January 2010:
There is a famous preacher in our parts who is renown for his moving sermons. His wife tells of the arduous preparation he puts in to craft every thought and syllable. He spends hour upon hour declaiming in front of a mirror.
Every sunday he approaches the podium, removes from his inside pocket a folded paper of notes that he smooths and consults. He has a roaring voice and the most theatric presentation. Parishioners crowd into church every sunday to listen to his stirring oratory. They are washed in his pointed arguments on their faults and sins and the glorious trail to salvation that they must follow. He paces. He whispers. He roars.The collection plates are always brimming.
After his preaching he always reclaims his notes and retires from the pulpit, leaving his flock exhausted but stirred.
Last sunday he forgot his notes on the pulpit. The cleaning lady found them while on her rounds. Neatly typed and each preaching point is bolded and indented. Meticulous preparation indeed! Along the margins are penciled stage directions: “Point upward to Heavens”, “stride to left of alter”, “right arm open to choir”.
But down at the bottom, we found a paragraph circled in red. Scrawled in the margin was:
“Argument weak here! Yell like Hell!”