Great Leaders, Great Speeches

In my Writing 150 class our next assignment is to write a rhetorical analysis on any speech in history!    It's hard for me to get started because there are hundreds of incredibly moving speeches. One of the things I realized is that the greatest of the great speeches come during times of peril. They come from a leader that is able to rally the people to do something, when their instinct is to lie down and fold. It makes me thankful for the countless number great leaders America has had in its history. Without them, we would not enjoy the many freedoms we have today.

Thoughts From My Reading

I have been reading "Mindful Writing" by Brian Jackson, and have found it very interesting. In this book he takes us step by step through ways we can become a more effective writer and speaker. One of the parts I found most interesting was when he described the aspects of a rhetorical situation.

 There are 6 ideas to a rhetorical situation, and most of us go through all of these stages without thinking. The first aspect is exigence which is basically the invitation to speak because speaking might solve a problem. The second element is kairos. which is about figuring out the opportune time to speak or to act. Kairos is a big part of historical changes such as the Civil Rights movement. MLK acted when he could sense everyone was fed up and ready to rise up. Third is the rhetor which is the speaker or writer. The rhetor has to analyze the exigence that comes onto him or her and decide, based off of the audience and the overall atmosphere, what to do or say. Fourth is the purpose. The rhetor has a purpose of what they intend to do. Sometimes it is hard for the rhetor to convey his or her purpose because the exigence does not allow it, or the kairos is not right. It is up to the writer to decide on the spot, which is part of being a good rhetorical thinker. The fifth element is genre. The genre is the tools the rhetor uses and the words he says that apply only to that current situation. Genre goes hand in hand with pathos because it is all about the way in which you try and achieve your purpose most effectively. The final aspect is the most important, and that is the audience. These are the people that can be influenced by what you say and have an impact on change if your purpose is to change something. If you understand your audience then you will know best how to appeal to them and sway them. Then you will have power in the words you say!

The reason I found this information so interesting is because we do all of this multiple times a day! Anytime we speak, even just to our friends, we are taking into account exigence, kairos, purpose, genre, and of course our audience. I think that when we write, if we're consciously thinking about these aspects, then our writing will not only be more engaging, but more effective!

A Blessing and a Curse

A Blessing and a Curse

            In Elder Bednar’s addresses “Things as They Really Are” and “To Sweep the Earth as With a Flood” he describes two divergent paths we can take in our use of technology.  We can use it as a means of escaping reality and disconnecting gradually and physically from our lives, or we can use it to spread gospel messages filled with love, righteousness and truth throughout the world.

                  Through advances in technology, we now have access to a vast and valuable array of gospel resources.   We also have at our fingertips the ability to share our knowledge and testimonies of the gospel with a broad and diverse audience.  But these great opportunities are also accompanied by many dangerous traps and hazards.  Modern technology exposes us to countless sources of misinformation, temptation and harmful messages.  It can also cause us to disengage from our families and friends, and to lose the blessings and happiness that can only come from human interaction and personal relationships. The danger of addiction and evil that can come from television, movies, music, videogames, social media and the internet is undeniable.  Satan uses modern technology to encourage us to think and act as if we were like him, in a premortal, unembodied state. Addictive use of media can cause you forget the importance of your body and not see the benefits of eye to eye communication.

                  However, I think the opportunities of technology to be used for good far outnumber the ways it can be damaging. If we are wary of the dangers and understand that they are very real, we can avoid them and instead spread the gospel in an unprecedented magnitude. All we need is the guidance and inspiration from the holy ghost so that our use of technology will serve as a blessing rather than a curse.