Let’s talk about persuasion. It is easy to forget that this is what rhetoric is all about. Since the beginning of humans and language, we have been attempting to persuade each other in one way or another. We see it in politics and ad campaigns. We also see it everyday conversation and life. It is everywhere and you should be aware of how you are being persuaded. Traditionally, all persuasion falls into three categories: logos, ethos, and pathos. Let’s take a look at what each of these old Greek concepts mean.

Logos

Logos is persuasion that deals with argument. As a knee-jerk reaction, you might think “isn’t all persuasion done with argument?” That is not the case. Logos refers to facts, figures, data, statistics, and the like which are used to support a claim. While academia prioritizes logos, this is through expertise and discipline. You’ll find that in politics, advertisement, and general discourse, argument is a particularly ineffective form of persuasion. This is because of human nature. We don’t tend to change our minds simply based on the presentation of information to the contrary. Stances on any particular issue aren’t typically held on the basis of facts, figures, and data. They are based on the opinions of others (especially those perceived as credible) and emotions associated with the persuasion- these are ethos and pathos respectively.

Ethos

Ethos is many things, but mostly refers to the speaker’s credibility. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the speaker knows the most or even a vast amount about a certain topic; it is about perceived credibility in that subject matter. Ethos is a powerful form of persuasion that can be used in manipulative, unethical ways. Going back many decades, a religious trend called televangelism has gained traction. This is a movement within the Christian community that involves a televised church leader (pastor, priest, etc.) holding a congregation. This no ordinary Sunday worship. The sermon preaches that donating money to the church will result in much greater financial gain in the future. We find that the people donating to these televangelist churches are primarily from vulnerable groups (aging, disability). We also find great wealth in the church officials running these programs. It is all enabled by the credibility of the speaker; however the emotions associated with religion and finances are motivating this as well- pathos.

Pathos

Televangelists use more than the credibility of their priest or pastor. They know that their viewers hold strong religious convictions. They know that viewers are dealing with difficult financial situations that may feel hopeless. So, televangelist speakers tell watchers of their programs that “a donation of fifteen dollars will plant a seed that will grow far beyond its roots.” It gives hope (albeit falsely) of escaping hardship.

Persuasion is unethical?

No. Using ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade others is not necessarily a bad thing. Persuasion is a fact of life and can be used for good- for charity or social justice. Persuasion can be used to help others make the right choice. It can simply be used to convince consumers to buy a product. However, it can also be used to take advantage of elders, such as seen in televangelism. The message of this blog is to be aware of how these methods are being used and to be able to pick them apart and examine their effects.