1. Ethos
(or why should I listen to you?)

2. Kairos: The moment

3. Kairos

4. 1. Exigence: What happens or fails to happen? Why is one
compelled to speak out?
2. Persons: Who is involved in the exigence and what roles do
they play?
3. Relations: What are the relationships, especially the
differences in power, between the persons involved?
4. Location: Where is the site of discourse? e.g. a podium,
newspaper, web page, etc.
5. Speaker: Who is compelled to speak or write?
6. Audience: Who does the speaker address and why?
7. Method: How does the speaker choose to address the
audience?
8. Institutions: What are the rules of the game surrounding/
constraining numbers 1 through 7.

5. 1. Exigence: What happens or fails to happen? Why is one
compelled to speak out?
2. Persons: Who is involved in the exigence and what roles do
they play?
3. Relations: What are the relationships, especially the
differences in power, between the persons involved?
4. Location: Where is the site of discourse? e.g. a podium,
newspaper, web page, etc.
5. Speaker: Who is compelled to speak or write?
6. Audience: Who does the speaker address and why?
7. Method: How does the speaker choose to address the
audience?
8. Institutions: What are the rules of the game surrounding/
constraining numbers 1 through 7.
Every Person
Realizes Lions
Should Always
Move Indoors

6. Three Categories
of ethos
• phronesis - practical skills & wisdom
• arete - virtue, goodness (disinterest)
• eunoia -goodwill towards the audience

7. Phronesis
This moment in American history demands honesty and
leadership. Ultimately we are all in this together. By
working together, we can restore optimism in the
business community and grow this economy by
controlling spending and enacting common sense
reforms.
John King -- Republican Member of Congress

8. Arete
But for those making more than $1 million — there were
236,883 such households in 2009 — I would raise rates
immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million,
including, of course, dividends and capital gains. And for
those who make $10 million or more — there were 8,274
in 2009 — I would suggest an additional increase in rate.
My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a
billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government
to get serious about shared sacrifice.
Warren Buffett

9. Eunoia

10. If you could master one element of
personal communications that is
more powerful than anything we’ve
discussed, it is the quality of being
likeable. I call it the magic bullet,
because if your audience likes you,
they’ll forgive just about anything
else you do wrong. If they don’t like
you, you can hit every rule on target
and it doesn’t matter.
--Roger Ailes

11. Jonathan Haidt
pronounced “Height”

12. Values
Care/Harm
Fairness/
Cheating
Liberty/
Oppression
Loyalty/
Betrayal
Authority/
Subversion
Sanctity/
Degradation

13. Liberals
Conservatives

14. Code Grooming
Using terms,
phrases,
allusions, and
ideas that your
audience
recognizes

15. Code Grooming
I don't want to
say that Rick is
dumb, but he still
uses UPVC in
non-drainage
piping
applications.

16. Using references that a
general audience believes
are innocuous but that
signal certain groups that
you are one of them.
Dog Whistling

17. Mitt Romney, not one of
us.
--Ad from President
Obama
Dog Whistling

18. "We are part of an Anglo-Saxon
heritage, ...The White House
didn't fully appreciate the shared
history we have."
--Aide to Gov. Romney
Dog Whistling

19. Invoking an
audience’s identity

20. Reminding the
audience of a
particular role or
membership.

21. Possible Roles
Parent/Child
American/Nationalistic
Occupation
The “Good” Side
Male/Female
Age
Education
Knowledgeable

22. Final thoughts

23. "According to Aristotle, rhetors can
invent a character suitable to an
occasion--this is invented ethos.
However, if rhetors are fortunate
enough to enjoy a good reputation
in the community, they can use it as
an ethical proof--this is situated
ethos."
(Sharon Crowley and Debra
Hawhee)