The Rhetoric of Persuasion. Talking to Our Emotions

Abstract

Persuasion is based on emotional aspects. It does not have to do with logical arguments, but with resources that will aim to the heart. The sender of the message intents to change the behavior, feelings, intentions, or viewpoint of another by communicative means. The speakers we refer to – mainly politicians, since they usually try to manipulate us– address a group with which they have something in common, for example, race or religion, and they use fears and hatreds, prejudices and inclinations, convictions and ideals common to the group. Different techniques will be used to manipulate. We can study them from the classical rhetoric perspective, paying attention to elocutio (stylistic elements), ordo (order) and dispositio (organization of arguments), focusing on how words are chosen, repeated or avoided. The sender will also use previous speeches, predictions without any base, and other strategies to instil fear in the recipients (the Other is a menace). It is also necessary to consider the different channels available nowadays to disseminate ideas, as the authors of the different articles in this number will do.