Some Thoughts on Contemporary Rhetoric

Throughout the semester, we have been able to witness contemporary rhetoric on a grand scale and in real time. From talk around the election and political unrest, to discourse on the coronavirus pandemic, it’s no revelation that contemporary rhetoric is having a moment in the majority of news outlets. However, in Brynn’s latest post, she made some points that seemed to capture and verbalize thoughts I had been having, but was unsure how to describe.

It is as though everything we have studied this semester has demonstrated that while there is more information access than ever before, there are so few who are truly taking advantage of this access to its full potential and utilizing said access to learn and growth in  their understanding of the world around them. That being said, if anything, I feel the last four years have made me so critical and skeptical of anything I read or hear that I have to really do some digging before I will take anything as having much value. This is not normal, but since when are people in grad school normal?

As grad students, we are taught to challenge ourselves and our thinking almost daily. It’s what is expected of us, and often what is necessary to be successful in our field; but this is not the normal, everyday mindset of those outside of programs, or really even the general public. Often times, this can be forgotten, as I know I can get tunnel vision since I am usually surrounded by people in my field who thinks the same things, or challenge the information they are presented with, but I was reminded over our break how this is in no way a common practice.

My in-laws are major Trump supporters. It’s unfortunate and annoying, but that’s another issue entirely. They re avid Fox News consumers and will believe just about anything the right wing media tells them to be true. It’s disturbing, but fascinating to watch—kind of like a true crime documentary or a train wreck in real time. It’s a disaster and you know what happens will be horrific, but you just can’t turn away because it is utterly fascinating.

Their latest soap box is two-fold: the election is fraudulent, but still ongoing since Trump hasn’t won yet, and COVID-19 is a hoax Biden is pushing in an effort to make a more controlled society and begin the end of the world. Yes, you read correctly. I could get into the whys behind those beliefs, but that would take a while, so let’s just focus on the rhetoric surrounding these ideas at the moment, for our own sake.

Whatever strand of Fox News they consume continues to put out the notion that the election is not over, we do not have a president elect, and that Donald Trump is trying to “save us” from an evil, corrupt government that the left is trying to “push on the people to control them.” Now, I’m not saying the left is perfect either, but let’s try and ground ourselves in some facts. While that isn;t Fox news or the right’s strong suit, it is disturbing how effective their rhetoric is on their viewers. It’s cult-like. It’s terrifying. And it is precisely why Trump was able to win and maintain such a huge following, in spite of being a human piece of garbage.

Now, I’m not saying Fox News is the only one to blame; however, they are the most infamous. Trump’s rhetoric is masterful—I’m not saying he is intelligent by any means, but he knows how to work a crowd in his favor. I continue to see this rhetoric make moves every time I hear my family talk about the latest and greatest move Trump is making to “make america great again.” It’s disgusting. But I think it is evidence as to why it is so important to study contemporary rhetoric, or even just rhetoric and composition more broadly.

Our studies impact the world around us, in ways people may not even notice, but rhetoric is constantly making moves that can impact our daily lives.So, what do you think? In what ways is rhetoric emerging into the public eye again, in more obvious ways?