As I was reading chapter 4, one of the concepts that jumped out at me was the idea of having communication serve as an artful way of speaking with people. Perhaps this appealed to me simply because it made me think of the theater, and how actors use their characters in a play as a way to communicate whatever theme the play is based on. So far within this class, what I found interesting is how rhetoric is described as being more of an art form rather than an actual science because of its emphasis on the beauty of language. Language itself is a very powerful tool when it comes to public speaking. In my opinion, a good public speaker has the ability to stir the emotions of his/her audience, since we are guided mostly by our emotions. It makes me think of powerful speakers such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and even Senator Obama with the current election. The reason why they got such a huge following was because of how they were able to capture the hearts of their audiences through their speeches.
When I think of public speakers I don't imagine someone who can read what is on a piece of paper. I think of someone who is poised, audible, and can get me to think about something I may not have thought about before, or to start thinking more about something I already felt passionate about to begin with. Someone who stirs my emotions and makes me feel like I matter. I think of public speaking more as a performance than anything else because when you think about it, that's what public speaking is. You're using every form of communication, whether it's your words or your body language (which can also be a form of communication) to engage people. I know when I have to give presentations at my internship or in class, I kind of like to pretend that I'm a performer and I'm excited about the information I am presenting. It just helps me to get people to engage more, and it also helps me be more comfortable in front of them. :)
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3 comments:
You know, I don't think you could have described it any better! I completely agree with you that public speaking is much like a performance. There are some people who are much better at it than others. It requires so much more than reading cue cards or notes, you have to be articulate, poised and personable, and the ability to persuade is another talent in itself! Powerful speakers that are able to evoke feelings or thought by painting/portraying a vivid image for the audience truly is an art form.
Communicating effectively and engaging your audience is a skill set that can definitely set you apart. Well written!
Aristotle argued that communication is both art and science. So we can study it as a science in systematic ways. That approach helps scholars and researchers in theory development. Communication is also an art in that it's human communication--we use our imaginations and creativity when we interact with others. Political speeches, as you suggest, demonstrate the ways that communication is an art and a science.
I too am enjoying about the "art" of communication. When skilled in rhetoric, a person will most definitely be better enabled to convey ideas and create the meaning they want created with those ideas.
Your thoughts about not reading from a piece of paper makes sense also, where the orator takes certain words and combines them with emotion and body language to craft the performance they intend.
"Performance" may be the key word for some rhetoricians. I've walked away from many speeches being completely entertained, but realizing that they didn't truly "say" anything. Likewise, the most information-rich speeches can drag on in a monotone voice and put you to sleep, leaving you no better off than the previous example.
Anyways, great post, great job.
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