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In case you missed it, all Australian citizens are going to the polls on September 7 to elect a new federal Government.
Last night in the very Australian environment of a footy club, the main protagonists, main party leaders Rudd and Abbott, slugged their way through a word-fest “debate” aimed at prime time viewers and swinging voters.
Rhetoric on steroids.
Of all the lines uttered last night it was Mr Abbott’s candid “Does this guy ever shut up?” phrase which made an immediate sensation on Twitter, was picked up by the newswires in a flash, and is splashed all over today’s news coverage of the event.
Leaving aside the blunt media effectiveness of the line, there is a residual issue: almost every person I know understands that the basic problem with politics is that those who practice it almost never shut up.
So there is an in-built redundancy in using this line of argument. We expect politicians to talk under wet cement. Worse still, the pre-conditioned electorate expects that what is uttered is mostly hollow, devoid of substance and delivered with cynical self-interest.
At times like these you have to ask yourself: what would the Greeks say?
The inventors of democracy knew a thing or two about politics and persuasion. And of the more famous Greek philosophers, Aristotle gave the world his theory for what it takes for orators to bring people along in the art of true rhetoric.
It’s three things: ethos, pathos and logos. To be truly transformative, deeply engaging and move populations, speakers should take a leaf from the Aristotle book and apply the simple rule of three.
- Ethos – is my argument formed from a position of authority and trust? Is it ethical?
- Pathos – am I appealing to the emotions of the audience? Can I connect with an underlying feeling or human value(s) held by the listener?
- Logos – Is my argument logical? Does it make sense? What are the facts and figures and hard data in support of my claim?
Look at many successful speakers, orators, leaders in the course of history and their speeches, debates and memorable lines would contain all of most of these magic Greek ingredients. Like fetta is to a Greek salad.
It is worth remembering this simple and effective three-part rule of rhetoric. And if that fails, you can simply tell your opponent to shut up.
