Rhetoric: The Culture Of Freedom And Democracy

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When we think of rhetoric, past findings have framed this concept in terms of persuasion and trickery; rarely do we hear about rhetoric in a positive light. However, the concept of rhetoric has evolved from a subgenre of language to a culture and identity. Rhetoric shapes our biases and standpoint, and therefore create a culture of meaning in our lives. Today, I live in a world where rhetoric not only plays a monumental role, but is the actual mechanism that shapes how I see myself and the others around me.

Ever since September 11, “America’s democratic deficit was revealed and even deepened...for lack of sufficiently robust and rhetorical deliberation suitable to the realities of a pluralistic polity and an increasingly interconnected but …show more content…

However, as I grow older it occurs to me that the American rhetorical culture of freedom and democracy seem unreflective of the material conditions of specific communities of non-dominant groups. The voices of marginalized communities are not equally represented in this specific case of international terrorism. If the media and powerful authority figures are controlling the public discourse of international affairs, rhetorical culture is very much shaped by how the powerheads control our ability to think and act. I propose that in order to “[restore] democracy through public [discourse].... ‘all citizens [are] entitled to participate in the process of political dialogues [be present]” in order to deliberate and construct a truth that is hidden from us (Citizens Talking Together). So where have our “rhetorical cultures gone?” I argue that the rhetorical culture of deliberation remains deeply embedded in the fabrics of our society, but is not accessed due to the unequal distribution of wealth and social and power in …show more content…

Consequently, it is no surprise that the most powerful media sources are spewing out pieces of hateful rhetoric that result in the “othering” of Muslims in the U.S. With the increase of Islamophobia and American nationalism. are currently driving hate crimes and institutional discrimination, human fear and emotion are becoming twisted and utilized as weapons in of its

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