2). The Greeks believed that to be an orator, an individual had to be morally good. Comment on whether you agree or disagree. What, if any, is the connection between goodness, truth, and public communication?
The Greeks belief that an individual had to be morally good to be an orator is something I do not fully agree with. I personally feel that the ability to communicate publicly is a skill that can be learned with confidence and knowledge. Correct me if I am wrong, but I took a class last semester with Professor Hohmann in which we studied rhetoric in different cultures, we studied Ancient Greece and I think that I remember him saying that no lawyers existed during that time but one could get their speeches written and present it themselves.
I believe that this goes to show that an orator doesn’t necessarily have to be good, but have the ability to persuade effectively. I feel that goodness and truth are not directly connected with public communication because often times the truth is relative. This also reminds to Nietzsche’s “On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense” in which he discusses how morality has stemmed from people and is man-made. If we could trace back morality and truth, we will be able to see that over time, stories, events, experiences became truth.
So, I believe that being an orator has nothing to do with being good morally.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi Jane Jolie--
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your question, I was able to understand the question as I didn't want this to be the first question I answer and get it wrong :) However, I differ and I don't agree with you when you say that you, "personally feel that the ability to communicate publicly is a skill that can be learned with confidence and knowledge". The reason for this is because there are a lot of people out there who are born with the natural talent to publicly speak. I speak from personal experience. I remember freshman year when I took my first public speak class...I thought that I wouldn't know how to go about it because there wasn't a text book that we could go along with...I learned that I was born to speak..about anything. The teacher gave us random topics to talk about on the spot in order to practice our public speaking skills and I was able to think of past experiences and come up with an ok speech.
When it comes to knowledge, it's information that we have retained from a learning experiece and I believe that with public speaking, we either know how to do it or not...we can't be taught to speak in front of an audience if we do not like it or if it isn't our thing...In my opinion, it's something we're either good or bad at.
Hi janejolie,
ReplyDeleteInteresting argument. While I wrote my post on this I agreed, that not all orators are morally good, but I believe they SHOULD be. Bringing up lawyers was a very strong argument.
Are lawyers morally good? And even more...SHOULD they be???
We would like to think they should, but could a criminal attorney be morally good AND give their client a good defense? I am going to have to say they could not (although many people would disagree.)
Its true that an orator does not have to be morally good to be a good public speaker, but its scary to think of what an immoral orator is capable of (A la Hitler.)
On your comment of not being able to be taught to be a good public speaker, I am unsure if I completely agree with that. Many people may progressive with their public speaker with practice, this may happen with a job (even if they don't enjoy it.)
I enjoyed reading your blog. Have a good weekend!
-ImaginePeace
Hi Goober,
ReplyDeleteI agree that some people are born with the natural talent to speak publicly and perhaps without breaking a sweat, while others struggle with it. But it's a little unfair to assume that those are not born with it or "bad" at it are incapable of learning to be better at it. But as Imagine Peace puts it, perhaps the thought of them being GREAT at it may be a little far fetch but hey, its ok to dream. =)