It's Not Just Rhetoric
by Steve West on September 8, 2007
A personal pet peeve of mine is the use of the phrase, "That's just rhetoric." As if the speech being referred to is meaningless and/or uninspiring. The word rhetoric is to be used to define speech designed to persuade. If it does not persuade then it is not rhetoric. It can only be at best speech intended to be rhetoric. This website is devoted to the use of rhetoric in film, campaigns, trials and other speeches. My favorite section is the movie vault containing numerous speeches with either video or audio. Watch a few and become inspired.
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Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »
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