I See What You Did There.

When asked about the benefits of understanding the art of rhetoric, undoubtably the first response you may receive would pertain to leading you're audience to you're side of the argument. However, an equally important skill, in my eyes at the very least, is to recognize when others are using the same skills against you. For example, I have now been able to pick up on many rhetorical tricks Jay Heinrichs uses to convince you that using such rhetorical tricks is important.

This first occurred to me while reading chapter five of Thank You for Arguing with my father. Near the beginning of the chapter, Henrichs describes Eminem's abilities with decorum. I was please as I enjoy a few of Eminem's songs. MY father though could care less. I had begun to like the book a bit more as I was sympathizing with the Author. He knew where I was coming from and therefor I felt more compelled to listen to this mans advice. He had practiced one of his tactics on me without me even knowing it.

I didn't know it at least until my dad suddenly seemed delighted when Henrichs began discussing this Captain Kangaroo show I had never heard of. My dad, though, had defiantly heard of the show. He, upon noticing the reference to his childhood era suddenly began remarking how good he thought this book was.  And suddenly it had hit me... Henrichs was using such a broad spectrum of references to ensure that he brought in every possible reader of his book. I, for instance, may not care in the slightest if Henrichs names a section: Captain Kangaroo’s Fashion Tip (Heinrichs, 1188), but my dad sure did. And he on the other hand wouldn't care in the slightest if Henrichs began discussing Eminem, but I did.

Henrichs had succeeded in making two vastly different members of his audience open up to his suggestions. In convincing two people from vastly different time periods that he knew where they were coming from. And while  I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise to find Henrichs using his own strategies in his own book, it is very interesting. And in the future, not only will I look for this while continuing reading Thank You for Arguing, but also in other reading. It will be very interesting which authors have been molding my sympathies without me even knowing it.