Kenneth Burke

Wherever there is persuasion, there is rhetoric. And wherever there is 'meaning' there is persuasion.

The Key Question

What is involved, when we say what people are doing and why they are doing it?

“In a rounded statement of motives, you must have some words that name

Act– names what took place, in thought or deed

“In a rounded statement of motives, you must have some words that name Act– names what took place, in thought or deed Scene—the background of the act; the situation or conditions for what occurred

“In a rounded statement of motives, you must have some words that name Act– names what took place, in thought or deed Scene—the background of the act; the situation or conditions for what occurred Agent—the kind of person that was involved

“In a rounded statement of motives, you must have some words that name Act– names what took place, in thought or deed Scene—the background of the act; the situation or conditions for what occurred Agent—the kind of person that was involved Agency– the tools or means used

“In a rounded statement of motives, you must have some words that name Act– names what took place, in thought or deed Scene—the background of the act; the situation or conditions for what occurred Agent—the kind of person that was involved Agency– the tools or means used Purpose—the goal or end

Descriptions that feature… Scene: draw attention to what is natural, necessary, inevitable Actor/Agent: draw attention to rationality, personality, individuality, the “subjective,” freedom Act: draw attention to the unique, the momentary, the unprecedented Agency: draw attention to the tools, the instruments, the means and ways actors“make do” Purpose: draws attention to the goal, the end, the ultimate, the mystery

Ratios People will disagree about how to describe meaning and motive.

Ratios People will disagree about how to describe meaning and motive. These disagreements typically entail different emphases regarding scene-act-agent-agency-purpose

For Example

Gun control advocates may emphasize the role of the agency/instrument in a given crime

For Example Gun control advocates may emphasize the role of the agency/instrument in a given crime Gun rights advocates, by contrast, emphasize the role of the agent/actor and perhaps the scene (poverty, mental health care, etc).

For Example Pro-life advocates define the act as murder and describe the body of the mother as part of the scene

For Example Pro-life advocates define the act as murder and describe the body of the mother as part of the scene Pro-choice advocates define the act as choice and focus, often, on the agency/means (arguing about protecting safe, effective abortions).

For Example Advocates for climate change policy typically highlight the impact of human agents, and especially the role of fossil fuels (agency).

For Example Advocates for climate change policy typically highlight the impact of human agents, and especially the role of fossil fuels (agency). Climate change skeptics often argue that the scene (earth) is so vast and/or resilient that human agents cannot change it.

For Example Advocates for climate change policy typically highlight the impact of human agents, and especially the role of fossil fuels (agency). Climate change skeptics often argue that the scene (earth) is so vast and/or resilient that human agents cannot change it. (some connect this with a “purpose” based theme– there is no need/way to intervene in the divine plan…

Critics

Ask how does a piece of public discourse organize scene-act-agent-agency-purpose?

Critics Ask how does a piece of public discourse organize scene-act-agent-agency-purpose? Can the account of motive be widened? (that is, would a description that highlights the role of individual actors benefit from an account of scene, or means, etc).

Rhetoricians By contrast, speakers often seek to highlight one of the terms and lowlight the others… thus narrowing the range of interpretations on behalf of an audience.

Final note “A perfectionist might seek to evolve terms free of ambiguity and inconsistency…what we want [however] is not terms that avoid ambiguity, but terms that clearly reveal the strategic spots at which ambiguities necessarily arise” (xviii).

Final note “A perfectionist might seek to evolve terms free of ambiguity and inconsistency…what we want [however] is not terms that avoid ambiguity, but terms that clearly reveal the strategic spots at which ambiguities necessarily arise” (xviii). “Hence…we rather consider it our task to study and clarify the resources of ambiguity” (xix).

Voice for the Voiceless Example of the agent-agency ratio /new-voices-for-the-voiceless- synthetic-speech-gets-an-upgrade

Crashing Motive deadly-crash/index.html

Nugent’s Rhetoric of Motives TQ

Scapegoating

Burke’s theory of scapegoating begins with the realization that people use language to symbolically identify things otherwise different and divide things otherwise similar. Identification and division are essential rhetorical processes

Scapegoating

Anything that can be said to be a part of a whole can be equally said to be apart from the whole

Scapegoating For example, where are we?

Scapegoating For example, where are we? – Are we in Mckeesport or White Oak? Are we in Penn State? Are we in Pittsburgh? Are we in the United States of America?

Scapegoating For example, where are we? – Are we in Mckeesport or White Oak? Are we in Penn State? Are we in Pittsburgh? Are we in the United States of America? – As with Burke’s other ideas, the issue is not which answer is correct but how a rhetorician/critic uses the ambiguity

Scapegoating For example, where are we? – Are we in Mckeesport or White Oak? Are we in Penn State? Are we in Pittsburgh? Are we in the United States of America? – As with Burke’s other ideas, the issue is not which answer is correct but how a rhetorician/critic uses the ambiguity Public discourse tends to amplify/exploit one answer to such questions Critics can open up alternatives

Scapegoating Now add guilt

Scapegoating Now add guilt If a crime is committed, do we identify or divide?

Scapegoating Now add guilt If a crime is committed, do we identify or divide? For instance, does crime in Renzie Park happen “in Penn State?”

Scapegoating Now add guilt If a crime is committed, do we identify or divide? For instance, does crime in Renzie Park happen “in Penn State?” Is Jerry Sandusky part of the “We” in “We are Penn State?”

Scapegoating Now add guilt Burke reveals two typical strategies for dealing with threats to order:

Scapegoating Now add guilt Burke reveals two typical strategies for dealing with threats to order: Mortification: Identifying as a part of the problem and so symbolically “killing” (transforming) that part of oneself to address the cause

Scapegoating Now add guilt Burke reveals two typical strategies for dealing with threats to order: Mortification: Identifying as a part of the problem and so symbolically “killing” (transforming) that part of oneself to address the cause Scapegoating: Dividing apart from the problem; placing the burden on another and symbolically “killing” (transforming/exiling) the other to restore order.

Scapegoating Again,

Scapegoating Again, the rhetorician/public speaker tends to exploit ambiguity (and deny alternatives)

Scapegoating Again, the rhetorician/public speaker tends to exploit ambiguity (and deny alternatives) And The critic tends to reveal ambiguity and open up alternatives.

Scapegoating Scapegoating in the Art of Enemy Making: Sam Keen Lecture: Making Enemies