104 pages • 3 hours read
Everything's an Argument
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Themes
Arguments Are Everywhere
The authors stay true to the title of the text, consistently reiterating that everything is an argument. They claim that “arguments are all around us, in every medium, in every genre, in everything we do” (5). The authors argue that every argument requires critical examination of its rhetorical situation, strategies, claims, reasoning, warrants, and evidence to determine its effectiveness and validity. The authors note that all speakers “produce and use information to their own benefit, and it’s not (usually) a bad thing that they do so” (428), but awareness can allow for correction of bias, drawing closer to truth. Because arguments exist in all forms of expression, rhetorical awareness empowers people to filter the onslaught of arguments for those that are relevant and valid to their needs.
To illustrate the prevalence of arguments in society, the authors “draw on examples from a wide range of media and genres, including online news sources, blog posts and comments, editorial cartoons, ads, maps, infographics, bumper stickers, even a selfie” (361). Some arguments come from historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence as a model of a classical oration, while others come from less traditional sources, such as cartoons or blog comments. The authors make it clear how rhetoric applies to the college student’s life, promoting rhetorical prowess as a “skill much admired by potential employers” and professors (346). Modeling their own advice, the authors continuously establish the relevance of their arguments to their intended audience: the writing course student.
Presentation Persuades
From the beginning of the text, the authors differentiate between “convincing” and “persuading.” To convince is to accept an argument to be true, while to persuade is to take action based upon the argument. Many effective speakers can convince, but only the most effective can persuade an audience to act. The authors state that “in persuasive situations, style is […] a matter of the specific choices [a speaker] make[s…] to influence audiences” (307). These choices of detail can tip the scale in a speaker’s favor, persuading the audience to fulfill their purpose.
The authors present their information organized by part, by chapter, and then by headings and subheadings within each chapter. This nested organization allows for easy access to the information when browsing and searching for something specific. The headings and subheadings divide the text into more digestible chunks, maintaining the interest of a busy college student. They include visuals—Netflix screenshots, street signs warning of drones, dramatic advertisements—throughout each chapter that appeal to the audience and illustrate their rhetorical concepts. The text’s tone is authoritative yet familiar, like a lively conversation with a professor. These stylistic enhancements make the audience more likely to apply the text’s strategies to their own argumentation and examine the arguments “pouring out at us like water from a never-ending fire hose” (436).
Argumentation and Society
Both effective and ineffective arguments impact society. Like the authors emphasize, arguments are all around, constantly exerting influence on both intended and invoked audiences. Arguments represent the interconnectedness of perspectives. They synthesize information from a range of sources to form a single, cohesive argument, bringing together disparate perspectives toward a shared solution. The authors reiterate the need to acknowledge counterarguments in each chapter detailing a type of argument. Acknowledging others’ perspectives adds credibility to one’s argument and ensures one’s claims are educated. The authors speak highly of Rogerian and invitational arguments, for “this kind of argument is especially important in a society that increasingly depends on successful collaboration to get things done” (127).
The authors examine rhetoric from the reader and the speaker’s perspectives, demonstrating the converse influence argumentation and society have on one another. The arguments that speakers make influence their readers and subsequently society, while society influences speakers and subsequently their arguments. This circle of influence purports the necessity of rhetorical awareness. Critically examining arguments enables readers to filter the influence of arguments on society, while ethically developing arguments helps speakers ensure they’re sharing valid content with society. For this reason, the authors include chapters on effectively writing arguments as well as analyzing them.
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