Defining digital and visual rhetoric

Chapter Two: Daily Life in Cyberspace - This article outlined the emergence of a new computer service in 1985 called WELL begun by Whole Earth publisher Stewart Brand. The charge for this service was originally $3.00 an hour. The public online service was launched because two people from a previous cultural revolution noticed that the technology of computer conferencing had potential beyond its then current uses of military, scientific and government communications. They originally wanted the WELL to become a vehicle for social change and used the WELL as a cultural experiment. They selected different individuals and offered them free accounts. Instead of advertising, they gave journalists free accounts to encourage them to drawn in new subscribers.

The original design goals of the WELL were:
1. It should be free or as cheap as they could make it.
2. It should make a profit.
3. It would be an open-ended universe.
4. It would be self-governing.
5. It would be a self-designing experiment.
6. It would be a community that reflected the nature of Whole Earth publications.
7. Business users would bring in the money, but that did not happen.

Nobody is anonymous on the WELL. Each user must attach their real userid to their postings.
The author goes on to describe several of the people he has met on the WELL site.

Virtual communities are places where people meet and they are the tools. Some people use the WELL for the community and friendships that have developed and others use it as an information source. Virtual communities' members are workers whose professional standing is based on what they know. A virtual community can be like a living encyclopedia where the members help each other. This is a great way for a large, diverse group of people to multiply their individual degree of expertise.

The premise of experts on the well is if you have a problem or questions concerning any topic, you pose it. Nothing may happen or you may receive the answer that is exactly what you need. The answer to your question may be found in the community librarian service or may be answered by another WELL member. Experts compete to solve problems. For only $2.00 an hour, you have access to your own think tank.

The evolution of the WELL and its' community was interesting but it was hard to follow the writing of the author.

Book III

The first sentence of chapter I of the Index to Chapter III is a comment about style that I try to remind myself of every day. "It is not enough to know what to say; we must also say it in the right way." In my job, I deal with customers and my staff daily. I may have to find the right words to say to a customer when he is upset about a fee or there may be an occasion when I will need to coach an employee. In these circumstances, I not only need to say the right words, but also pay attention to the tone I use. As stated in chapter 7, the words I use must be appropriate for the situation. I am appealing to the emotion of the customer or employee and his character, the topic or subject must be understood, and I should be tactful with the situation. In this type of setting, I am trying to persuade the customer that the fee is reasonable or with an employee, that this is procedure we must use and by doing it correctly, it will affect our customers positively.

It is always important to speak clearly, using correct pronunciation, understandable words, and a pleasing volume. Correctness of language is the foundation of good style which includes: the proper use of connecting words, calling things by their special names, avoiding ambiguities, using correct nouns, and using the correct wording for plurality. A written composition must be easy to read and easy to deliver.

Using descriptions and representative words adds to the impressiveness of language. When trying to engage an audience, add liveliness to help your hearers see things by using expressions that represent things as in a state of activity.

Speeches have only two necessary parts - the statement of the case and the argument. At most, it can consist of an Introduction, Statement, Argument, and Epilogue. The introduction and epilogue are used to introduce the subject and to draw it to a conclusion. When stating the case, use plain facts, indicate a moral purpose, use emotions, and guarantee the truth. The duty of the arguments is to attempt demonstrative proof. Make your conclusion distinct.

Some of the comments in both Chapters I and III are hard to understand until I think of how long ago Aristotle captured his thoughts. Even though some of thoughts are kind of obscure, so much of what he says is relevant to today's world of speech.

Aristotle's rhetoric - Book-1

Rhetoric is the ancient art of argumentation and discourse...The earliest known studies of rhetoric come from the Golden Age when philosophers of ancient Greece discussed logos, ethos, and pathos.

http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/resource/rhet.html

Aristotle describes rhetoric as being useful because, when a judge decides against a speaker who speaks the truth and believes just things have a tendency to prevail over their opposites, the speaker is to blamed for his failure. When persuading an audience, it is noted that some people are simply not educated and must be instructed through persuasion. Persuasion must be used to clearly state the facts so that people are able to understand the clear facts.

There are three kinds of modes of persuasion; the first depends on the personal character of the speaker, the second involves putting the audience into a certain frame of mind and third is the proof that must be provided by the speech itself. The speaker must be able to reason logically, understand human character and its goodness, and to understand emotions. Persuasion must come through the hearers after their emotions are stirred by the speech.

The speaker, the subject, and the person addressed are the three elements in speech making. The hearer must be a judge who determines the speech's end and object.

Aristotle stated that the main matters on which all men deliberate and politicians make speeches about are ways and means, war and peace, national defense, imports and exports, and legislation. It seems as if subject matter has not changed much since his days. He believed that one must study the history of his own country as well as be familiar with the history and current affairs of other countries.

Happiness was important to Aristotle, with importance based on good birth, plenty of friends, good friends, wealth, good children and plenty of them, a happy old age, health, beauty, strength, large stature, athletic powers, fame, honour, good luck and virtue. He wanted it all.

Aristotle talks a lot about the concept of being good and what makes something good. Happiness is desirable and sufficient by itself. He believe that which most people seek after must be good and that which people praise must also be good because they would not praise it if it was not good. Things that are praiseworthy are noble and therefore, better. Men want to actually be better than they want to be seen because to aim at a goal is closer to reality. Summing up the definition of good is something that is dearly prized is better than what is not.