I have finally chosen what I will critique and present for the Neo-Aristotelian unit. My husband and I have always loved Dave Ramsey and he uses a TON of persuasive material in all of his speeches. He's super effective due to his primary target audience & credibility.
Who is speaking? Dave Ramsey (some people call him the Nation's Leading Prophet of Personal Finance)
What's the occasion? Financial Peace presentation
Who is the audience? Religious adults in tough economic times where many are in debt. In his speech, Dave doesn't address non-believers, making the assumption among his target audience that all believe in God and would want to follow God's will for them.
What's the rhetor's claim? "Get out of debt, stay out of debt"
I will explore the SPECIFIC ARTISTIC PROOFS USED BY DAVE RAMSEY IN HIS SPEECH:
First, Dave Ramsey uses ETHOS by his established credibility. His audience is likely well aware of his personal success, intelligence, and good will.
For example: Dave Ramsey is a well educated financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker. He has been named, "The Nation's Leading Prophet of Personal Finance) He was born and raised in Tennesse (southern, sexy accent). At the age of 26 Ramsey had successfully built a portfolio worth more than $4 million dollars, becoming one of Tennessee's youngest. brokers to be admitted to the Graduate Realtors Institute.
Ramsey's success soon came to an end , and was forced to file for bankruptcy relief. He has experienced both ends of the spectrum, wealth and poverty. He had to build back up from bankruptcy to the success he has now.
Where is he now? Highlights of Dave Ramsey's success:
• Owns Lampo Group ( a 3 division corporation geared to financial counseling, one specifically for church organizations)
• Hosts the radio talk show "The Dave Ramsey Show" over 500
• Named the 2009 Marconi Award winner for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year
• Successful Author of books and podcasts
• Runs "Financial Peace University", a biblically based 13-week video training series for adults covering topics such as cash flow planning, investing, saving, credit, retirement, and giving.
• Devoted Christian
• Family man (married with wife and 3 successful children)
• Millionaire
One example: Does Dave practice what he preaches????
Here is Dave's home. Market appraisal of $4,909,200. A mortgage is not recorded for the property. He likely paid cash, practicing what he preaches.
Source:www.biblemoneymatters.com
Dave Ramsey is a highly credible spokesperson!!!!! Throughout his speech, most of the ethos proof's used comes by "symbols" of WHO Dave Ramsey IS! He further intertwines proof of ethos by quoting scripture from memory, walks around while presenting proving dialogue is memorized, and I think the way he is comfortably dressed (jeans, suit coat, button shirt without tie) proves self-confidence as it is not flashy or expensive.
With this background of credibility, he already has strong persuasive ability before he even starts talking.
SPECIFIC EXCERPTS FROM HIS SPEECH TO ANALYZE:
1. (0:09-1:05) Dave makes a claim: "Cash hurts when you spend it." To back this claim he uses a symbol of actual cash, pulling it out of his pocket. He interludes, ". . . most expensive visual aide he uses." (but, do you remember the above picture of his house???, how much does he make?) Dave proves his claim by using pathos, and gets theatrically emotional and weepy while pretending to spend his cash, showing actual hurt. Then using logos, Dave uses reasoning to make his justification, specifically telling of a study done by MIT published in Carnegie magazine claiming that when you spend cash it activates the pain center of the brain, but when you spend with plastic? (he pauses). . . "NOTHING, flatline____________, like there was NO BRAIN". Ramsey uses inductive reasoning in the form of an enthymeme to justify his claim: Using a credit card provides no brain stimulation, therefore brainless people use credit cards. It's easier to justify a claim (true or false) with inductive reasoning.
--Discussion: Does cash really hurt when you spend it?
2. (1:36-2:50) Dave makes a claim: "There is NO excuse not to retire as a Millionaire." Here Dave brings up the logical point that if one were to save $100 a month from ages 30-70, he would accumulate over a million dollars. Then Ramsey generates an emotional appeal through the pathos avenue by making specific criticisms to the audience calling them, "latte breath" , "pizza boy," and starts to mention golf but stops his dialogue and states that, "I won't get personal", however he already did. He stirred up feelings of worry and concern if you are the one who ever orders a pizza, or stops for a drink, or spends money on recreation like golf. He then states emphatically that, "You blow $100 a month." His claim is that we can each find somewhere in our finances where we are spending money that we really could be saving. Further justification for his claim is the use of religion. He quotes scripture from memory (using em "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil. " and "Fools spend everything they make, wise men save and invest" He excuses himself by pointing out, "I didn't say it, God said it. Get mad at Him! He's the One that messed up your theology." Suggesting that God's word is divine command, over-ruling, above what anyone else says or does. "Wise people save and invest" Reasoning: You are a fool if you don't save and invest.
--Discussion: Is NOT being a millionaire inexcusable?
3. (4:25-5:30) Dave claims: "The borrower is slave to the master" First off he quotes Jesus saying one cannot serve two masters. He infers that his audience is aware that Jesus is the Master they want to follow, but when you are in debt, you are following the opposite master, the devil. Implying, if you are in debt, you are serving the devil.
Then he mentions, "the master is cracking his whip on your back." One could sympathize with this if they pictured themselves like unto Jesus who allowed soldiers to crack their whips on His back. This could prove to be a powerful emotion if one believes that Jesus atoned for their sins so that they would not have to suffer that same pain.
Dave uses symbols in this section when he refers to popular credit cards. Renaming them: "Mastercard" (emphasis on master, specifically after talking about which master we would want to serve), "American Distress", and "Discovered Bondage." I really think Dave generates emotion next when he asks the audience, "What would you feel like to have no payments?" -pause- He answers, "FREE". By his delivery method of body movements he portrays feelings of freedom. Coming out from something depressive. He says, "Sounds like something a slave would say, I'm FREE." He asks how that resonates with their spirit, concluding that the spirit will conclude it is true.
4. (5:48-8:55) Dave claims: "Give. Give, Give, Give. God loves a cheerful giver." Dave laughs out-loud hilariously. He generates emotion by his story of a friend giving a $500 tip to a waitress on Thanksgiving, implying she must be poor if she is working on Thanksgiving. Dave says giving is the most fun you will ever have, but that you can't help other people if you are broke. Then the music starts playing in the background, Dave's voice softens, he calls out to the audience that they are 'normal', but he wants them to be 'weird'.
This section is FULL of inductive reasoning. Using cause and effect logic. Ends on note that most of all (if you follow Dave's suggestions) you can impact the Kingdom of God, and can have FUN doing it.
How does language impact the goal of meaning? use of scripture, vocal tonation, humor, easy to understand and relate to
If spoken, how is the artifact delivered? enthusiastically, comfortably, without notes, with humor, energy, relevance, association, as if he were your best friend, portrays good will, walking around the stage, eye contact, body movement and nonverbal gestures
Was the intended effect met? Intended effect is to motivate the audience to "Get out of debt & stay out of debt" by generating enough motivation that the audience feels sufficiently compelled to take action and control over their finances, because of their belief in God and doing what is right.
All the talk after your presentation was interesting but all I know is that while he was talking, I felt like I should be taking notes! Actually, it made me think about my husband's grandma. She told all of us to just set aside $10 from every paycheck and we'd survive. After she died, they found $10 bills stuffed everywhere throughout her house! The funnest places were teddy bears that she had stuffed with money. Good job Amber, ya got me thinking.
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