Yes We Can...or can we?

In the 2008 Mccain vs. Obama ad titled "Yes We Can," Barack Obama gives a speech that is put to music and echoed by a chorus of celebrities. As I watched this video the repeated "yes we can!" began to burrow into my mind. I began to think that we could, whatever we were trying to do. As I listened to the speech I realized that Obama was talking about change. Yes we can have change. He presented this idea very effectively.

This video is aimed at a more youthful audience, with lively, vibrant music and an overwhelming number of teenage idols. The video contains individuals such as: Will.I.Am, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Common, John Legend, Tatiana Ali, Scarlett Johannsen, and a host of others. Obama is establishing credibility by synchronizing his views with the views of icons in our media-centered world. As Obama speaks, his words are echoed in a catchy song sung by teenage heroes.

Obama appeals to the audience's emotions by talking about struggles of slaves, immigrants, pioneers, and women. These kinds of controversial issues are the one's that people feel most strongly about. Therefore, Obama, by saying he wants to leave these behind and change, appeals to people upset by the past. As the video fades, "Vote Hope" flashes across the scene, giving the audience one more reminder that Mccain promises nothing but despair.

Truly Inspired...

In the Saturday morning session of the April 2008 general conference, President Henry B Eyring spoke on the one true church. President Eyring totally appeals to his audience as he takes a humble approach to the subject and reminds us of the covenants we made. This talk really struck me because I've always believed in the church without a doubt, but I've never had the strongest reasoning behind me beliefs.

President Eyring immediately establishes credibility with his audience by talking about the sustaining of the prophet and other apostles and by quoting the scriptures. In doing this, he creates an atmosphere where he is the authority figure and we are learning from him. From there he goes into the logical aspect of his argument, saying that the church is true because in it are the keys of the priesthood. There are always those people who need the facts. President Eyring understands his audience well.

President Eyring also plays a lot on emotions. He talks about the death of Joseph Smith and emphasizes Joseph's martyrdom. Another way he creates an emotional appeal is by touching on families. He talks about how families can become stronger and closer through the gospel. As we all know, minivan-driving mormons place a huge amount of importance on the family. 

I did not expect to find rhetorical tools in general conference, but President Eyring's talk was loaded with them. He knew his audience and appealed to them. And all this time I thought they were just convincing because they were on the TV...