In a thousand years the wisdom I share will not be discussed among scholars each day. In this regard, Quintilian has already passed me up in scholarly rank. However, I still have the power to disagree with his ideas. His basis for oratory, though compelling, stands on shaky ground. It is vastly important in our vocal society to have oratory skills. This is why, after all these years, we can still use the wise words of philosophers like Quintilian, Aristotle, and Plato to improve our use of rhetoric. With this in mind, anyone, no matter their intentions or evil nature, has the ability to be a great orator. Being a successful orator is not based on a person’s character, it is based on the way someone has mastered the art form of rhetoric.
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Politicians are the epitome of this middle ground. Scandal after scandal erupts into the media about our politicians. However, through speeches, they can convince enough people to vote them back into office time and time again. Quintilian claims a good man “must still be heard with greater credit than a bad man” (12.12.1). This reigns true, but sometimes evil intentions are unbeknownst to the public. Also, we live in a world where it is commonplace for politicians to have their own speech writers. Meaning it could be a bad man whose speech is written by a good man with pure …show more content…
Many times, these vices bring them to their demise. According to Quintilian, “It often happens that even when they speak the truth, belief is not accorded them” (12.13.3). Meaning, an orator can lose their following. As discussed in class, a perfect example is Adolf Hitler. A wildly successful orator, he gained an impressive following. Even voted Times Magazine’s “Man of The Year”, Hitler was a seemingly good man. Thus, making him a successful orator. It wasn’t until later that his evil intentions were revealed. In the end, he can still be in the books as a great orator, but terrible man. This case alone condemns Quintilian’s school of thought. Near the end of the reading, Quintilian’s tone begins to change. It brings us to the idea of white lies. To convince the masses, sometimes small details can be left out in order to meet the goal. Interestingly enough, I think he hits the nail on the head here. Sometimes, a great orator must put his plan first. Thus, becoming successful if he can bring enough people on board. Afterall, speaking to convince is the ultimate goal of any great speaker. However, I do not see this trait as one of a purely good man. Nonetheless, my definition of a good man could be drastically different than another
Politicians are the epitome of this middle ground. Scandal after scandal erupts into the media about our politicians. However, through speeches, they can convince enough people to vote them back into office time and time again. Quintilian claims a good man “must still be heard with greater credit than a bad man” (12.12.1). This reigns true, but sometimes evil intentions are unbeknownst to the public. Also, we live in a world where it is commonplace for politicians to have their own speech writers. Meaning it could be a bad man whose speech is written by a good man with pure …show more content…
Many times, these vices bring them to their demise. According to Quintilian, “It often happens that even when they speak the truth, belief is not accorded them” (12.13.3). Meaning, an orator can lose their following. As discussed in class, a perfect example is Adolf Hitler. A wildly successful orator, he gained an impressive following. Even voted Times Magazine’s “Man of The Year”, Hitler was a seemingly good man. Thus, making him a successful orator. It wasn’t until later that his evil intentions were revealed. In the end, he can still be in the books as a great orator, but terrible man. This case alone condemns Quintilian’s school of thought. Near the end of the reading, Quintilian’s tone begins to change. It brings us to the idea of white lies. To convince the masses, sometimes small details can be left out in order to meet the goal. Interestingly enough, I think he hits the nail on the head here. Sometimes, a great orator must put his plan first. Thus, becoming successful if he can bring enough people on board. Afterall, speaking to convince is the ultimate goal of any great speaker. However, I do not see this trait as one of a purely good man. Nonetheless, my definition of a good man could be drastically different than another