To the People of the State of New York
A reader who wishes to remain anonymous sends the following and asks me to publish it.
Your Father Is a Hamster and Your Mother Smells of Elderberries!
By Publius Jr.
Friends, Americans, Countrymen, lend me your ears! Caesar is an SJW! He is a cuck! He is a homophobe and an islamophobe! He is a virtue-signaling Churchian!
Recently much has been said on the topic of rhetoric and dialectic. A hundred years ago, any educated man would have known the definition of these terms. Unfortunately, our modern schools no longer properly educate, so to many, these terms are mysterious.
Let us speak plainly, shall we? When we say rhetoric vs. dialectic, we mean propaganda vs. reason.
Reason uses logic to explain the steps of an issue. A=B and B=C, therefore A=C.
Propaganda uses something other than reason: threats, persuasion, appeal to the passions, name calling, false logic (Argument by authority is the strongest type of argument, as many eminent people will attest.)
Now, I ask you:
Who uses reason?
Is it a man speaking with his equals?
Who uses reason?
People who have faith in the intelligence of their audience?
Who uses reason?
One who desires the truth?
And then I ask you again:
Who uses propaganda?
Politicians trying to fool the masses?
Who uses propaganda?
Businesses trying to hook a sucker?
Who uses propaganda?
Cowards trying to avoid the holes in their arguments?
And now I ask you again:
Who is persuaded by reason?
Is it an intelligent man, who listens carefully and draws a wise conclusion?
Who is persuaded by reason?
Is it a wise man, who checks his facts?
Who is persuaded by reason?
Is it one equal listening to another?
Now, finally, I ask you one more time:
Who is persuaded by propaganda?
…
Think about that next time you poise your fingers above the keys to comment on the Internet.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
