For modern students, a training in rhetoric such as that offered by Gorgias is more
preferable, rather than learning how to distinguish truth from falsehood. It is the art
of forceful language, emphasizing figures of speech and focusing on devices for swaying
and persuading an audience, that would be most beneficial for students lives today.
Despite the fact that it is simply ornamented language to make a good facade, the
rhetoric by Gorgias is necessary for the success of students, especially those who would
like to "sell" their ideas, products or beliefs to the people (the larger population).
In the world we live in, there are many ways of getting the things that we want. The
way most people would like to believe that their accomplishments were achieved is
through hard work and sweat. However, that is not how it works, because most people
around the world lie to get things to go their way. A perfect example of a group of
people that use the rhetoric are politicians. Politicians will say and do anything to
convince the citizens that they are right, and that they will do all they promise to do,
if you vote for him or her. They try to convince us all the time, and often succeed,
that they will make changes. Just think about the many times we've heard, "If you vote
for me, I will lower the taxes."
Gorgias makes a very clear point regarding the power of the rhetoric. The following
quote from Gorgias expresses the impact that rhetoric can have on those listening.
I mean the ability to convince by means of speech
a jury in a court of justice, members of the Council
in their Chamber, voters at a meeting of the Assembly,
and any other gathering of citizens whatever it may be.
By the exercise of this ability you will have the doctor
and the trainer as your slaves, and your man of business
will turn out to be making money not for himself but for
another; for you, in fact, who have the ability to speak
and to convince the masses. (Gorgias, p.28 sec. 453)
What Gorgias is saying in the preceding quote is about the amazing power of persuasion.
He is saying that if you have the ability to convince, you have the power to sway anyone
listening by your ideas. He demonstrates the diverse situations in which the "ability to
convince" can help the persuader, by giving him the power so that the control will be in
his or her hands. Convincing is not only a form of speech, it is a form of twisting the
truth, elaborating on the truth, in other words lying.
If you ask students today, they will tell you that people cannot "do right" all the
time. Although, Socrates says "...truth can never be refuted." (Socrates, p.60
sec.473), which means that when only truth is spoken, no one will be able to win you over
or prove you wrong. Therefore, according to Socrates, training on how to distinguish
truth from falsehood would not protect you from rhetoric such as that offered by Gorgias.
Even though this is an important point, in modern society survival is based on the power
of persuasion. As said by Socrates, " ...the orator does not teach juries and other
bodies about right and wrong - he merely persuades them;..."(Socrates, p.32 sec.455).
What he means is that orators do not tell you what is wrong and what is right in the
situation, they tell you the facts and then try to persuade you to believe them.
Everyday when we turn on the television companies try to convince us that their products
are better, by giving us reasons which aren't always the full truth. For example, DiDi
Seven says that it will remove stains off of anything. That is not quite true for when
you read the cover of the box you will see that it says do not use on colored materials
for it is a bleach. They "lied" to the customers because they said it would remove any
stain. In actuality it removes the stain by bleaching and this could actually ruin the
article of material you are using it on since it will leave a white mark after removing
the stain. Furthermore, anyone working in sales must convince the customer that their
product is the product the customer needs, despite the possibility that the customer may
not really need that product in particular.
For students in this day and in age, it would be beneficial for them to be trained in
rhetoric because not too many people believe in truth anymore. Gorgias is right by
saying the rhetoric can distinguish someone who is successful from someone who is not
unless that person is successful by hard work and honesty, which doesn't happen often.
Knowing the difference between truth and falsehood isn't something that is very hard to
learn but being able to convince and persuade people is a talent that students have to be
trained in.
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