Rhetoric can be defined as the art of persuasion. Over the course of my life, I’ve used rhetoric, both inside and outside of classes, and both written and spoken. One example of the use of rhetoric to achieve something would be the case when, just recently, I managed to verbally convince a small circle of associates to invest in a small project.

Now, I have the video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl on my Nintendo Wii. Basically, we tend to play the game off and on, but on a regular enough basis to take it seriously. However, we generally play it on a 1080p resolution television (which can be considered high definition), although the Nintendo Wii can only support 480p resolution, (standard definition). I suggested that we use a program that can run Wii games in 1080p off of a computer, and connect it up to the television.

With sensible reasoning, I argued that since we had all the necessary components – computers, an HD television, the game itself, an HDMI cable, and four Gamecube controllers – the only item we would need to invest in separately would be adapters to connect the Gamecube controllers to the PC being used at the time. I determined that if five people chipped in, everyone would need to spend eight dollars to order them. By collecting the necessary information, confirming that it would be possible, and persuading a small circle of people to invest in the project, I ended up successfully collecting the money required, and putting it toward the project.
While the adapters have not been delivered yet, I did use rhetoric to persuade them to part with some of their money in an effort to begin a project. That initial persuasion, supported by my research and the promise of smoother and more high-definition gameplay, prompted my success in gaining their support. I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out.