Kairos means the right moment in ancient Greek. When writing a speech or proposal it is not only important to take note of who your message is being delivered to but to also make sure that the timing is correct. I think that the right moment and circumstances adds power to the message being delivered. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is perhaps the most powerful speech written in American history. The speech is only a little over a two minutes long, short and to the point. I think that one of the reasons why it is so powerful is because of when it was delivered, during the Civil War. As we all know one of the biggest reasons that fueled the Civil war was the issue of slavery. The Gettysburg Address was delivered four months after the battle of Gettysburg on the day that the Soldier's National cemetery was dedicated. Those two events alone were so significant in our history that when the speech was delivered it was exactly what the country needed to hear from its leader.
Claudia, your information substantiating the power of kairos is very similar to my perspective. I think that politicians have the role of playing into our emotions and utilizing the time's successes and pitfalls propel their argument. In a world where we feel compelled to justify our words and actions, do you think kairos is a critical element to your day to day rhetoric? I know that I consider how I approach my boss, husband, and even mother in conversation according to time. Using kairos we feel compelled to consider the relevance of our argument.
ReplyDelete