<p>Benton and Abi agree to disagree about how to disagree.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>In our "polarized" political climate, what value is there in a rhetoric that doesn't aim to change minds? Is it possible to embody empathetic listening while protecting ourselves from harmful views?</p> <p><br /></p> <p>They discuss their not-especially-successful attempts to converse with undecided voters as the election nears, and how presidential debates aren't the right format for solving problems. Abi gives a quick rundown of alternatives to persuasion throughout the rhetorical tradition, culminating in the 2022 book <em>Rhetorical Listening in Action</em> by Ratcliffe &amp; Jensen.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Stay to the end for Abi's most embarrassing high school debate experience.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sources and further reading</strong></p> <ul> <li>Braver Angels. (n.d.). <em>Our Mission</em>. Braver Angels. Retrieved October 21, 2024, from <a href="https://braverangels.org/our-mission/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://braverangels.org/our-mission/</a></li> <li>Burke, K. (1969). <em>A Grammar of Motives</em>. University of California Press.</li> <li>Compassionate Listening Project. (n.d.). <em>History</em>. CompassionateListening. Retrieved October 21, 2024, from <a href="https://www.compassionatelistening.org/history" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.compassionatelistening.org/history</a></li> <li>Foss, S. K., &amp; Griffin, C. L. (1995). Beyond persuasion: A proposal for an invitational rhetoric. <em>Communications Monographs</em>, <em>62</em>(1), 2–18.</li> <li>Gearhart, S. M. (1979). The womanization of rhetoric. <em>Women’s Studies International Quarterly</em>, <em>2</em>(2), 195–201.</li> <li>Heller, C. (2015, March 9). Life Inside Jabba the Hutt: Toby Philpott Explains How Puppeteers Operated Jabba the Hutt. <em>The Atlantic</em>. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/387298/life-inside-jabba-the-hutt/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/387298/life-inside-jabba-the-hutt/</a></li> <li>Inman, M. (n.d.) "Piggers are going all the way this year." The Oatmeal. <a href="https://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences2/locker_room" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences2/locker_room</a></li> <li>Jarratt, S. C. (1991). Feminism and composition: The case for conflict. <em>Contending with Words: Composition and Rhetoric in a Postmodern Age</em>, 105–123.</li> <li><em>Organizing and protest security culture</em>. (2022, March). [Audio recording]. The Poor Proles Skillshare. <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2Xb99VLft9T9ObBLFJkj3n" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://open.spotify.com/show/2Xb99VLft9T9ObBLFJkj3n</a></li> <li>Perelman, C., &amp; Olbrechts-Tyteca, L. (1973). <em>The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation</em>. University of Notre Dame Pess.</li> <li>Quintilian. (1987). <em>Quintilian on the teaching of speaking and writing: Translations from books one, two, and ten of the Institutio Oratoria</em> (J. J. Murphy, Trans.). SIU Press.</li> <li>Ratcliffe, K., &amp; Jensen, K. (2022). <em>Rhetorical Listening in Action: A Concept-Tactic Approach</em>. Parlor Press LLC.</li> <li><em>Talking radical politics with Dr. Ayesha Khan</em>. (2022, March). [Podcast episode]. The Poor Proles Skillshare. <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2Xb99VLft9T9ObBLFJkj3n" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://open.spotify.com/show/2Xb99VLft9T9ObBLFJkj3n</a></li> <li><em>Talking Sense: Navigating relationships across political divides</em>. (2024, September 5). MPR News. <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2024/09/04/talking-sense-navigating-relationships-across-political-divides" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2024/09/04/talking-sense-navigating-relationships-across-political-divides</a></li> <li>Weil, Z., &amp; Goodall, J. (2024). <em>The Solutionary Way: Transform Your Life, Your Community, and the World for the Better</em>. New Society Publishers.</li> <li>WeRateDogs (Director). (2024, September 30). <em>Tim Walz and His Rescue Dog Scout | WeWalkDogs</em> [Video recording]. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spiwlde4kys" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spiwlde4kys</a></li> </ul> <p>Music credits: </p> <ul> <li>Opening theme:  <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">S: </a><a href="https://freesound.org/people/SergeQuadrado/sounds/511408/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Disco Funk Loop</a> by <a href="https://freesound.org/people/SergeQuadrado/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">SergeQuadrado</a> | License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Attribution NonCommercial 3.0</a></li> <li>Julius Fučík (1897) "Entrance of the Gladiators" op. 68</li> </ul> <p>Visit <a href="https://faculty.mnsu.edu/tctalk/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://faculty.mnsu.edu/tctalk/</a> for transcript.</p>