Matt Galligan

If Aristotle were alive today he might have tried to apply his Modes of Persuasion to the current state of politics. Here’s my take on it:

Republicans are careful marketers and try to relate to the emotions of their constituents. They are Pathos:

Pathos (plural: patha or pathea) is an appeal to the audience’s emotions. It can be in the form of metaphor, simile, a passionate delivery, or even a simple claim that a matter is unjust. Pathos can be particularly powerful if used well, but most speeches do not solely rely on pathos. Pathos is most effective when the author or speaker demonstrates agreement with an underlying value of the reader or listener.

Democrats try to expound their platform through logic and stark truths. They are Logos.

Logos (plural: logoi) is logical appeal or the simulation of it, and the term logic is derived from it. It is normally used to describe facts and figures that support the speaker’s topic. Having a logos appeal also enhances ethos (see above) because information makes the speaker look knowledgeable and prepared to his or her audience. However, the data can be confusing and thus confuse the audience. Logos can also be misleading or inaccurate.