Being Convincing

The ability to communicate complex thoughts and ideas is one of the most important things setting people apart from other animals. By improving communication, people can exchange ideas and opinions with much greater ease; effective communication is one of the most valuable skills that someone can have in the modern world. This means that it is important to know what separates effective communication from ineffective communication, and how effective communication should be defined. Richard Dawkins’ book on the theory of evolution, The Greatest Show on Earth, is an attempt to communicate the understanding of and belief in evolution to his readers. This example of communication can be picked apart to determine what Dawkins communicated well and what he didn’t, and by examining the techniques that make communication and, in particular, persuasion, it is clear that effective persuasion consists of the use of logic, evidence, and most important, appealing to the audience.

Debate is an organized form of argumentation in which people argue sides to convince an audience, and the techniques of debating are meant to reflect a perfected style of communication and persuasion. In other words, looking at the way people debate will help construct the foundation of the definition of effective communication since debate techniques are meant to best communicate an argument. An article from Simon Frasier University’s website outlines the basic ideas behind how to successfully debate. The article focuses on many of the activity-specific skills involved in debate, such as the pace and the volume of a speech and making eye contact with the audience. These skills may seem useless outside of debate, but summarizing what the article says, speaking at the right volume and having the right tone (in both voice and vocabulary) and showing enthusiasm and interest all make it easier for the audience to listen, and if the audience is listening then they are more likely to understand and agree. Although outside of debate there may not be a rigid structure to arguing and communicating, there is always an audience to someone communicating, so the same skills apply. Of course, the article also talks about how to create good arguments using logic and evidence, which is an obvious element of effective persuasion too. However, the less obvious elements consider the audience, such as the tone and interest mentioned, as well as other aspects that are considered from the audience’s point of view.

 One of the most important facets of effective persuasion is making the audience want to agree. This is a factor outside of any arguments themselves and is not obvious. Richard Dawkins book is trying to convince people to believe evolution, and this means his audience is people who disbelieve and he is trying to sway them, otherwise he would only be preaching to the choir. In the book, Dawkins refers to disbelievers as “history deniers” and says that they are similar to people who deny the holocaust.. In an article on the University of Maryland’s website, it says that making a point effective requires to “recognize their side and their concerns to show respect. This usually results in reciprocal behavior.” Dawkins book exemplifies why these things are true, since Dawkins’ comparison of his audience to holocaust deniers is disrespectful, and will lose him many people who might have been swayed if he had been more respectful. Understanding the situation of the audience and being careful to say things that will be taken well are more important than any other aspect of effective communication, because most people will stop listening to somebody who is insulting them. Logic isn’t everything. Written communication may be more difficult, but as an article from the Journal of Oncology Practice states, “As with all written communication, the most important aspect to consider is the audience. Consider the knowledge and biases of the person… the purpose of writing is to engage the reader… write it in a way that helps the reader” This offers a new perspective on considering the audience: it is just as important to be interesting as it is to be correct and respectful. Past the disrespect, Dawkins’ argument is as interesting as it is informative. He makes evolution matter. He makes it seem like an issue that everyone should care about. He talks about the implications of not believing in evolution and how those who do not believe have stunted our nation’s scientific development. Making an argument relevant to the life of the audience is something not always considered, but is critical to effective communication.

Communication is not straightforward. It would be strange if it were, since it is one of the most complex things that our species can do. The subtle aspects of argumentation such as making arguments relevant to the audience and being respectful, along with conveying the message in the exact right way are the most important facets of effective persuasion, even more so than presenting a logical argument. Adolf Hitler had one of the worst and most dehumanizing worldviews out of anybody who ever lived, yet he somehow was able to convince a nation that he was right by appealing to his audience in just the right way. While Hitler’s manipulation is an example of how this knowledge can be misused, knowing what really makes communication and persuasion effective will lead to a more cohesive and developed tomorrow.

Works Cited

"Developing Effective Communication Skills." Journal of Oncology Practice 3.6 (2007): 314-17. Web.

"FSAP - Effective Communication." Welcome to the University Health Center. University of Maryland, n.d. Web. 22 May 2014.

Kidd, A. "HOW TO DEBATE." HOW TO DEBATE. Simon Frasier University, 26 Aug. 2002. Web. 22 May 2014.