The Challenge of Ethical Persuasion
Ours is a sceptical and cynical age, perhaps because of large-scale abuses of communication ethics. A4s promise that products will make us sexier or richer. Persuasive messages disguised as information appear in “infomercials” seen on television. Public officials may present suspicious statistics, make dubious denials, or dance around questions they don’t want to answer directly. Television networks have staged visuals to dramatize their stories. Talk show hosts may play fast and loose with facts and use inflammatory language. Our government has more than once subjected us to “disinformation” campaigns that deceive the public. Little wonder that people have lost trust in their major institutions.
As a consumer of persuasive messages, you can at least partially protect yourself by applying the critical thinking skills. As a producer of persuasive messages, you can help counter this trend toward
unethical communication. While ethical questions in communication are often complex, depending upon the interaction of topic, situation, audience, and technique, you can start by keeping three simple questions in mind as you prepare your persuasive speech:
What is my ethical responsibility to my audience?
• Could I publicly defend the ethics of my message?
• What does this message say about my character?
Your responses to these questions should light your way through the complexities of ethical persuasion.
An ethical speech is based fundamentally on respect for the audience, responsible knowledge of the topic, and concern for the consequences of your words. The guidelines in the Speaker’s Notes above should help you apply these precepts to persuasive messages.
Tags: Reference