Response to Burke

Burke evaluates how Hitler uses rhetoric to convince and lead the whole public in Germany.   Burke states that Hitler uses sexual values to lead the masses.  The German public is considered the weak women that desire to be led by a dominating male such as himself.   The orator woos them with his language and rhetoric, and can convince them of anything.  Germany was in need of a leader at that time, and Hitler happened to use his skills to be one.  Hitler makes the nation believe that the ‘Aryan’ race is elevated and Jews and African Americans are inferior.  Hitler uses inborn dignity, projection device, and symbolic rebirth.  Hitler makes the nation feel as though they’re moving forward towards a new goal and positive future with the symbolic rebirth.  Hitler refuses to admit that Germany’s plight is connected with the war.  Burke comments on the power of Hitler’s use of repetition because that’s what people will remember.  Hitler’s idea had no rivals and that’s why it was so popular with the public, because they didn’t have any reasons why that idea was unacceptable. 

            I’ve always disliked the political commercials with the politician insulting the other candidate for doing certain things.  I dislike the fact that the politician is putting down the other candidate in order to get ahead.   In order to get votes and get the public behind them, the candidate should be promoting their own positive achievements and ideas instead of just pointing out the other flaws in other candidates.  Everyone who is into politics and registered to vote is the rhetorical audience of these political commercials.  It still appeals to them because the public remembers the demeaning commercials about the other candidates, and when it comes time to vote, they will vote for the candidate that had the least demeaning commercials against them.