Logos ? Ethos ? Pathos ?

Life is not so simple, it’s complex of many elements, where each of those plays its own role. Good speakers and outstanding speeches are not simple as well. I’ve heard a lot of good speakers, everyone from that category has his or her strong and weak sides. Nevertheless, none of good speaker is just an only things, either ethos, or pathos, or even logos. There is one person in my mind whom I think about as a speaker who deserves any kind of admiration. From my perspective good speaker becomes good when his speech is logically correct, emotionally motivated and weighty due speaker’s personality.  It is just impossible to be a good speaker and operate with only one of those elements. Here is why.

Every speech persuades particular goal, which is to do or not to do a certain kind of deed. Emotions can’t be the only key to successful in speech, because feeling come and go, but any accomplishment requires persistence. 

 Emotions, which Aristotle refers to as pathos, are like a primer cap that starts fire of passion and get challenge to be triumphed over. However, if challenge that speaker offers to his listeners is tough and acceptance of the call requires making a step, there should be convenient element, which usually is logic or logos.

 Logic or development of idea requires preparation, education, and research. All of those elements could easily sink your message in boring facts, and lifeless arguments. 

Nevertheless, we can’t reject that many prospective speakers buried themselves by acting opposite to what they tried to teach. That’s where ethos or trustworthiness of the speaker takes first place. Even though the best person of the world gives a speech, but the one that has nothing in common with logic and emotions, his speech will not reach its goal and people will go without experiencing any changes in their life. Audience’s heart will stay untouched. I really think that a good speaker should follow logic, call for emotions, and be ready to say “I’m what I teach”.  I find all three elements every time while listening to my favorite speaker. That’s why I really doubt that I would mention him as outstanding speaker if his speeches lack any of those elements. I always keep in mind and applying those elements to persuade other. In case I intentionally or not miss any of those element I find it challenging to convince anyone listen to me. Once I left a job, which was in car sales, because my own expectation of products quality didn’t match what I saw and had to sell. I really think that to persuade someone you need to believe in it on your side.