SPCM 201 1st Edition Lecture 23Kenneth Burke Who is Kenneth Burke? 1897-1993 A.D. American Born in Pittsburgh, PA Student at Columbia University “Educated” in New York City A unique education (taught himself) A wanderer: socialist, communist, poet, fiction writer, book reviewer, journalist “A party animal” Discovered rhetoric/rhetoric discovered him at middle-age The single most important rhetorical scholar of the 20th century, of modern times Burke’s Texts Burke has many influential texts We read fourThe Definition of ManLike many theorists, Burke starts by defining humanity to help explain rhetoric and human activityFive parts(1) Man is a Symbol Using Animal(2) Inventor of the Negative(3) Separated from his Own Making(4) Goaded by Spirit of Hierarchy(5) Rotten with Perfection #1 Man is Symbol Using Animal Symbols: something that stands for or suggests something elsei.e. cross, flags, wordsConsider how much for our world is made up of symbolsWe refuse to realize how central symbols are to our existenceThey are also imperfect: “talk about things in terms of what they are not.”HOWEVER, we do not just use words/symbols Symbols also use usTherefore, we are also symbol mis-using animals #2 Inventor of the Negative“There are no NEGATIVES in nature”They are the creation of humans and their symbolsCan you imagine a “not-chair”?Negatives are quite useful:The subjunctive: unfulfilled expectations“Thou shalt not”: the basis of morality and law Negatives also make humans distinctive…Humans are creatures of ACTION: we can choose to do or not do somethingAnimals are creatures of MOTION: they cannot see negatives, so they are impelled by instinct #3 Separated from his Natural Condition by Making Instruments of his Own Making All human societies are lead away from nature by their own inventionsWhat separates you from nature, at this moment?We create “second nature” (i.e. the city)-We feel more comfortable in itHumans invent many things, including tools (homofaber) and language These are second-level activities animals do not do Animals maight use tools; they do not use tools to make tools Animals might use language; but they do not use language to talk about language However, symbols are the primary invention of mankind that facilitates all other inventions #4 Goaded of Spirit of Hierarchy Humans are moved by incentives for organization and status (elaborated elsewhere)What kind of hierarchy do you encounter daily?People feel compelled to move higherGuilt plays a role in this processThose who are UP feel guilty that are not DOWNThose who are DOWN feel guilty they are not UPThis guilt creates a separation between people which they find mysteriousIt is trying to understand this mystery that often compels humans to communicate#5 Rotten with PerfectionPerfection is the goal of the symbol using animal Because of world is made of imperfect symbols, we are constantly trying to making those symbols more perfectly transmit our understanding to othersBut perfection is, of course, impossibleSo, we always fail, which produces guilt, shame, and the drive to reach perfection againIt’s human nature, but can have some bad consequencesScapegoating: blaming someone else for our inability to be perfect, often results in rejection from community“Terminology compulsion”: lying to ourselves about reality to make our reality seem perfectIndeed, if we could achieve perfection we would probably destroy ourselves in a perfect conclusion (Armageddon)-Therefore, becoming comfortable with our imperfection is the key to our salvation “Terministic Screens”An essay in Burke’s book Language and Symbolic Action Builds directly upon what he discusses in “The Definition of Man” Focuses on how Dramatistic Approach to Language Burke builds on “Definition of Man’s” idea that language is horatoryIt is about doing or not doing (i.e. “thou shall nots”)He labels this the Dramatistic approach to language (vs. the Scientific approach) -How we think of language use in stories, plays poems, advertising, theology, and rhetoric, etc. -By its very nature it is “suasive” (a.k.a. persuasive or rhetorical) -How so? Directing Attention“Even is any given terminology is a reflection of reality, by its very nature as a terminology it must be a selection of reality; and to this extent it must function also as a deflection of reality” In other words, language is not clear cut, obvious, and objective (i.e. scientism) Rather, by its very nature as a symbolic system it directs attention to certain meanings and away from others Terministic ScreensIn other words, language functions through terministic screens Color Filters Metaphor: “different photographs of the same object, the difference being that they were made with different color filters”To say it another way, our language often paints a picture of the same world in a very different ways to reflect our different perspectives The Call to Study Dramatism We must learn to live with terministic screens“There will be as many different world views in human history as there are people” How might we learn to use them better?However, we are also all united by this perspective taking through languageIn short, all humans are creatures of action—actions driven by symbolsGiven this, Dramatisim—analyzing language as a “mode of action rather than as a means of
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