Krista Ratcliffe’s theory regarding rhetorical listening greatly contributes to Kenneth Burke’s notion of identification. Burke claims that “you persuade a man only insofar as you can talk his language by speech, gesture, tonality, order, image, attitude, idea, identifying your ways with his.” His idea of identification elaborates on how it is shown through persuasion. When an individual uses persuasion, characteristics of their identity are shared with the audience.
In addition, Ratcliffe believes that rhetorical listening allows us to be open to new ideas and opinions in cross-cultural dialogues. Listening is beneficial to seeking the truth because it helps expose us to other viewpoints and beliefs, which will eventually guide us to the ultimate truth. The combination of Ratcliffe and Burke’s theories better our understanding of rhetoric and discourse because it allows for recognizing differences among one another, giving us a more efficient understanding of the rhetor's intentions. These theories are important in today's world because it can potentially help bring humanity together in the sense of recognizing and respecting everyone's differences regarding gender, sexuality, race, and other controversial topics.
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