RBP 2

In reading Burke and Ratcliff, it is apparent to me that both rhetoricians value the ways in which we communicate with each other in order to gain deeper understanding from these interactions. To me, both are discussing ideas parallel to one another but differ in their approaches, evident in their elaborations.

Burke, in the Theory of Identification, outlined that identification is done by persuasion. He goes on to explain that this is done by identifying with your crowd to appear relatable in order to gain their acceptance. “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.” This quote outlines how Burke proposes we appeal to others; by essentially walking and talking like others to form an ally-ship.

Ratcliffe, on the other hand, discussed the importance of listening in her piece. She defined listening as a means of gaining understanding into another’s point of view which can lead to the truth of said matter. It was of emphasis that the way we listen can highlight different aspects of a person’s life such as their demographic and position in life as well as to gain insight to how someone may be approaching a situation. This point lead me back to Burke’s idea on terministic screens, remining me of how explained that we each view the world differently and this can largely be influenced by different cultures.

We see the intersection of Burke and Ratcliffe’s theories in that by aligning yourself with others (Burke) that you can therefore become a better listener to gain a better understanding of something to reach truth (Ratcliff). I feel this is important in our day in age to seek understanding from both sides of a topic, discussion, argument, etc. will help to aid the ways we communicate with one another. This reminds me of the saying that “you never know what someone is going through until you walk a mile in their shoes.”