How are rhetorical devices used to promote fear?

Introduction:

Because fear is one of the most basic human instincts, it can easily be used as a tool shape attitudes and behaviors. Parents use fear (being grounded, being put in time outs, or receiving spankings) to keep their children safe and well behaved. Governments use fear (being fined, arrested, jailed) to keep their citizens in line and their communities safe. In fact, fear can be such a powerful tool that entire campaigns (created by politicians AND marketers) are developed around “fear appeals.”

Of course, this also means we must be vigilant for occasions when fear, not based on evidence or reason, is being used as the primary motivator to get others to accept an idea, proposition, or conclusion. Our instinct to fear is easily manipulated. Fear is primal. Almost everyone is susceptible to fear's appeal.

To the seasoned political practitioner, fear is a handy tool. “Fear is easy. Fear is the simplest emotion to tweak in a campaign ad. You associate your opponent with terror, with fear, with crime, with causing pain and uncertainty.” - Rick Wilson, a Florida-based Republican ad maker

Fear through history:

One - not so ethical - example of the way fear can be used shape attitudes and behaviors is perpetuating stereotypes to marginalize groups of people. For example, just about every decade in this country one group or another has taken a turn being "it" - being identified as a threat the the American way of life. To understand how this is done, let's take a look at these images (one from every decade, starting in the 1900s).

Directions for Part 1 of our Gallery Walk:

Each image is an example of a rhetorical device (a strategy) used to promote fear of a particular group. Your task will be to look at the images below. On this note catcher, write down the name of the rhetorical device being used as a scare tactic, and it's definition. You will find this information above each of the images. Then identify HOW that image represents an example of the rhetorical device.

Directions for Part 2 of our Gallery Walk:

The next set of images represent modern examples of advertisements, excerpts from political campaigns, tweets, and mailings. Pick 10 of these images and this time identify what rhetorical device(s) are being used in the scare tactic, how you know, and what the fear based message is. Use this note catcher for your work

Fear in Modern Advertising

Fear appeals are messages that try to persuade people about a potential harm that may happen to them if they do not "accept" and "act" in accordance with that message. For a fear based message to work, it should address issues that instill critical amounts of fear and be targeted to those who are the most susceptible to the risk. Examples of fear appeals include reference to social exclusion, and getting laid-off from one's job, getting cancer from smoking, or involvement in car accidents from driving under the influence.

Below, see examples of how fear appeals function in modern advertising. To further explore how these appeals function, you will work in your groups to analyze one of these ads by completing the following tasks:

• Identify (abbreviated) rhetorical situation:

  • Name the subject of the ad

  • Identify the target audience of the ad

  • Name the purpose of the ad

• Analyze:

  • Identify the main message (should be fear based)

  • Name the rhetorical devices at work and provide evidence from the text

  • Explain how these devices help to drive home the main message

• Evaluate:

  • Explain whether you find the tactics of the ad ethical and explain