Howell (2012) uses Burke's concept of "scapegoating" to examine the recent "birther" movement. Paranoid style is usually limited in longevity. Howell (2012) argues that the Birther's paranoid style persisted because it employed steps of the scapegoating process.
Scapegoating is about purging impurity from the self. It is framed in terms of both a sacrifice and a killing, though one of these frames will be more prominent. The scapegoating process has four steps.
1. Hierarchy
Humans crave order. The process of ordering creates hierarchies. Those at the bottom of the hierarchies are labelled as inferior or Other.
2. Alienation
The second stage of scapegoating is profound disorder. People feel confused about the hierarchy, and therefore turn away from it altogether. This creates instability, which distances people from the order that had formerly organized their worldview.
3. Guilt
Alienated people turn inward. They feel guilt that the world around them is disordered.
4. Victimage
People transfer guilt onto a scapegoat. They must identify with this scapegoat and invest the scapegoat
Monday, August 12, 2013
Desilet and Appel (2011), "Choosing a Rhetoric of the Enemy"
1. The comic frame requires the double vision of dramatic irony.
Desilet and Appel (2011) point out that Burke's comic frame asks individuals to view an issue from both sides. He illustrates this point by comparing it to a Shakespearean comedy in which the audience perspective of the character's mistakes joins with the audience perspective of identifying with the characters. This "double vision" is the effect of looking from both inside and outside the situation.
2. This double vision is an effect of criticism.
To achieve Burke's "double vision" in the face of a perceived wrongdoing, Desilet and Appel (2011) argue that individuals must conduct a thorough critique of self and a thorough critique of the other. This should be combined with taking an attitude of the comic frame.
3. Through criticism, one can reach warrantable outrage while maintaining the preferable comic frame.
Desilet and Appel (2011) point out that Burke's comic frame asks individuals to view an issue from both sides. He illustrates this point by comparing it to a Shakespearean comedy in which the audience perspective of the character's mistakes joins with the audience perspective of identifying with the characters. This "double vision" is the effect of looking from both inside and outside the situation.
2. This double vision is an effect of criticism.
To achieve Burke's "double vision" in the face of a perceived wrongdoing, Desilet and Appel (2011) argue that individuals must conduct a thorough critique of self and a thorough critique of the other. This should be combined with taking an attitude of the comic frame.
3. Through criticism, one can reach warrantable outrage while maintaining the preferable comic frame.
Weiser (2009), "'As Usual I Fell On the Bias'"
Weiser (2009) examines the role of "falling on the bias" in a context of dramatistic analysis.
1. By "falling on the bias," Burke referred not to compromise, but to a way of finding the best elements in each side of an argument. Weiser (2009) points out that this new bias position may not be agreed upon by either side. The important aspect of the bias position is not to join together two sides but to work against attitudes of absolutism.
2. Dramatism allows critics to find the bias position by looking at relationships between elements. As Weiser (2009) points out, dramatism is not about naming an absolute meaning, but about understanding the way that elements of a situation work together. Weiser (2009) argues that this process can bring out a position that lies across seemingly conflicting positions.
3. In order to achieve the "bias-falling parliamentary dialectic," one must
a. recognize that two perspectives are at odds with one another and
b. talk about the competing perspectives in a way that universalizes them.
1. By "falling on the bias," Burke referred not to compromise, but to a way of finding the best elements in each side of an argument. Weiser (2009) points out that this new bias position may not be agreed upon by either side. The important aspect of the bias position is not to join together two sides but to work against attitudes of absolutism.
2. Dramatism allows critics to find the bias position by looking at relationships between elements. As Weiser (2009) points out, dramatism is not about naming an absolute meaning, but about understanding the way that elements of a situation work together. Weiser (2009) argues that this process can bring out a position that lies across seemingly conflicting positions.
3. In order to achieve the "bias-falling parliamentary dialectic," one must
a. recognize that two perspectives are at odds with one another and
b. talk about the competing perspectives in a way that universalizes them.
Ott and Aoki (2002), "The Politics of Negotiating Public Tragedy"
Ott and Aoki (2002) analyze several media outlets' coverage of the Matthew Shepard murder. They apply Burke's Grammar of Motives to framing analysis in order to examine the larger issue of how media framing influences public attitudes.
1. A scapegoat must be consubstantiated with the community
As Ott and Aoki (2002) point out, scapegoating alienates and sacrifices one member of a community in order to purify a shared problem. This process of scapegoating requires a sacrifice of someone who shares similar characteristics with others in society. It requires consubstantiation between the scapegoat and the community prior to the sacrifice.
2. Scapegoats are a feature of the tragic frame.
Media's use of the tragic frame drives the scapegoating process by contributing to the alienation, sacrifice, and reunification steps.
3. The tragic frame does not allow communities to learn from a shared mistake.
Ott and Aoki (2002) argue that media use of the tragic frame limits society's ability to learn and grow as a result of tragedy. They advocate media use of comic frames, which allow correction of a behavior without alienating and sacrificing an individual's action from the group's action.
1. A scapegoat must be consubstantiated with the community
As Ott and Aoki (2002) point out, scapegoating alienates and sacrifices one member of a community in order to purify a shared problem. This process of scapegoating requires a sacrifice of someone who shares similar characteristics with others in society. It requires consubstantiation between the scapegoat and the community prior to the sacrifice.
2. Scapegoats are a feature of the tragic frame.
Media's use of the tragic frame drives the scapegoating process by contributing to the alienation, sacrifice, and reunification steps.
3. The tragic frame does not allow communities to learn from a shared mistake.
Ott and Aoki (2002) argue that media use of the tragic frame limits society's ability to learn and grow as a result of tragedy. They advocate media use of comic frames, which allow correction of a behavior without alienating and sacrificing an individual's action from the group's action.
Boor Tonn, Endress, and Diamond (1993), "Hunting and Heritage on Trial"
1. Act-Scene ratio is often used to absolve guilt. Scene can also be used to identify in-group/out-group.
Boor Tonn, Endress, and Diamond (1993) note that scene-agent ratio is often used when rhetors hope to absolve themselves of guilt. By shifting the focus of the drama to scene, the agent implies that they were moved by the container rather than by agency that is uniquely their own. An emphasis on scene can also engulf an individual into a community or exclude that individual from their role in a group.
2. Humans are inherently tribal. Hierarchies in the tribe contribute to reframing scene.
The authors argue that establishing solid hierarchies redefines a scene. The dominating persona in the drama dictates the scene, by seizing control of the territory. The dominated person is considered an interloper. The scene is defined by the dominater's right to be there, which recasts the act as justified.
Boor Tonn, Endress, and Diamond (1993) note that scene-agent ratio is often used when rhetors hope to absolve themselves of guilt. By shifting the focus of the drama to scene, the agent implies that they were moved by the container rather than by agency that is uniquely their own. An emphasis on scene can also engulf an individual into a community or exclude that individual from their role in a group.
2. Humans are inherently tribal. Hierarchies in the tribe contribute to reframing scene.
The authors argue that establishing solid hierarchies redefines a scene. The dominating persona in the drama dictates the scene, by seizing control of the territory. The dominated person is considered an interloper. The scene is defined by the dominater's right to be there, which recasts the act as justified.
Burke (1966), "Terministic Screens"
1. Two approaches to studying language -- scientistic and dramatistic. These are not mutually exclusive.
A. Scientistic focuses on language's power to name and define. Something "is" or "is not," and what follows that proposition defines the thing. Scientistic approaches to language are concerned with symbolic logic.
For Burke, naming is "magic." He also calls naming "dancing attitudes."
B. Dramatistic focuses on language's urgings. Something "shall" or "shall not," and what follows is a direction to the thing. Dramatistic approaches to language target suasive potentials, and are usually associated with stories, advertisements, myths, and philosophies.
2. Language reflects, selects, and deflects reality.
The dramatistic approach is concerned with how language influences us. Burke (1966) argues that the suasive power of language is through terminology. Terministic screens are the sets of terminologies that frame an object's reality. Our choice of terms filters some meanings out and emphasizes others.
3. Terministic screens determine what we can understand, question, and think about reality.
Burke (1966) argues that our observations about our world come from the choice of terms we use. These terms define reality, which allows them to shape the production of future terminology choices.
A. Scientistic focuses on language's power to name and define. Something "is" or "is not," and what follows that proposition defines the thing. Scientistic approaches to language are concerned with symbolic logic.
For Burke, naming is "magic." He also calls naming "dancing attitudes."
B. Dramatistic focuses on language's urgings. Something "shall" or "shall not," and what follows is a direction to the thing. Dramatistic approaches to language target suasive potentials, and are usually associated with stories, advertisements, myths, and philosophies.
2. Language reflects, selects, and deflects reality.
The dramatistic approach is concerned with how language influences us. Burke (1966) argues that the suasive power of language is through terminology. Terministic screens are the sets of terminologies that frame an object's reality. Our choice of terms filters some meanings out and emphasizes others.
3. Terministic screens determine what we can understand, question, and think about reality.
Burke (1966) argues that our observations about our world come from the choice of terms we use. These terms define reality, which allows them to shape the production of future terminology choices.
Burke (1945), A Grammar of Motives
Burke (1945) argues that rhetoric poetry. Therefore, we need to look at social life as a play. The biological exists as a backdrop for the action, but it is unable to account for human interaction. Burke (1945) therefore suggests a method (not a "methodology," since Burke see this term as scientific rather than rhetorical) for understanding language as action.
The Pentad includes five elements that make up Burke's (1945) dramatistic perspective. Each of these elements interacts with each other to frame a narrative in a certain way. The ratio used in the narrative determines its frame.
A. Act
B. Scene (The scene is the container for the action. It is the least flexible element, so it often determines the shape of the other elements within it.)
C. Agent
D. Agency (What facilitates the actor's ability to act.)
E. Purpose -- This can be a "human motive" rather than an individual motive. Therefore, purpose may be derived from a more general understanding of human motivations rather than the individual actor's intentions.
The Pentad includes five elements that make up Burke's (1945) dramatistic perspective. Each of these elements interacts with each other to frame a narrative in a certain way. The ratio used in the narrative determines its frame.
A. Act
B. Scene (The scene is the container for the action. It is the least flexible element, so it often determines the shape of the other elements within it.)
C. Agent
D. Agency (What facilitates the actor's ability to act.)
E. Purpose -- This can be a "human motive" rather than an individual motive. Therefore, purpose may be derived from a more general understanding of human motivations rather than the individual actor's intentions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)