Hartman

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Kara Hartman
Dr. Martin
Writing for Multiple Media
9/19/2016
Digital Rhetoric

Todays digital world is one of vital importance to everyone: the cashier in the
store, the teacher, the police officer, the politician, and especially those who create,
construct, and contribute to modern technology. Contrary to certain beliefs, electronics
are utilized in many places to alter attitudes, thoughts, and behavior. This type of
alteration through the use of rhetoric creates multiple challenges and difficult moral
issues, but also promising opportunities. Everywhere you look there is some form of
persuasion since there is a particular type of meaning, as stated by Burke, Wherever
there is persuasion, there is rhetoric. And wherever there is meaning, there is
persuasion (1969). But what exactly distinguishes the broader term of rhetoric from
digital rhetoric? According to Eyman, digital rhetoric allows for the use of and alliance
with other fields not typically associated with printed text or speech; it prompts a critical
view of current rhetorical theories and methods and opens up the question of whether
new theories and new methods can or should be developed; and it provides the boundary
condition necessary for the emergence of a new field of study (2015). Digital rhetoric is
not tied to a single discipline but rather to multiple disciplines with the application of
rhetorical theory to digital texts (Herbert 1990). Because the influence of digital rhetoric
is so vast, it has advanced dramatically over the years making it even more prominent in
todays society.

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When considering the topic of digital rhetoric and the influence it has on society
now and in the future it is imperative to analyze where this idea originated. According to
Fogg, The earliest signs of persuasive technology appeared in the 1970s and 1980s,
when a few computing systems were designed to promote health and increase workplace
productivity. (2003). However, it wasnt until the late 1990s that more people started
generating persuasive technology due to the emergence of the Internet (Fogg 2003). In
the past, computers had a very limited role in information processing, but now they are
specifically designed to persuade or influence users to change their thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors. This digital rhetoric is done in a variety of ways. Just through examination
of the Internet, rhetoric is found when a webpage offers suggestions based on previous
visits, presents promotional discounts, or awards free gifts. The web, which is so
prominent today, will be just one of many forms of persuasive technology within another
10 years (Fogg 2003).
Beyond the Web, digital rhetoric can take on many forms, from video games,
mobile phones, smart toothbrushes, self-service touchscreens, iPods, and many more.
Society is no longer acting like they have in the past with the continually advancing
digital world. For example, in the past people addressed problems or issues by personally
meeting, a hand written note, or a drop by someones house. However, in todays
advanced digital world people are much less personable and would rather send an email
or text message, or even post on various forms of social media, than take more time out
of their day to personally address one another in order to create a solution. The
emergence of social media is a significant factor for digital rhetoric in the way it provides
increasing means of communication and the use of informational platforms. When

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thinking about how far this idea of digital rhetoric has come with technological advances,
contemplating the ways it could possibly evolve in the years to come is frightening.
Technological advances are occurring every day and with these advances come
more opportunities for digital rhetoric through innovative methods. With the expansion
of marketing and of mass media such as photography, telegraphy, radio, internet, and
film, rhetoric is being more notably conveyed into peoples lives (Bitzer 1968). As a
result of this increasing influence, forms of digital rhetoric may not even be visible to the
user, as stated by Fogg, with the emergence of embedded computing, the forms of
persuasive technology will likely become more diverse, invisible, and better integrated
into everyday life (2003). The rhetorical aspects of electronics in the world currently
provide society with such abrupt gratification and immediate access that todays
generation has already developed distinct negative personality traits different than
previous generations. Society may become even more impatient, irrational, and
demanding along with decreased attention spans with each advancement in the digital
world. Consequently, as digital rhetoric advances personality traits will advance as well
and not for the better. The uses for persuasive technology will also expand in the future,
developing beyond the primary application we see today, such as categorizing,
advertising, and sales (Fogg 2003). But all of these advances do not come with unwanted
baggage. In everyday life, a positive advantage of digital rhetoric might be to encourage
kids to stop bullying and to be kinder to one another, or create a filter that prevents harsh
messages from being sent. In the workforce, it could encourage improved work ethic with
messages of encouragements when commendable work is being done.

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The meaning of digital rhetoric has changed over time, evolving with changes in
technology and changes of how society thinks, feels, and behaves. The way that digital
rhetoric functions via theory, method, and practice plays a vital role in the development
of humanity and culture (Zappen 2005). I couldnt agree more with this statement made
by Zappen et al., digital rhetoric is an integrated theory, which uses rhetorical strategies
in the analysis of digital text and constraints of new media while forming digital identities
and the potential for building social communities (1997). This integrated discipline,
which exploits electronics to alter attitudes, thoughts, and behavior in means of
persuasion, will only advance drastically in years to come. As a result, society will have
to overcome multiple challenges and ethical issues, but also a likely technological world
full of opportunities.

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Works Cited

Bitzer, Lloyd F. The Rhetorical Situation. Philosophy & Rhetoric (1968): 1-14. Web.
13 Feb. 2016
Burke, Kenneth. A Rhetoric of Motives. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969.
Print.
Eyman, Douglas. Digital Rhetoric Theory, Method, Practice. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan,
2015. Digital Culture Books. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
Fogg, B. J. Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do.
Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive Technologies. San Francisco: Morgan,
2003. Print.
Simons, Herbert W. The rhetorical turn: Invention and persuasion in the conduct of
inquiry. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Available at:
http://dx.doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226759036.001.0001
Zappen, James, et al. Rhetoric, Community, and Cyberspace. Rhetoric Review 15.1
(1997): 40019. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Zappen, James. "Digital Rhetoric: Toward an Integrated Theory." Technical
Communication Quarterly 14.3 (2005): 319-25. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.