At first, the ancient Greek
notion of Kairos seems incredibly straightforward. Akin to ethos, logos, and
pathos, Kairos initially struck me as a simple extension of these methods of
persuasion, another aspect to take into consideration when developing rhetoric.
However, closer analysis reveals the nuance of the matter.
Take Kairos as an ethical or
moral dilemma. Appealing to one’s own credibility, crafting logical arguments,
and emphasizing the emotional response to certain topics are all quite
aboveboard means of persuasion. Kairos, however, can be seen as their sly
cousin. To use Kairos, in my opinion, could be taken as deceptive and
conniving.
Utilizing the ideals of Kairos –
the cliché “to strike while the iron is hot” – is generally a perfectly valid
rhetorical facet to keep in mind when constructing arguments and appeals. To
capitalize on the germaneness of a certain issue is perfectly reasonable.
However, I contest that fabricating one’s own Kairotic situation is an
underhand ploy, one that validates the stereotypical misunderstanding that
rhetoric is deceptive.
As students in class, the example
blogs provided, and the book itself detailed, one can easily manufacture one’s
own Kairos by, for example, buttering up your parent before making a request
that would normally fall short. In this context, Kairos is an unnecessary crutch
to a poor argument/appeal. If one’s rhetoric requires this sort of artificial Kairos,
perhaps it’s meaningful that the argument wasn’t effective enough to succeed without it.
When the situation creates its
own Kairos, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech or President Obama’s smoking
habit resurfacing around New Years, utilizing Kairos in an invaluable way to
seize the fleeting nature of opportunity in the fast-paced world we live in. However,
to artificially manufacture Kairos is an underhanded tactic that unethically
inflates the effectiveness of one’s rhetoric. When an argument cannot stand on its
own and requires groveling to a parent or necessitates support in the form of
false Kairos, utilizing the ancient ideal gets more complicated.
While there is value in
understanding and exercising Kairos in plenty of rhetorical situation, there
are certain complications, be they ethical or otherwise, that one must
consider.
