
The Ancient Art of Thinking For Yourself
The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times
Author: Robin Reames
Narrator: Kim Niemi
Unabridged: 9 hr 40 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Tantor Media
Published: 08/13/2024
Categories: Nonfiction, Language Arts, Political Science, Political Ideologies, History, Greece History
Synopsis
In this book, renowned rhetorical scholar Robin Reames argues that, in today's polarized political climate, we should all care deeply about learning rhetoric. Drawing on examples ranging from the destructive ancient Greek demagogue Alcibiades to modern-day conspiracists like Alex Jones, Reames breaks down the major techniques of rhetoric, pulling back the curtain on how politicians, journalists, and "journalists" convince us to believe what we believe—and to talk, vote, and act accordingly. Understanding these techniques helps us avoid being manipulated by authority figures who don't have our best interests at heart. It also grants us rare insight into the values that shape our own beliefs. Learning rhetoric, Reames argues, doesn't teach us what to think but how to think—allowing us to understand our own and others' ideological commitments in a completely new way.
Thoughtful, nuanced, and leavened with dry humor, The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself offers an antidote to our polarized, post-truth world.


