#oratory

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

I think it could be useful to bring back "rhetorical skill" as a concept when we talk about modern discourse, politics and sociology. People who are good with words get treated differently: we assume they're more intelligent, more credible, and more confident. We grant them more trust and respect. Meanwhile, those who are less articulate (kids, language learners, folks with certain disabilities, anyone whose dialect isn't "standard") are assumed to be immature or "simple" thinkers - their opinions aren't worth considering.

But wordsmithing can be used for good or evil. It can be used to make complex topics easy to understand, or to make bullshit sound real. A skilled writer can change your opinion without you noticing. It's not just "you are not immune to propaganda" - most of us have an innate bias to mistake eloquence for authority.

I was reminded of this by Roman examples, like how Cicero's voice is so powerful we're still not sure how much we know about his era is objectively true, and how much is what he wants us to believe. Or when Caesar makes his actions look justified (to Roman audiences) in the Gallic Commentaries by presenting real events, but in a carefully slanted way. The Romans had a whole industry for teaching politicians how to speak effectively. Because most people aren't good at it without a lot of practice, and I think it could be helpful for us to remember that.

Sometimes people misspeak. Sometimes they just aren't explaining themselves clearly, or their words have been taken out of context. I've been able to avoid a lot of fights by asking someone to clarify what they meant instead of assuming they were clueless or a jerk.

Words are hard.

#jlrrt essays #oratory #rhetoric #my life got much more chill when i started assuming most people mean well but aren't very good at communicating

[firnen-the-teragram-teabag]

#cicero #classics #ancient romans #roman classics #roman history #marcus tullius cicero #Oratory #Rhetoric #classical civilisation #classical history #ancient rome #rome #Roman classics #Cicero's letters #Roman law courts #roman politics #Politics of the late republic #caesar #julius caesar #cato the younger #Verres #cicero the orator #Rome BC #history #Roman wars #Roman civil wars #marcus antonius #mark antony #roman oratory #roman rhetoric

[2022dirt]

This is a pocket oratory, it is for private prayer and serves as a mini altar when you are away from home.

#interesting #interesting facts #nature is everything #discover #thats incredible #thats insane #oratory #jesus #god #jesus christ #prayer #praying #jesus is coming #faith in jesus #jesusisgod #jesussaves #jesusislord #jesuslovesyou #belief in jesus #woahg #woah woah woah #but woah #woah :0 #woah dude #woahhhh #like woah #woah #woah who said that

[fiat-veritas]

#churches #Catholic #Christian #Catholicism #East coast #Pennsylvania #Jesus #cathedral #oratory #Saint Philip Neri #Saint Paul #epiphany

[stop-entropy-lie-down]

the evils of passive voice. that semicircle should be held accountable for these long damn speeches!

#stationery #oratory

[historyfiles]

Churches of Cornwall: St Piran's Oratory in Cornwall probably replaced (post-1066) an earlier chapel which may have been built by St Piran himself:

#history #historyfiles #chapels #churches #churches of britain #british isles #oratory #st piran

[jameslmartellojr]

#catholic #catholicism #christianity #spiritual warfare #jesus christ #blessed virgin mary #our lady #exorcist #demon #oratory #roman catholic church #cathedral #catholic church #roman catholic #blessed mother #mother of god #mother #queen of the universe #queen of heaven #queen of saints #lord jesus christ #jesuscristo #jesus #blessed mother mary #blessed sacrament

[bigdumbanimal]

On Thursday, after getting a lot of post ice storm photos, I had a bit of time and it was foggy so I went up the Oratory of St Joseph and took these really moody shots. Most of them were on Lomo 400 with the Nikon N2000 but the last wide angled one was with the Lomo Apparat, also loaded with Lomo 400.

#film photography #montreal #oratory #nikon n2000 #nikon f301 #lomo apparat #lomo 400 #foggy landscape #fog

[murketchsan]

Saturday, January 14th, 2023

Woke up, did my assigments and went to MALI with my sister. How do I feel when I am here? I have peace, no more. I love this place. You can see the surroundings and appreciate the little things that it has.

#MALI #study #studyblog #study motivation #studywithme #study blog #studyinspo #studygram #relaxation #relax time #peru #lima #student #classes #oratory #sister #university #thoughts #date #little things #photo diary #photografy #my photos #new blog #time #time with you

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Oratorio di San Lorenzo. Oratory of Saint Lawrence, Palermo, ITALY

#oratory #oratorio #saint lawrence #san lorenzo #palermo #italy #italia #europe #europa

[hi-technique]

#2014 AUTUMN in NIKKO #JP / 平成２６年、秋の日光 #japan #corridor #sleepingcat #jp #nikko #toshogushrine #tochigi #frontgate #worldheritage #oratory #kanaya #houtou #whiteroom #mtnantai #threemonkeys #yuba #futarasan #yomeimongate #shojinryori #nikkō #haiden #cedaravenue #nikkobori #blackpine #nikou #prayerhall #kegonfalls #lakechuzenji

[postcard-from-the-past]

Classroom in the Oratory of St. Léon in Marseille, Provence region of southern France

French vintage postcard, mailed in 1935

#historic #photo #briefkaart #marseille #vintage #region #classroom #provence #southern #lon #sepia #oratory #photography #carte postale #postcard #mailed #postkarte #france #postal #tarjeta #ansichtskarte #french #old #1935 #st #ephemera #postkaart

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

HOLY SHIT, my man Rep. Hakeem Jeffries actually schooled these fools alphabetically!  He’s going to be a resonating presence in the days and years to come.  At last a wonderful communicator.

#getting schooled #oratory #Rep. Hakeem Jeffries #political #US House of Representatives

[danskjavlarna]

Source details and larger version.

Here’s my gallery of unusual imagery from vintage college yearbooks.

#cradle #oratory #vintage yearbook #vintage illustration #yearbook

[b4bauthor]

Artist and musician Herm Freeman and I performing "The Spectator". Circa 2015.

#live performance #spoken word #story #storytelling #music #oratory #art gallery #battleforbridgeport #battle for bridgeport #j michael figgs #author #authors #writers on tumblr #writerblr #my writing

[dynamoe]

Gilbert Austin, Chironomia (1806), plate 9.

#drawing #poses #oratory #diagram #hand gestures