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Rhetorical Analysis Of The Way We Lie

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“The Ways We Lie” Rhetorical Analysis Essay. Stephanie Ericsson, The author of “The Way We Lie” is a thought-provoking essay that challenges the moral values and ethics of society. Ericsson’s “The Ways We Lie” exposes the various forms of lying that are prevalent in society and employs rhetorical appeals, strategies as well as devices such as Logos, Pathos, and Ethos to get her point across to her audience. The author argues that lying has become a part of everyday life, and it is not only acceptable, but it is also necessary for individuals to succeed in life. Ericsson uses many rhetorical appeals as well as rhetorical devices to get to her audience to really understand her argument in the essay and purpose. Ericsson’s purpose in the essay …show more content…

One of the appeals used is ethos, which refers to the credibility of the author. Ericsson cites several sources and statistics to support her argument, thus adding credibility to her arguments as well as her claims. The essay “The Way We Lie” Ericsson states “I've often mused over the idea that madness is actually a sane reaction to an insane world. Psychologist R. D. Laing supports this hypothesis in Sanity, Madness and the Family, an account of his investigation into the families of schizophrenics.” - Ericsson(127). In order to maintain her credibility the author uses evidence again to prove her point. In the essay she also states, “ There is a world of difference between telling functional lies and living a lie. Martin Buber once said, "The lie is the spirit committing treason against itself." Our acceptance of lies becomes a cultural cancer”(Ericsson 128). The author quotes Martin Buber who was best known for his philosophy. By including this quote, Ericsson shows that she is familiar with the ideas of a respected philosopher and strengthens her argument by appealing to …show more content…

Ericsson cites several examples of different types of lies, such as “the little white lie”, “Group-Thinking”, and “Dismissal”. Through these examples, the author illustrates the different motives behind why people lie and the effects that it has on individuals and society. The author claims that society’s acceptance of lying has led to a lack of trust in personal relationships, institutions and even the government. Ericsson also argues that lying is not only a moral issue, but it is also a psychological issue as it can lead to guilt and fear of being caught.The author believes that the use of lies creates an environment where individuals are not able to rely on the truth, and it creates a culture of

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