T. E. D. Talk Rhetorical Analysis

Most people have a firm belief about going from rags to riches, but is it worth it? In Paul Piff’s T.E.D. Talk “Does Money Make You Mean?”, he discusses the outcomes that money has on an individual and society. Piff argues that money has a degrading influence on humanity. Through the use of an established credibility, multiple case studies, and a call to action, Paul Piff is able to persuade the audience to believe that money turns you corrupt. In the beginning of Paul Piff’s T.E.D. Talk, he introduces himself. He starts off by sharing his title as a Professor at Berkeley. Piff shows the audience that he is a reliable and intelligent person because Berkeley is a prestigious university in California. Next, he tells the audience that he has devoted 7-11 years to his research about money and how it effects people. His devotion to his study proves that Professor Paul Piff has the audiences’ best interests at heart. The many years he has spent investigating shows that his results are accurate and unbiased. Next in Paul Piff’s T.E.D. Talk, he explains the many case studies he has researched.

In the end, Piff tries to prove why the audience should care about his studies. He shares with the audience that the American Dream is unattainable because people are never satisfied with their money or morals. This appeals to the audience because Piff is relating his explanation to them. If a person is rich, they are mean, and if they are virtuous, they are poor. Americans never seem to be fulfilled, and they end up spending their lives trying to fill an endless desire. Although, in the end of Paul Piff’s T.E.D. Talk, he explains his last case study. In this study, people are shown a video about childhood poverty. In Piff’s discoveries, rich people were just as willing to help out an underprivileged person just as much as ordinary people were. This study served as a reminder to the wealthy people about the needs of other