Week #2 Discussion #2

*The Greeks believed that to be an orator, an individual had to be morally good. Comment on whether you agree or disagree. What, if any, is the connection between goodness, truth, and public communication?*

I believe the above statement to be true...in the Greek sense of what is morally believed to be good. The morality we promote today in no way, I believe, reflects the majority of those morals which were lived by in ancient Greece (one need only look at the systematic brutality of Sparta, along with the drugged Oracles and masses at the Eleusinian Mystery, to find proof of societal morals and promoted norms which we today view as taboo). I believe many of the moral issues we confront modern speakers with would have been a none issue in ancient Greece and if raised by the opposition such attacks would be viewed negatively (excluding the big "No No's" of course: murder, theft, incompetence, betrayal, etc). The problem today, however, is that many public speakers make moral issues a part of their public crusade, only to later be proven not to practice what they preach. While there are basic moral norms in which to hold public speakers to I believe we today (especially as a majority conservative Christian society) look for everyone in the public eye to be living saints...and there haven't been many of those in years as far as I'm concerned.
There is of course a connection between a speakers goodness, public communication skills and truth of statements and action. All speakers must be viewed by their chosen audience as "good" in order for their message to truly be successful. This of course needs to be examined in a cultural and historic time frame. For example, one could argue that many Germans who listened to Adolf Hitler's many racist charged speeches was in fact acting and speaking for the "good" of the German people. This of course we, and a vast majority of Germans today, know not to be the case but the context of culture and history can make a people believe the impossible. One's skill in public communication is also vital to a speaker's success because in an oral tradition, if the words are not remembered, then what was the point? Truth of statements and action are also very important in order for a speaker to be credible. Today, however, I believe the current tactic of misinformation, media outlet control and near libelous campaign/promotion ads truly brings all speakers and their credibility closer to the public's microscopic lens. Why truth of statements and action are no longer scrutinised and expected from the listener is the true question I believe...