7 Clever Rules of Black Rhetoric

This article kicks off a series about black rhetoric. What is it, exactly? Bredemeier defines it as: “Black rhetoric is the winner’s dominant position, put into words and made convincing by consistently using every tool and method available in the language sphere: verbal, paraverbal, and nonverbal—that is, speech, body language, and signals that accompany speech.” Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?

Key Points About Our Speech

• Demands and appeals spark action. Creating this impulse is the main function of our speech.
• We often substitute speech for action. We talk about plans, make promises to ourselves, discuss to-do lists, but don’t always follow through. Words must be followed by deeds.
• Our speech helps organize and structure action: creating strategies, coordinating with others, and so on.
• Speech legitimizes our actions when we talk about what should or shouldn’t be done.
• Through speech, we communicate our actions and intentions.
• Speech is our best communication tool. Some people don’t know how to use it to its full potential. Black rhetoric will help you unlock the full power and brilliance of this weapon.

What’s What?

There are several fields of study about our speech and how to use it. Let’s clarify the terminology:

• Rhetoric is the science of effectively using speech components for public speaking. It’s a set of techniques and skills to persuade listeners.
• Eristics and polemics are separate topics you can read about elsewhere.
• Rabuleutics is the art of sophisticated argumentation. It helps you build your own system of arguments and dismantle someone else’s.
• Black rhetoric is a blend—a conglomerate of rhetoric, eristics, rabuleutics, polemics, and everything else that helps you dominate any conversation, use your speech as effectively as possible, and achieve your goals through the power of words. Black rhetoric helps both in attack and defense: you’ll learn to avoid manipulation and the influence of others’ words.

Master the word, and you’ll master everything else.

Now that we’ve sorted out the terminology, let’s move on to practical advice. Here are seven clever rules of rhetoric to help you win debates or persuade any audience.

7 Rules of Clever Rhetoric

1. “Watch the People’s Mouths”

Express your thoughts simply and clearly, in a lively and understandable way. Everything you say should be accessible to everyone. Complex speech, lots of abstract concepts, and unfamiliar words tire people out. Even if they understand you, they’ll get bored. That’s not how you fire up a crowd.

Don’t say “consolidation”—say “unity.” Don’t use long, winding sentences; be brief and to the point. Learn to simplify, to talk about complex things in simple terms, and to be concise.

2. Highlight Key Points

Throughout your speech, emphasize and highlight your main conclusions. For example, you can summarize directly: “This means that…”, “Therefore, we can say that…”, and so on. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself; it’s much worse if someone doesn’t understand your point. If they miss it, they might lose interest in your entire speech.

3. Clearly State Your Main Idea

State your main idea as quickly as possible—ideally, within the first few seconds. It should be short, clear, and convincing. Avoid unnecessary generalizations and abstractions. Be specific: what, when, why, and for what purpose. People may forget your speech, but they’ll remember your main idea. So, work hard on how it sounds.

4. “Carthage Must Be Destroyed”

Constantly repeat your main idea, return to it, and remind your audience. It should always convey the same message, but sound different: use synonyms, change word order, and so on. The more often people hear something, the more likely they are to believe it. Remember the primacy and recency effect: start and end your speech by repeating your main idea. Embed your core message in your listeners’ minds—more than once.

5. Contrast

Yes or no, black or white, one or the other. Contrast shows conviction and the speaker’s clear stance. “The need to choose makes it harder to get to the main idea, and it’s no coincidence that the word ‘presentation’ means ‘putting forth’ (your position),” writes Bredemeier.

6. Blurring Boundaries Is an Advantage

You don’t have to bother with complex, convincing arguments, fact-checking, or formulating evidence. Just blur the line between truth and lies, information and disinformation (or withholding information), and you’ll get your way—you can convince people of anything. Detailed and intricate arguments scare listeners off. They don’t want to dig into the details or strain their brains. They want simplicity. Clarity, eloquence, and simplicity are more important than logic, consistency, or honesty.

7. Address Your Audience Directly

Don’t argue with your opponent’s points—argue with your opponent personally. That’s the key to success. You need to confuse your opponent, make them talk and justify themselves. That’s a big step toward victory.

When speaking publicly, address your audience directly. Depending on your audience and your message, identify the group you’re speaking to: a nation, a city’s population, a social class, a professional or religious group, etc. Address your listeners, name them, and make them feel like participants in the discussion, not just bystanders. This gives you a huge advantage.