Dad Saves America Persuasion VS Manipulation: Why We Don’t Trust Slick-Talkers - Jay Heinrichs
Nov 21, 2025
Jay Heinrichs, best-selling author of Thank You for Arguing, delves into the lost art of rhetoric, discussing its importance in modern discourse. He explores how political figures use persuasion and highlights the need to revitalize civic debate. Jay shares tips on inoculating kids against manipulation and emphasizes listening as a key to winning arguments. He distinguishes between empathy and sympathy, stressing the role of emotions in persuasion. Additionally, he warns against common rhetorical fallacies that cloud judgment.
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Words Are Political Power
- Rhetoric is the power of words to influence people's beliefs and actions.
- Jay Heinrichs argues rhetoric shaped Western civilization and must be revived for civic life.
Library Discovery Sparked A Career
- Jay found John Quincy Adams's rhetoric lectures in a dusty library shelf and read them as a roadmap.
- That discovery launched two decades of studying Aristotle, Cicero, and classical rhetoric.
Rhetoric Lost Its Good Name
- Rhetoric became stigmatized as manipulation with the rise of advertising and consumer culture.
- That stigma pushed rhetoric out of mainstream education despite its role in leadership and civic decision-making.
