If you haven't read this piece in the NYT, I provide a gift link in my Substack post. It isn't just about college essays; it's how colleges, with the best of intentions, are helping elites stay elite.
You’ll find the post here.
A place to practice argument and persuasion - based on the bestselling Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs.
Civility isn’t the end of deliberative argument; it’s just the beginning. To get anyone even to listen to you, you have to make your audience believe you’re worth listening to.
The orators in ancient Greece and Rome recognized the magic of rhythm. They noticed that the cadence of an expression could have a huge influence on an audience[. Cicero was especially fond of one of the more powerful rhythms, the paean. We think of the paean today as a song or poem that praises, gives thanks, or celebrates a triumph. But it first meant words that heal.
