Listening to John Lee Clary the former klansman talk about how he came to lose his certainty in that ideology reminded me of this issue.
The reverend Wade Watts of whom he speaks basically eats away at his defenses by setting a moral example for him. Take heed! People will rarely judge us purely on our ideas, so in a war of rhetoric, it is also skillfully applied pathos that is needed.
Listening to John Lee Clary the former klansman talk about how he came to lose his certainty in that ideology reminded me of this issue.
The reverend Wade Watts of whom he speaks basically eats away at his defenses by setting a moral example for him. Take heed! People will rarely judge us purely on our ideas, so in a war of rhetoric, it is also skillfully applied pathos that is needed.
It’s not just about being more moral, at least as morality is generally understood.
It’s also about putting morality and mental superiority into action by being funny without being mean.
And I don’t trust that the last bit happened, even though the rest of it might be true.
“Whatever you do to that chicken, I’m going to do to you” is part of an old joke, and really rather an unlikely threat.
The version I’d heard (NPR’s “A Christmas Griot” and my favorite part of the show) involved a whole chicken and kissing it on the ass.