What is the gist of your book?
“Many people associate discourse – the doctrine of rhetoric and persuasion – only with language and text. But Aristotle, for example, already expands this: he says that discourse should move our souls. Persuasion is in music and image.”
“This idea is valid. Under the influence of social media, a different context is created in which we shape opinions, desires and stories. Text based on facts is no longer sufficient. There seems to be a shift in the direction of image and music.”
Many scholars will find it difficult to deal with that?
“Our culture is becoming more and more visual culture. But music has always been a decisive factor in the formation of identity, especially for young people. For example, through many videos on social media, whether they are examples or not. fake newsscholars see that their profession and their reliable (written) means of communication partly lose their claim to truth.”
“In our book we look at the internet, image and sound culture in a different way. Not as an overtly manipulative or unscientific resource, but as a useful resource – because new forms are also emerging that are also interesting to scientists. We say: Find out what you can learn from this. Besides, we note that the application of Pictures and music, just like science, are subject to the rules. More than you can imagine.”
In your contribution, you place the music along the rhetoric bar.
“Yes, it turns out, for example, that you also see the laws of rhetoric in such a phenomenon as pits. [nihilistisch rapgenre dat wordt geassocieerd met geweld, red.]† By the way, “musical discourse” has long been a recognized field widely used by Baroque composers. Describe in detail what or what touches people and How do Hold. For example, the “G” key symbolizes happiness and greatness and the C-minor for mourning. You had a lot of fixed intervals or combinations of notes that always had to elicit the same feeling.”
“Perhaps without realizing it, perforated rappers fit into musical discourse in terms of the use of rhythms and keys. Little known chords are heard, which creates a melancholy and melancholy atmosphere. They also work a lot with the fainting, which is not danceable. Thus the dark contrasts are achieved. the apocalyptic in music by traditional means. Although the theory of musical rhetoric is not modern, it is instructive. Such schemes provide a springboard for science to relate it in a new form.”
How does the academic world interact with your book?
In the end, we want to put forward a new and modern concept of rhetoric. Rhetoric is about persuasion, but so are the forms you use to persuade change. We have not yet reached firm conclusions about possible new approaches or prospects. In fact, we are (partially) removing cold feet by providing scientists with insight into this “new” media. The more you understand the influence of images and music, the more you will be inclined to use these resources on your own.”
“This study is also interesting for our students. They often find abstract philosophical content. But here they can use Netflix series like when they see us Or a literary genre like a drill that researches the theory of rhetoric. This way they test that the discourse is really still alive.” [Frank van den Nieuwenhuijzen]
Arthur Kok (Editor), Move and Move – “Discourse work in language, image and music”, Uitgeverij Valkhof Pers, Nijmegen, 2021. With contributions from Gabriel van den Brink, Emanuel Rutten, Heidi de Mare, and Arthur Kok.
