Habituation vs. Rhetoric - May Reading

Plato and Aristotle, two of the three greatest Greek philosophers, became somehow the finale to wrap up our one-of-a-kind reading gathering tonight. Associating thoughts/theories from Greek philosophers with T/Ms strategies in public speaking and communication skills is the special feature of T/Ms magazine April Issue. Talking about rhetoric, public speaking and communication, we often hear the famous quote said by Plato, “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.” in T/Ms meetings. From this April issue, I learned a new sentence given by Aristotle, “If you force yourself to do something the right way long enough, it becomes second nature.” To say it in one word, it’s “habituation”. I didn’t expect that tonight’s gathering could be so both delightful and intellectual. If we can do more reading gatherings, I believe I can make fast breaks in my English proficiency.

No matter how busy goldies are, monthly reading activity must go on regardless how many goldies can’t make it. Lydia chose the restaurant爾雅書馨廣生食品行 IrYah (delicacy) restaurant for us, yet couldn’t join the reading. Irene chose the articles to read for us. The restaurant sits in a quiet alley, a few walks away from the busy streets. They serve cuisine in Shang Hai style, 品嘗老上海 , perfect for my stomach as my parents were from a small city of ChiangSu province, not far away from Shang Hai. The food is light, not greasy yet tasty. We had one new charming member Wendy, invited by Linda, and our VIP, Marian Hsiao, District Governor to join us this time that made seven in total.

I arrived later than others trying to find a nearby parking place, just in time to join the first group picture. Mouth-watering Dishes were already on the table for me to enjoy right away. After greeting and overarching warm-up conversation, we began our reading sharing with the first article:

The Equation for Persuasion by John Coleman. It’s an article rich in pragmatic tactics. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle is the inspiration to the writer John Coleman. If we want to be great persuasive speakers, bear in mind the premise of gold, real world experience, constructive criticism and practice and internalize the seven basic persuasive speech strategies the writer mastered over a decade of efforts. Ah, yes, we learned three Greek words; Logos, Pathos and Ethos.

Ancient Greeks by Robert Oliver. Another article inspired by Aristotle’s Rhetoric. The writer shared with the readers his insights on three aspects of rhetoric – Appealing (logical, pathetic and ethical), Story arrangement (narrative, linear and dialectic), and patterns of thought (deductive and inductive).

Beware the Logical Fallacy by Dave Zielinske. How debate tactic can improve workplace influence? After exchanging thoughts, Sherry was inspired to apply the tactic at home when reasoning with her better half. In addition to the pragmatic tips given by the writer, I was also attached to the beautifully versed phrases/sentences in this article.

Led by Sherry excerpting the key points for us, the reading was proceeded in an unexpectedly smooth flow. Must say having her taking the initiatives when needed, our reading gatherings keep excelling. After reading, we took some photos merrily. The classic and stylish decoration of the restaurant made a one-of-a-kind background for our photos to record our gathering.
A quote from Plato, People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die. How delightful it is being nourished by the good friends we keep.

Pity that Kate, Lydia, Michelle and Pamela had to pass it. Amy, Irene, Linda, Marian, Sherry, Wendy and I certainly enjoyed every min. of it.

Trini
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