Second Persona by Edwin Black

Hey...

Question: Have you ever read something, and after you read it asked, "What the hell?"

Answer: Second Persona by Edwin Black takes the cake of boredom and confusion. The only piece of wisdom I got from this essay was when Black stated:

"Each one of us, after all, defines himself by what he believes and does. Few of us are born to grow into an identity that was incipiently structured before births. That was, centuries ago, the
way with men, but it certainly is not with us. The quest for identity is the modern pilgrimage. And we look to one another for hints as to whom we should become. Perhaps these reflections do not apply to everyone, but they do apply to the persuasible, and that makes them germane to rhetoric."

Will I be wrong if I say that each person in my class is a victim of "social proof"? How many us of look to someone for hints as to whom he/she should become? I will take a guess here and say that we all did. Every person (no matter how original you are) comes to a point where fitting in or following someone is the if and but of all things! It is natural...if we dont follow how do expect to lead?! Burke makes a point that since "some" follow...they are persuasible, thus vulnerable to rhetoric. But aren't we ALL vulnerable...to speakers with fancy words, people with good looks...its society. For Burke to conclude that it does not apply to everyone is naive. Everyone is has the ability to persusade and to be persuaded.