Kairos

Kairos
General information

Kairos refers to the rhetorical appeal pertaining to the time and/or context that an argument is written. Ideally, Kairos should be used in conjunction with the other rhetorical appeals, ethos, pathos, and logos, to create a solid, well rounded argument. Coming from Ancient Greece, the term "kairos" means "the right or opportune moment" (Nordquist).

Time

When making an argument, the time in which your point is made is crucial to its effectivness. If an argument is made too early, one of two things will happen; people will hear the point but will not pay attention to it because it is of no significant relevance to them, or people will not understand the point at all. If an argument is made too late, it can be just as detrimental as if it was too early, as people could have stopped caring about the subject by the time you make your argument.

Context

Context is the basis of all arguments. If an argument is not made in the right context, then it will either be nonsensical or irrelevant to the audience. It would be pointless for you to argue about modern politics while the discussion is on technology. "The power of [a] message relates directly to its context"(Considering). Without the right time and place, even the best of arguments can become moot. By choosing the correct context to make your argument, you are ensuring that you are capturing the ideal audiece that your argument can persuade.

Examples

During WWII, the Coca-Cola company began running advertisement that linked their product to our soldiers overseas, creating a sense of nationalism that was therefore associated with Coke. By doing so, Coca-Cola made it so that people felt a sense of national pride when they would buy a Coke. Here, the Coca-Cola company used kairos almost perfectly to their advantage. If they had released this round of advertising just 5 years prior, people would have been confused why Coke was being given to the soldiers. If they had released it 5 years later, people would have wanted to forget about the war and the advertising would not be very effectve at all. (Considering)

Works Cited

"Considering Context." Envision in Depth Reading, Writing and Research Arguments, Mla Update. Longman Pub Group, 2009. 48-49. Print. Hotblack. Hotblack_20070724_london_109. Photograph. London.

Nordquist, By Richard. "Kairos - Definition and Examples of Kairos." Grammar and Composition - Homepage of About Grammar and Composition. Web. 26 Sept. 2010.