Everything's an Argument

The authors stay true to the title of the text, consistently reiterating that everything is an argument. They claim that “arguments are all around us, in every medium, in every genre, in everything we do” (5). The authors argue that every argument requires critical examination of its rhetorical situation, strategies, claims, reasoning, warrants, and evidence to determine its effectiveness and validity. The authors note that all speakers “produce and use information to their own benefit, and it’s not (usually) a bad thing that they do so” (428), but awareness can allow for correction of bias, drawing closer to truth. Because arguments exist in all forms of expression, rhetorical awareness empowers people to filter the onslaught of arguments for those that are relevant and valid to their needs.

To illustrate the prevalence of arguments in society, the authors “draw on examples from a wide range of media and genres, including online news sources, blog posts and comments, editorial cartoons, ads, maps, infographics, bumper stickers, even a selfie” (361). Some arguments come from historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence as a model of a classical oration, while others come from less traditional sources, such as cartoons or blog comments.