In his speech, Malcolm Gladwell utilizes a various array of rhetorical elements to strengthen his case that sometimes we don’t need absolute proof to act. To begin with, Gladwell uses logical reasoning to make his audience believe his claims. For example, he makes the logical connection between football and CTE by describing that the brain is like a soft tissue inside a hard skull, and when a sudden blow to skull is taken, that soft tissue crashes against the skull, thus, damaging the brain (Gladwell). When a player is hit in the head during football, their brain smashes against their skull resulting in injury to the tissue causing CTE. His claim is logically sound and helps his credibility. Also, Gladwell states the function of a university is to aid its students in having a “healthy and …show more content…
He inserts incidences of CTE within famous football players who died horrifically. For example, “Terry Long, an offensive lineman for the Steelers, killed himself in 2005 by drinking antifreeze” (Gladwell). Terry Long was diagnosed with CTE after the autopsy. He presents hard evidence to prove his authority on the dangers CTE has on a person’s health. Additionally, Gladwell creates objectivity by being fair minded. He argues “not inconsiderable portion of people who have been diagnosed with CTE have been college players or even players who only played in high school, so clearly it’s a more complicated question than it looks” (Gladwell). By being willing to examine both sides of the case, he develops credibility. Also, he institutes style into his argument by repeating his claims over and over throughout his speech to make sure his audience remembers. In addition, Gladwell uses certain word choices such as “you” and “we” to make his audience feel as if it is their argument, rather than only his. In conclusion, Gladwell effectively employs certain rhetorical elements to aid his