A Rhetorical Analysis of “The Death of Honesty” by William Damon

Chapter 10 is called “The Leech and His Patient.” This title is a perfect symbol for what happens in the chapter. Roger Chillingsworth continues to work on his patient, Dimmesdale, to try to figure out what is wrong with him. At the same time though Chillingsworth, the leech, is growing obsessed with his patient. Chillingworth has connected Dimmesdale's spiritual sickness to his physical sickness. At the end of the chapter, he finds something on Dimmesdale’s chest while he is sleeping, which he is overjoyed by. This mark is a permanent mark, Dimmesdale’s own scarlet letter, except it is part of his skin, not a detachable letter. While leech can be used to represent physicians as physicians commonly used leeches, the idea of the leech

In “The Ways We Lie,” Stephanie Ericsson draws on her experience as a screenwriter and self-help author to examine the usage and effects of lies in modern society. Written during a time of presidential indiscretions and published in a magazine centered on cultural trends, the piece delineates lying into specific categories and describes each one’s prevalence. Ericsson makes use of a matter-of-fact and forthright tone which contributes to credibility and reflects her confidence in discussing such morally grey topics. Throughout the piece, she explicates the implications of lying by making use of personal anecdotes, supporting quotes, and rhetorical questions.

Sissela Bok’s book, Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life examines many aspects of moral and ethical influence, and the effects of lying, on individuals and corporations in various walks of life. Each chapter discusses a specific form that lying can take and describes how it intertwines with daily life. Bok’s arguments are grounded, in comprehensive research, tempered with a philosophical treatment, and rendered through the lens of critical thought. To ensure that readers are able to relate to the material, Bok employs social norming to make each chapter easier to grasp. To do this, each chapter is prefaced with two or three quotes, from a wide variety of sources that provides insight

In the article “Three Good Men,” Jonathan Schell explains if a person notices an act that they do

Medvic also defends politicians on the public’s charges about how they are liars and cheats. Medvic contends that we do not know how many liars and cheaters there are in politics. However, politicians are under more scrutiny and would more than likely be caught. In addition, politicians are consistent in what they say and attempt to keep their promises, as supported by Tracy Sulkin study, (Medvic p. 112).

In the non-fiction book, The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead by David Callahan the author criticizes the economic world. In the beginning parts of Callahan’s work, he specifically pin-point when cheating started to become an uncommon factor is succeeding. He reflects on as far back as Greek and Romans who were fined for cheating. In every decade there was a new factor to cheat in as the author highlights many cheating ordeals exposed through-out Americas history.

The essay “The Death of Honesty” by William Damon explores how honesty is becoming unexpected and infrequently used in society today. Written in a general style without difficult or complicated words it is obvious the author intends for his point to be easily understood by his readers. Using a convincing argument, the virtue of honesty is approached in an objective manner. Published by the Hoover Institute, Damon’s topic of honesty fits well into this publication because the institute fosters development of freedom. Accordingly Damon’s paper outlines the virtue of honesty as necessary for civilized and democratic society.

There are several occasions in one’s life that he should have spoken up or had not said a lie to where it hurt another, yet the fact is, he is only human and everyone is guilty of making these choices. Why does this become habitual? Is it because integrity is holding him back? These questions are always hard to answer, because no one really thinks about integrity, honesty, or the need to speak up. William Buckley and Stephanie Ericsson, however, do address these topics with a huge amount of thought and purpose. Buckley and Ericsson, under the thematic concept of ethics, have valid points concerning ethics within their rhetoric and style.

By saying, “dishonestly if we can, honestly if we must,” the authors speak to the more questionable or unethical practices that were occurring during the era. Political corruption was rampant. Big companies used their wealth and power to influence legislation and legislators to support favorable policies. Many politicians had direct ties to businesses that today we could call a conflict of interest. Some directed companies, or held stock in them, or received salaries from them. These politicians would then support policies that benefited the companies and their own

William Damon’s “The Death of Honesty” presents a solemn analysis of the decline of modern virtue due to a “dysfunctional tipping point” where honesty is no longer viewed as a moral characteristic worthy of pursuing. Dishonesty is presented as both a virtue and a vice that is shaping our contemporary society. The Hoover Institution of Stanford University published Mr. Damon’s article in 2012 under the Task Force on the Virtues of a Free Society, which would provide a target audience of students, educators, parents or anyone with an interest in sociology, specifically in the United States. A rhetorical analysis recognizes the appeals of ethos and pathos as successful tools in creating a connection with the readers, yet it exposes flaws in the author’s appeal of logic. The lack of developed logic does not support his thesis that “sustained civilization” is in lethal danger as a result of dishonesty alone.

In chapter 1, Levitt and Dubner describe how many people in different cultures and walks of life, which are otherwise inclined to be honest, find subtle ways of cheating to advance their position or increase monetary awards when incentives are strong enough. The authors define an incentive as “a means of urging people to do more of a good thing or less of a bad thing,” and identify three varieties of incentives. Economic incentives are those, which a person responds to in the marketplace. Social incentives motivate people to respond in a certain way because they care or are worried about how they will be viewed by others. Moral incentives appeal to a person’s sense of right versus wrong. Three case studies of the

Agreeing with Frohnen and Clarke, Seglin stresses how honesty and ethical behavior is crucial to our public as a whole. Seglin discusses situational ethics by stating that it “misses the inconsistency between the way you behave and the ways others are when they behave exactly the same way and you hold them to be unethical” (126). Frohnen and Clarke’s stance agrees with Seglin’s that businesses work their way around the laws and for the most part get away with it without caring that what they are doing in unethical. Seglin argues that there are two different ways with handling business situations, an easy way and an ethical way. The easy way is to hide behind the law and the ethical way is to give careful reason as to whether your behaviors are right or wrong.

When we aren’t honest and our societies pick that up our communities will break down.According to Simon Gachter “people from more corrupt societies were likely to be more dishonest than those from societies where rulebreaking is frowned upon.” (Gachter,2016) This proves that without honesty and admiration our community breaks down.Although when we do we inspire future generations to be polite and run our nation right.This show that honesty is key to a successful

there are exceptions. Of course there are a select few people somewhere in this country that are

People we respect and look to for guidance and wisdom in life, lie. Lies are the cornerstone of unethical behavior; adultery is a lie not only to oneself, also to those whom you have committed to loving. In an article concerning the shocking affair of Gov. Mark Sanford, David Lauderdale makes a very simple yet profound statement, adultery is “a hardship you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, much less inflict on your flesh and blood.” However, daily this pain is inflicted, the details coursing through the media channels spreading our ethical decline. Politicians; such as, Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford, John Ensign and celebrities Tiger Woods, David Letterman, and Jesse James are the most recent casualties in this decline in ethical behavior. (Garcia) There