Page 133 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

100 Part 1 Foundations

the editor of a newspaper or magazine, or confronting the speaker one on one.
Whatever the appropriate medium, constructive objections are generally prefer-
able to silence.

Be Aware of Biases

The fi nal guideline for listeners concerns our subjective view and the manner
in which it biases how we receive and process a speaker’s message. Perception
is colored by our experiences, both real and vicarious. Rather than denying the
fact, it’s much healthier and realistic for us to admit this to ourselves. Only then
can we determine how much of our reaction to a speech is based on its content
and relational dynamic and how much is attributable to our individual biases.

Tips and Tactics
Ethical Guidelines for Listeners 31

• Be civil.
• Be aware that all communication is potentially infl uential and that there are
consequences to accepting any message. Ask what infl uence the speaker is
seeking to exert.
• Stay informed on important topics so that you can judge the accuracy of the
communication provided by others. Be willing to independently confi rm
information that appears questionable.
• Be aware of your personal biases to reduce your susceptibility to appeals to
prejudices. Be willing to listen to opposing views with an open mind.
• Be aware of deceptive communication ploys and work to expose those guilty
of fallacious reasoning, propaganda ploys, and outright deception. Be willing
to speak out in response to deceptive speech.
• Put yourself in the position of the speaker and treat him or her with the same
respect you would expect were the roles reversed.
• Provide constructive feedback to the speaker if the opportunity is given.

Summary

Several basic ethical questions are of concern to speakers:
www.mhhe.com/brydon6
• Why care about ethics? Most people fundamentally want to do what is right.
To evaluate your understand-
ing of this chapter, visit our • Is everything relative? Ethical relativists believe there are no universal ethi-
Online Learning Center Web
site for quizzes and other cal principles.
chapter study aids.
• Are there rules for every situation? Universalists believe there are ethical