Teacher’s Talk on Exigence
By Tania Pope
Exigence is the rhetor’s need to respond to the context/situation/occasion. The exigence will drive the rhetor’s response, which in turn drives the discourse with a chosen audience, and which drives the purpose of the argument presented. It’s the defining reason/moment/ urgent call as to why a person has decided to take on an issue.
For example, the The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) recently put out a new song, “March, March.”
The decision for The Chicks not only to put out the song but to lose “Dixie” as their descriptor is a strong reaction clearly tied to an argument they are making. The song itself is tied to the power of protest and the courage to protest arguing that it can be an alienating experience “marching to one’s own drum” against the prevailing norm. So what is their exigence, their urgent call to say something: Dixie is a word tied to the South, and more specifically, the Confederacy. The context/ occasion/ historical situation of the recent protests and Black Lives Matter movement clearly have had an impact on their purpose. The Chicks feel inspired to speak out against racism attaching traditions of the South to America’s racist problems. Their song and video speak to the power of protest to enact change to answer this call to address racism in America.
In other words their exigence: ADDRESSING RACISM IN AMERICA
There are two schools of thought on exigence:
Lloyd Bitzer:
Bitzer argues that exigency is rhetorical in nature when it creates discourse or debate targeting a specific audience, modifying the way the audience thinks, that it must be a response to a real situation, and is only effective when it is fitting—that the rhetor properly understands the situation driving the rhetor’s call to action or exigency.
Scott Cosigny:
Cosigny argues differently. He challenges Bitzer on the idea that a well-posed problem requires a fitting response arguing that the rhetor is the driving force in the response who has the power to control and even manipulate the exigency to suit the argument.
Students should not feel the need to delve into the craziness of intellectual banter over trivial differences in understanding; but as they think of their argument or analysis, how do they see the role of yourself or the person arguing in achieving a fitting response to a situation? Or do they see the rhetor having the power to manipulate the exigency to suit the purpose?
Here are two recent examples to think about:
1. Joe Biden
Biden is known for his “gaffs”, and in an interview with a black talk show radio host, Biden appeared to lose sight of his audience and the situation and himself, and essentially “gaffed” again! When asked on his thoughts on black people voting for Trump, he responded that these black voters “’ain’t black enough.” As a very White man from industrial White America, choosing to speak on behalf of the black community and attempting to mimic Black vernacular made Biden sound out of touch, and the moment made him the laughing stock on social media. Bitzer might argue that Biden’s response was not fitting failing to address the exigency (Black votes for Trump) resulting in an ineffective rhetorical moment.
2. Coronavirus task force
After many weeks of not addressing the media, the White House’s coronavirus task force finally held a press conference. Vice President Pence headed the briefing painting a positive picture of the work the WH had done to flatten the curve. One would argue that the exigency of the press conference was the sudden rise of coronavirus cases across America, especially in Texas, Arizona, and Florida, states experiencing vertical spikes in cases. A fitting response may be to call for greater safety measures, to wear masks, to shut down states again. Instead, Pence appeared to skip the fitting response “manipulating” the moment to paint this positive picture of the WH’s work to curb the spread of the virus. Bitzer may argue Pence’s position ineffective and irrelevant as it does not respond to the situation or the urgent need to address the spread of the virus. On the other hand, Cosigny may argue that Pence as rhetor is in total control shifting the exigency from the rising spread of the virus to the successful work of the task force and the WH serving his “possible” greater purpose of getting Trump reelected.
