Rhetorical situation

Speaker

The speaker of the TED talk “How video game skills can get you ahead in life” is William Collis, an esports expert, entrepreneur, and college professor. Collis has vast experience with the esports industry, which he has analyzed extensively in The Book of Esports. In his TED talk, Collis makes references to his background, which reinforces his authority: “Today, I still love video games, I founded successful companies in the space and I’ve even written a book about the industry” (ll. 12-13). 

Throughout his TED talk, Collis comes across as knowledgeable and well-informed, which helps readers who do not have experience with esports have a better understanding of the concept. Towards the end of his talk, Collis portrays himself as an open-minded parent who bonds with his sons over esports: 

And now I think of my own sons. But instead of soccer, we’re watching esports, not the violent ones, mind you. But...