Analysis

An analysis of Tristan Harris’ talk “How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every day” shows that the rhetorical situation is the TED2017 conference, where Harris delivers a talk on the topic of how tech companies and internet platforms influence human psychology. As this was a speech that Harris delivered at a TED conference, we will be mostly referring to it as a “talk”. 

When it comes to composition, Harris structures his talk in a particular way. He first starts with diagnosing a problem that society deals with, and ends up suggesting several solutions and a different vision for the future. 

The style of language used by Harris is a mix of formal and informal. Harris mainly uses formal language throughout his speech, but also inserts some elements of spoken language which gives the talk a more natural feel. It also works as a nice contrast to the topic itself which may seem complex.

Some of the rhetorical devices used by Harris are rhetorical questions, antithesis, and direct address. With the help of these rhetorical devices, Harris attempts to persuade the audience of his claims. 

The main forms of appeal used in the talk are ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is, for instance, built when Harris relies on his past work experience, while logos is built when Harris focuses on specific examples that illustrate his ideas. Pathos is used when Harris appeals to the emotions of the audience, and when he presents shared experiences.

You can read a full analysis of the talk in the following pages.