What is Digital Rhetoric?

This week’s blog post details James Porter’s Recovering Delivery for Digital Rhetoric. In his article, Porter suggests a reassessment of the rhetorical canon of delivery in the fast changing digital age. Porter explains the role of delivery or pronuntiatio in what he calls classical rhetoric, which is the discipline of delivering speeches. Porter instead is arguing for delivery should be classified as techne, or art. Porter then gives to the reader his five part theoretical outline for what he calls digital delivery. They are as follows:

1.    Body/Identity

2.   Distribution/Circulation

3.   Access/Accessibility

4.   Interaction/Interactivity

5.   Economics

Porter continues on by identifying the main demographic for the article as rhetoric and composition teachers and web designers and web authors. Porter’s main idea to this part of his audience was essentially how technical knowledge is a more concrete, foundational form of organic an realistic thought.

His second primary audience, the ones consisting of web authors, designers, etc., his point was as clear when he stated that their jobs were “to emphasize how rhetoric theory and critical humanistic thinking contribute value to web-based production and design”

Porter’s thinking, I assume, must be that both parties involved (rhetoric/composition teachers and developers of web content) must have a mutual understanding that there is a need to update and revision outdated rhetorical theories that will successfully translate into the adaptation of new media technologies.

However, Porter in his article is very concerned with the development of delivery as it pertains to digital rhetoric, as it’s sole roadblock, in my opinion, would be the limited adaptability of common rhetorical practices for digital rhetoric.

Porter hypothesizes that the development of a digital delivery theory will aid us in the future deal with the numerous multi-faceted rhetorical issues that are common in today’s digital rhetoric. Porter claims that knowing delivery and how it operates can greatly aid the writer who is trying to get his point across understand his or her audience better. Porter also notes that individuals who are well versed in computers and composition have examined elements of delivery in the past. However, Porter believes that they may not have identified with what they were doing as elements of delivery. The situation is very similar to how writers well versed in “social media” rhetoric may not consider their work as academic.

Porter’s piece spent a great deal explaining the values of classical or traditional rhetoric, however, I wish he spent more energy giving establishing and providing examples at how his previously mentioned 5 step outline could be put to practice. Porter details that in order for is outline to truly be successful, they must be “put into dynamic interaction with one another and with other rhetorical topics” I think that Porter’s theory provides a new teaching model for which composition courses and more forward rhetorically. For example in this ENG 642 class, we follow the 5 step outlined created by Porter somewhat.

The Body/Identity portion could be the content we create for the course such as the blog posts we do weekly, all the while finding our identity as strong critical writers along the way. The Distribution/Circulation aspect is fulfilled by blogger.com allowing us to post our thoughts and ideas in a way that interacts with Access/Accessibility and Interaction/Interactivity. The former gives every student and the professor the ability to read each other’s thoughts while the latter gives everyone involved the opportunity to provide helpful, healthy critique.

Economics could be equated to the academic grade awarded for all the work contributed to the class as it is the only thing of intrinsic value to be had.