Thank Kids for Arguing

 

    I am quite thankful to have read "Thank You for Arguing", by Jay Heinrichs, over this semester. It broke down how important rhetoric is in everyday life, and I do think that everyone should read this book in order to expand on their communication skills and become better at persuading people's opinions. This skill is important in the real world if you would like to make a change for the better. People like politicians or advertisers can learn a lesson or two about this book, which could help them be a lot better at their job. The certainties in this book hold important life skills that I believe are not stressed enough in our education system. I believe that teachers should start adding rhetoric in their curriculum as early as junior high. Imbed rhetoric inside the brains of the kids while their brain is still in their development stage. Jay Heinrichs explains, "I rattled on about Aristotle and Cicero and figures of speech, and I pointed out our own rhetorical tricks around the dinner table. I let the kids win an argument now and then, which gave them a growing incentive to become still more argumentative." His kids do him proud as he ponders the thought of developing their argumentative skills. Bestowing this knowledge upon kids at a young age is important in order for them to develop great rhetoric skills and become great communicators in the future, which is an essential skill to have for everyday life.