Ethos
What is ethos?
Ethos in its small simplest form is defined as the legitimacy of the speaker according to David Blad of Ethos, Logos, Pathos or Sender, Message, Receiver. This is why you would listen to one person of another over a topic. One will listen to a speaker’s message if they are qualified, or have knowledge and skill in their said topic. What ethos ultimately comes down to is the character of the speaker and their ability to make someone listen.
Ethos & Animal Cruelty
Celebrities endorse all sorts of things daily for various reasons. One cause celebrities sometimes choose to invest in is the fight against animal cruelty. For many reasons, when one sees there celebrity idol fight for a cause they are more willing to join that cause. That is the power of ethos. When PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was looking to expand their organizations numbers, they went on MTV to appeal to the youth (Simonson). This is an example of not a person, but an entity using ethos to win support. Some notable celebrity activist taking up the animal rights cause are Rachel Ray, Bob Barker, Hilary Swank, Betty White, Paul McCartney, and Brad Pitt.
Example of a Celebrity Activist
![Brad Pitt SaladPride](/uploads/1/8/1/2/18129097/3351167.png)
references
Bade, David. "Ethos, Logos, Pathos or Sender, Message, Receiver?: A Problematological Rhetoric for Information Technologies." Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 47.7 (2009): 612-30. Print.
Simonson, Peter. "Social Noise and Segmented Rhythms: News, Entertainment, and Celebrity in the Crusade for Animal Rights." The Communication Review 4.3 (2001): 399-420. Print.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Galleries/Top-10-Animal-Rights-Activists.aspx?b=1&p=12
http://thepetwiki.com/wiki/Famous_Animal_Rights_Activists
Simonson, Peter. "Social Noise and Segmented Rhythms: News, Entertainment, and Celebrity in the Crusade for Animal Rights." The Communication Review 4.3 (2001): 399-420. Print.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Galleries/Top-10-Animal-Rights-Activists.aspx?b=1&p=12
http://thepetwiki.com/wiki/Famous_Animal_Rights_Activists