
Political Perversion
Rhetorical Aberration in the Time of Trumpeteering
Joshua Gunn(Author)
University of Chicago Press
Published on 4. September 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-0-226-71344-1 (ISBN)
Description
When Trump became president, much of the country was repelled by what they saw as the vulgar spectacle of his ascent, a perversion of the highest office in the land. In his bold, innovative book, Political Perversion, rhetorician Joshua Gunn argues that this "mean-spirited turn" in American politics (of which Trump is the paragon) is best understood as a structural perversion in our common culture, on a continuum with infantile and "gotcha" forms of entertainment meant to engender provocation and sadistic enjoyment.
Drawing on insights from critical theory, media ecology, and psychoanalysis, Gunn argues that perverse rhetorics dominate not only the political sphere but also our daily interactions with others, in person and online. From sexting to campaign rhetoric, Gunn advances a new way to interpret our contemporary political context that explains why so many of us have difficulty deciphering the appeal of aberrant public figures. In this book, Trump is only the tip of a sinister, rapidly growing iceberg, one to which we ourselves unwittingly contribute on a daily basis.
Drawing on insights from critical theory, media ecology, and psychoanalysis, Gunn argues that perverse rhetorics dominate not only the political sphere but also our daily interactions with others, in person and online. From sexting to campaign rhetoric, Gunn advances a new way to interpret our contemporary political context that explains why so many of us have difficulty deciphering the appeal of aberrant public figures. In this book, Trump is only the tip of a sinister, rapidly growing iceberg, one to which we ourselves unwittingly contribute on a daily basis.
Reviews / Votes
"The problem Gunn takes up here is the current status of political discourse in the time of the Trump presidency. In my opinion, no rhetorical problem could be more significant to examine for the future of what we might become as a nation. It is both timely and timeless."--Thomas S. Frentz, University of ArkansasMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
290 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-71344-1 (9780226713441)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Joshua Gunn is associate professor of communication studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of Speech Craft.
Content
Preambling toward Profligacy
Introduction: Eating Poorly, or Ketchup on a Steak
1. On Critical Violence
2. The Psychoses of Speed, with the Example of Social Networking
3. The Perverse Style, with Eventual Reference to Pee-wee Herman
4. Showmancing the Presidency: Perverse Genres and the Problem of Judgment
Conclusion: Don't Play (with) That
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
Introduction: Eating Poorly, or Ketchup on a Steak
1. On Critical Violence
2. The Psychoses of Speed, with the Example of Social Networking
3. The Perverse Style, with Eventual Reference to Pee-wee Herman
4. Showmancing the Presidency: Perverse Genres and the Problem of Judgment
Conclusion: Don't Play (with) That
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index