|
From high school cafeterias to the floor of Congress, insult is a truly universal and ubiquitous cultural practice with a long and earthy history. And yet, this most human of human behaviors has rarely been the subject of organized and comprehensive attention-until Toward a Rhetoric of Insult. Viewed through the lens of the study of rhetoric, insult, Thomas M. Conley argues, is revealed as at once antisocial and crucial for human relations, both divisive and unifying. Explaining how this works and what exactly makes up a rhetoric of insult prompts Conley to range across the vast and splendidly colorful history of offense. Taking in Monty Python, Shakespeare, Eminem, Cicero, Henry Ford, and the Latin poet Martial, Conley breaks down various types of insults, examines the importance of audience, and explores the benign side of abuse. In doing so, Conley initiates readers into the world of insult appreciation, enabling us to regard insults not solely as means of expressing enmity or disdain, but as fascinating aspects of human interaction. Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1: The Range of Insult -- Terms Of Abuse: The Lexical Approach -- Beyond The Lexicon -- Nonverbal "Yerms" -- The Problem Of The Intrinsic -- Chapter 2: Traditional Principles of Insult -- Sex, Lies, And Rhetorical Community -- All Those Nauseous Epigrams Of Martial -- The Domestication Of Sir John Falstaff -- "I Shall Taunt You A Second Time-a!": Monty Python -- Just Add A Dash Of Theology -- Lines And Storylines -- Doing The Dozens -- Mind Your Manners -- Insults As "Rhetoric" -- Chapter 3: Beyond "Traditional" Rhetoric -- The Paradox Of Insult -- The Economics Of Shame -- Maintaining vs. Interrogating Hierarchies -- Enforcing "Civility" -- The Aesthetic Angle -- A Parting Shot -- Notes for Further Reading -- Index.
|
