Communications Faculty Scholarship

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2008

Publication Title

Ohio Communication Journal

Publisher

Ohio Communication Association

Keywords

Self-help, Individualism, Communitarian

Abstract

Communitarians have criticized liberals for being too focused on individual rights and responsibilities. But not many scholars have raised this criticism in the area of self-help rhetoric. To address this void, this essay formulates a communitarian critique of the rhetorical devices Dr. Phil uses to counsel guests on his television program. Many scholars have published insightful work on the communitarian/liberalism debate. This paper extends that debate by providing a moral critique of the rhetoric espoused in this popular form of self-help entertainment. Dr. Phil's persuasive appeals to his guests reveal how notions of individualism appear during the show's dialogue.

First Page

73

Last Page

93

Volume

46

Original Citation

Jones, E. K. (2008). A Communitarian Critique of Dr. Phil: The Individualistic Ethos of Self-Help Rhetoric. Ohio Communication Journal, 46, 73-93.

Version

Publisher's Version

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Communication Commons

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