John Bohannon, an American scientist and journalist, used the 2011 TEDxBrussels platform to deliver a manifesto on communication tools used improperly. Bohannon alleges art is underutilized and PowerPoint is over-utilized, to the detriment of the economy and perhaps society. A multidimensional approach to the delivery of this message contributes to the effectiveness and is supported by further analysis of the author’s situation, purpose, claims, audience, and appeal strategies.
The situation precipitating Bohannon’s presentation is a conversation with a physicist friend describing an experiment in which the author struggles to understand the material being discussed. Bohannon states he realized “it seemed like the more he said, the less I understood”(Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon says, “If you're trying to give someone the big picture of a complex idea, to really capture its essence, the fewer words you use, the better” (Bohannon, 2011). The communication tools available for the standard communication of scientific information are not sufficient in the author’s experience.
The author’s purpose is to promote dance as a more effective communication tool than PowerPoint. Faced with confusion when talking to a friend, Bohannon states “I remember thinking, my friend could have explained that entire experiment with a dance” (Bohannon, 2011). When discussing “technology of persuasion” the author describes PowerPoint with the “illusion of competence, the illusion of simplicity, and most destructively, the illusion of understanding” and describes dancers as “sure to help” (Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon (2011) posits that there are already instances in the professional world of dance meeting work, describing an example of “efficient brainstorming” through dance at the University of Minnesota.
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Bohannon’s main claim is that poor communication is a “serious threat to the global economy” specifically evidenced by PowerPoint presentations (Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon states “We face difficult economic times” with an economic drain of an estimated “250 million dollars per day” but adds that this is not the only cost of overused PowerPoint presentations (Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon does advocate a solution to “financial calamity” (Bohannon, 2011). The argument can be made that changing the major communication “tool of rhetoric” from PowerPoint to dance will lead to some “drawbacks,” as phrased by Bohannon (2011). However, poor communication adds up to an “annual waste of 100 billion dollars”, “one certainly can’t argue with those numbers” (Bohannon, 2011).
Bohannon delivered his modest proposal to a TEDx audience in 2011 Brussels. Attendees to TED events contribute financially and intellectually through a rigorous ticketing application process. An absence of explanation around PowerPoint as a tool suggests Bohannon expects that his audience is relatively familiar with technology in the workplace. However, Bohannon’s language indicates he does not expect his audience to be familiar with science, taking great pains to explain in detail scientific references. Bohannon uses descriptors such as “a special bottle”, “spooky properties”, and “chaos” to avoid scientific terminology (Bohannon, 2011). After all, the author holds a PhD and readily admits he can “barely understand what most scientists are talking about” (Bohannon, 2011)
In his presentation about tools of rhetorical communication, Bohannon uses logos, ethos, and pathos to his advantage. Bohannon’s words use a strong logical bent to connect with his audience and convince them his modest proposal should not “be liable to the least objection” (Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon’s logos appeal includes economic statistics, instances of dance succeeding as a tool, and a personal anecdote in which his understanding was enhanced. The author does work to establish a sense of ethos both by stating his credentials and humanizing his experience understanding complex scientific information. Finally, Bohannon uses a live dance performance concurrently with his proposal as a demonstrative tool to emphasize complicated and powerful points. This fosters a deeper connection with his audience.
The TEDx platform is an opportunity for big, bold ideas, and John Bohannon in his “Dance vs. Powerpoint, a Modest Proposal” did not disappoint. Multiple approaches to the author’s theory that we should try something new and “use dance to explain all of our complex problems” lead to an effective conveyance of his thoughts (Bohannon, 2011). Bohannon expresses his concern that unproductive communication is not only “a complete waste of time” but a “serious threat” and provides his solution of dance as a powerful tool (Bohannon, 2011). The conclusions drawn by Bohannon are strong and convincing to the point of warranting further investigation. How we learn and what we are able to understand is important far beyond any economic implications. Dance may well have a place in academia or the workplace, and is as Bohannon feels, “not as crazy as it sounds” (Bohannon, 2011).
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