Rhetoric and the Public Sphere

As the iconic co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc., and the innovator responsible for revolutionizing the way humanity communicates in the modern world, Steve Jobs was uniquely positioned to understand the immense persuasive power of rhetorical ability. Throughout his storied career Jobs' reputation for effectively communicating visionary ideas was exceeded only by his preternatural ability to persuade, shaping public perception and convincing consumers time and time again that the latest Apple product was an essential addition to their lifestyle. When Jobs took the stage to deliver his now legendary commencement address to the 2005 graduating class at Stanford University, the late multimedia mogul responsible for the Macintosh personal computer, iPod, iPhone, iPad, along with a wide array of similarly groundbreaking advances in computing technology, was poised to present his own life as an allegory for the dogged pursuit of one's personal passion. In doing so,...
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