Practical Eloquence: A New Edition

Author: Ouyang Zhou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: After selecting materials for oral expression, there is still the issue of application. This is the ultimate goal of material work. Therefore, in any oral expression practice, the subject should possess a conscious subject awareness and thematic awareness, truly "grasp" the materials, creatively master them, and use them flexibly, transforming their potential value into actual value. To use materials well, one must:
First, be skilled in editing, removing redundancies, and highlighting the main points, otherwise, it will be like "too many flowers damage the tree, excessive fat harms the bone."
Second, decide the order and level of detail in narration based on the nature and importance of the materials, and adjust the tone and style of the narration according to the needs of content expression.
Third, achieve unity between ideas and materials: form ideas based on materials, with ideas being the inevitable result of refining materials; use ideas to guide materials, and use materials to elucidate and argue for ideas, achieving true unity not just on the surface but in essence.
Recently, the renowned Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen, who is over ninety, shared his reflections and insights after deeply studying Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" important thought. By closely linking his scientific practice, he profoundly realized the historical context and great significance of the "Three Represents" by drawing from his close interactions with the three generations of Party leaders—Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Jiang Zemin. The materials used in this speech are rich and appropriate, concrete and typical, accurate and vivid, making the principles deeply understood and demonstrating strong persuasiveness and.
II. Correct and profound ideological oral expression is essentially the expression of our understanding of social life and objective realities, as well as our ideas and viewpoints. For oral expression subjects with a high sense of mission and responsibility, who are in harmony with the Party, the motherland, and the people, their oral expression always reflects a correct understanding of social life and objective realities, expresses correct ideas and viewpoints, offers unique and profound insights, and can educate and inspire others. It must not be arbitrary, untruthful, or nonsensical, as this may lead to adverse consequences.
Emphasizing the ideological nature of writing is equally important for oral expression. The ideological nature refers to the full ideological significance (including political, social, philosophical, historical, ethical, aesthetic, etc.) reflected in the content of oral expression and the degree of truth, goodness, and beauty achieved. When evaluating whether the content of oral expression has ideological nature, one must consider both the objective truthfulness of the expressed content and its actual impact on the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, political civilization, and material civilization. Specifically, the following points should be noted:
First, observe the attitude of the oral expression subject toward real-life. Does it genuinely reflect the essence of the current era's life, revealing its nature, or does it provide a false reflection, distorting its essence? Does it confront the contradictions of real life, or does it avoid them? This reflects two different worldviews and life philosophies, revealing the subject's political stance and ideological character, and determining the political direction and social benefits of the oral expression.
Second, examine the attitude of the oral expression content toward the people, to see whether it reflects the interests and aspirations of the masses. The people are the masters of the country, and the oral expression subject should belong to the people, live among them, be closely connected with them, share their joys and sorrows, serve as their voice, reflect their sentiments, defend their interests, and become their loyal representatives. Only then does their work have meaning, and their content will win the people's favor. For this reason, the content of oral expression must align with the Party's general line and tasks in the new era of socialism, uphold the Four Cardinal Principles, practice the "Three Represents," adhere to the Party and state's policies, laws, and regulations, and genuinely reflect the hardships, aspirations, and struggles of the people, following the trend of historical development.
Whatever meets these requirements indicates strong ideological nature in oral expression and is good, deserving affirmation; conversely, it lacks ideological nature, is bad and harmful, and should be opposed and criticized.
Any member of human society, as long as they are physically healthy and possess basic listening and comprehension abilities, can become a receptor in oral expression practice. The receptor may be an individual or a group, depending on the object and purpose of the oral expression practice. Compared to the subject, the receptor has the following characteristics:
First, subordination. The subject is the implementer of the oral expression practice, always in an active and dominant position, while the receptor is the recipient, always in a passive and subordinate position.
Second, diversity. Due to the broadness of needs and interests, the receptor is diverse, numerous, and varies in personality, hobbies, and demands.
Third, selectivity. The receptor can choose to listen or not listen to the content of oral expression, freely deciding based on their needs and interests.
Fourth, feedback. The receptor reacts to the subject's oral expression content during the reception process, either affirming or agreeing, rejecting or opposing, or ignoring it, expressing their responses through verbal and non-verbal language (gaze, expression, gestures, posture, etc.).
Acceptance aesthetics (also known as reception theory or reception study), modern hermeneutics, and modern communication studies, which emerged in the 1960s, all argue that whether it is oral expression or written composition, neither is the ultimate goal but rather the use of language to convey emotions and ideas for the receptor (consumer). Any oral expression phenomenon—whether casual daily conversation or purposeful speeches, presentations, debates, or negotiations—should not be merely an objective activity directed at the material world but rather an ideological and emotional recognition, exchange, and communication between people as subjects and receptors.
The fruits of intellectual labor (spiritual production) created by the oral expression subject—works or texts—are for listening and reception. Their social effects and aesthetic value can only be realized through the specific process of listening and reception by the receptor, where they take shape and are brought to fruition, not solely by the subject's intellectual labor in creating them.
If the "works" or "texts" of oral expression are not received by the receptor, no matter how rich and appropriate the materials are, how correct and profound the ideas are, how clear and focused the theme is, or how skilled and exquisite the techniques are, they hold no practical significance. This is like a musical score, which is merely a set of notes printed on paper before performance, or a film, which is merely a strip of film with images before being shown to the audience. It is merely a "possibility of existence," and only through the receptor's listening and reception can it have an impact and effect, becoming a "reality of existence."
The "works" and "texts" of oral expression require receptors. They gain vitality and realize their aesthetic value, produce social effects, and complete the entire system process of oral expression only through the "dynamic" process of being listened to and received. However, during the process of listening and receiving the oral expression (works, texts), the receptor is not merely a passive recipient or a purely objective, negative reflection but an active, creative spiritual activity. In the process of listening and receiving, they engage in an active "re-creation" and "re-evaluation," influencing the subject's oral expression practice through their own selection, comprehension, evaluation, and feedback.
Therefore, engaging in oral expression practice requires not only the subject to strengthen their own qualities and prepare adequately before the practice but also to clearly understand and study the receptor of the oral expression behavior, ensuring that the content () of their oral expression meets their needs. Practice has proven that only when the subject and receptor are in harmony can the oral expression practice achieve the best results.
Without the subject, there would be no one to produce spiritual products—the essence of oral expression (the content, i.e., the)—and no object for the receptor to listen to and receive. However, between the receptor and the subject, there is also a two-way interactive process, where the receptor, through their "re-creation" and "re-evaluation," feeds back their feelings, experiences, understanding, judgments, and awareness to the subject, influencing the subject's future oral expression practice. As Marx pointed out in his works, "Art objects create an audience that understands art and appreciates beauty—just as with any other product. Therefore, production not only creates objects for the subject but also creates the subject for the object." In other words, the feedback from the oral expression receptor provides new needs and motivation for the subject's oral expression practice, guiding the subject's behavior toward goals and directions, thereby improving the quality and level of oral expression.