“The most fundamental thing about a person is desire. It defines them. Tell me what a person wants, truly wants, and I'll tell you who they are, and how to persuade them.”
The power of rhetoric is the essence of the narrative and this is explored through the protagonist Emily who gets admitted to a school that teaches persuasion. Before the admission, we already see she uses the art of persuasion to survive the streets of San Francisco. The assertion alludes to the poets’ technique in managing to manipulate and persuade their target. In that, simply by understanding one’s true desires it is just a matter of choosing the right words to coax them to do anything.
“She could lay down a perfect argument and they just invented new bullsh*t on the spot to justify why the answer was still no.”
The assertion refers to the manner in which persuasion is a daily vocation for everyone especially those in the institution Emily is admitted at. She quickly learns how the people eat, sleep and live the art of persuasion that it is forbidden to reveal one’s true identity and thus hiding behind monikers. The statement showcases how rhetoric is easily twisted to fit the situation or argument in order to have the upper hand.
“People resist a census, but give them a profile page and they'll spend all day telling you who they are.”
This is a powerful statement that encompasses Emily’s world however it is also a commentary on society in general. In the narrative, Emily comes to understand that secrecy and being vulnerable is not an option especially in the presence of the ‘poets’. She observes how the general masses could easily be manipulated to bend to the wishes of the persuaders. Thus, the assertion expresses how despite the illusion that humanity harbor free-will in a certain decision in regard to privacy we are also our own enemies in jeopardizing our own privacy.
