Module 1: Write-Out

Image credit: The cover of his latest book, courtesy of Jeff Speck. 

Today I would like to analyze the credibility of Jeff Speck base on the ethos he shows. Ethos is a Greek word meaning “character”, and it is used to define “the voice and the implied character of the speaker”(Horner), as Horner mentioned in his book Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition.

Jeff Speck is a city planner and also an urban designer. In his speech on Ted Talk, he talks about how car takes away people’s health, money, and causes pollution for the environment. To solve these problems, Jeff Speck offers an ultimate solution, which is to make our cities more walkable.

In his opening, he first shows his purpose of the speech: he wants to make America more “economically resilient”, “healthier”, and “environmentally sustainable”(Jeff). I believe this shows his values and also makes him a virtue person. He then explains why America – “Because there is a history, in some places, not all, of American ideas are being appropriated and emulated around the world”(Jeff). I believe what he means is that if America could take the action first and make the cities more walkable, then maybe the globe would follow up too. His desire of making the world a better place makes him a virtue person.

Jeff Speck then gives some arguments to support his points. The first talks about the changes in the economy. He compares the transportation fee people spent now with the transportation fee people spent back in the 70s, and the result is that people spent twice as much now as they spent in the 70s. He also gives an example of the changes in Portland. By narrowing the roads, investing bicycling and walking, Portlanders drive less and therefore saves money. Jeff Speck offers many statistics results that are based on fact and no exaggeration. I think it’s fair to say he shows his intelligence by doing so.

He next talks about health. He establishes his goodwill toward the audience by emphasizing his concerns for all human being’s health. He again uses many statistics result to illustrate how many people are ill or died because of cars. I think what he says makes sense and I can feel that he’s worried through his voice. That’s why I think he has goodwill.

The last part he talks about the environment. He makes a suggestion that people should live in cities because in that way they won’t need to drive so much and produce so much carbon. He says “The denser cities like Manhattan the less gasoline”. To me, it sounds like he’s implying there is less pollution in Manhattan which is not the fact. This is the only part I doubt. I think he could be more accurate by not just mentioning the pollution caused by cars. Because there are many kinds of pollution, carbon is just one of them.

Overall, Jeff Speck establishes his ethos by demonstrating high intelligence, virtue, and goodwill successfully. His idea is worth sharing and I believe he is credible.

Horner, Winifred. Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988.

Speck, Jeff. The Walkable City. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_speck_the_walkable_city