7.1 Overview of Kairos

Kairos, in Greek, means something like “the right moment” or “an opportune time.” Although the classical rhetoricians did not include kairos among the “core” rhetorical appeals, it turns out to be at least as important and serves much the same function in persuasion as the other appeals, so it seems reasonable to treat it as a rhetorical appeal.  In the simplest terms, the most carefully crafted message, delivered by the most credible writer, containing the most flawless logic, can fail if it is not delivered at the right time.  You will notice that interest in the issue of gun control, for instance, rises and falls, often in relation to how recently we have experienced a national tragedy involving guns. Choosing the “opportune moment” for a gun control argument is tricky: If it is too soon after a national tragedy, the argument might be dismissed as politicizing the event, but if the writer waits too long, interest in the issue might have waned. In short, timing can be tricky.

7.2 External Kairos

When the classic rhetoricians mention kairos, they are speaking primarily about the speaking or writing occasion. That is, they were thinking about the event where a message is given and received. Such an event could be a graduation speech, which takes place in an academic environment where the audience is likely reflecting on what happens next. Such an occasion might not be the best time to sell them a life insurance policy, for instance, since that typically becomes relevant a little later in life, whereas this moment is often more about opportunity and risk.  Understanding how kairos can be used to persuade involves an understanding of both time and place, since both are intertwined. Take, for example, the McDonald’s billboard on a lonely stretch of interstate highway. It comes up at a time where a traveler is likely to be hungry, and is conveniently close to a place where they might be able to satisfy that hunger. In this rhetorical situation, the place is easily as important as the timing.

7.3 Internal Kairos

One of the best examples of the importance of internal kairos is in stand up comedy. The most carefully written “bit” can only be brought to life by a comedian who understands timing, and can fail if a required pause is missing or of an inappropriate length. You can see the the occasion itself is not as important here as the timing and delivery of the content. This concept is easily transferable to writing, where a skilled author can use sentence and paragraph length to establish a rhythm that builds to a climax and ends in a conclusion without ever having to rely on clumsy transitions like “in conclusion” or “finally” to announce where they are in the course of their argument. The same writer can choose to introduce ideas or concepts in the most compelling order, which is another form of internal kairos.