There are many definitions of Kairos in rhetoric, but mine in this instance is the opportunity someone has to make their statement or get their message across. Miley Cyrus was beginning to fade into the background of other up and coming stars younger than her. Her main audience was teenage girls, but now that her audience, and her, were growing up changes needed to be made. Miley’s reputation as an innocent, but talented teenage girl was not making the cut with her older audience anymore. Her fading audience is the exigence that caused her change in appearance. She knew with her growing age that her reputation had to change and her last two songs combined (including their music videos) got her message across. I can’t even begin to analyze her “We can’t stop” music video so I’m analyzing her somewhat less extreme “Wrecking Ball” music video. Even after Miley’s hair cut, change in apparel, and “We can’t stop” music video, people were skeptical as to what she was trying to achieve. Many people thought this was just a quick phase that would be old news. In response to the lack of response to her changes Miley needed another chance to get her message across, that she had changed. I believe that her “Wrecking Ball” music video put the nail in the coffin to her old, innocent reputation. After riding on a wrecking ball nude, there is no going back to innocence. Her entire performance in the video separated her farther and farther away from an innocent image. She knew exactly what she was doing when she decided to become a sexual, outrageous pop star. I don’t believe her goal was to cause problems, only to get back on top and noticed again. She saw her opportunity to get back on the radar and took it.
3 thoughts on “RCL #5- Kairos”
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Changing your looks drastically always has a huge impact. This is true for everyone, not just celebrities. Even in high school, if someone drastically changes their appearance, everyone would talk about it. I think Miley did it perfectly. She let a little bit of her buzz die down for a year or so (though people still knew who she was), then came back with a bold new look and personality. This made everyone talk about the new Miley. If Miley’s audience was getting older and she might not have sway with the new set of tweens. I think this was a very smart move on her part and probably more genuine than pretending to be a goodie-goodie Disney star for her whole life.
This is perfect. You clearly understand the concept of kairos and are even able to tie exigence in here, and you use a lot of details to prove your point (which I agree with 100%). This is going to be a great paper.
I have to say, I almost lost it when you mentioned that you can’t even begin to analyze the “We Can’t Stop” video, I can only imagine what that rhetorical essay would look like.
Personally, I love Miley Cyrus, more so than when she was Hannah Montana, but mostly only when my eyes are closed. I love her voice and music and I think she had the opportunity to become the idol to a lot of young people had she not started… riding wrecking balls without any clothes on. I like your take on why she started acting so raunchy, in trying to grasp hold of her quickly fleeting fame. I’m always sad to see people go to such lengths to try and keep attention on them when it might not have even been necessary.
Good luck on this paper, I look forward to hearing more!