Kairos-Time it just right
“Kairos is one of those wonderful words, adopted from another language (in this case ancient Greek), that is impossible to define, yet powerful in what it represents” (Ramage p116). This sentence right here got me wanting to read more about the meaning of Karios and how it can be used in everyday conversation and writings. “In Greek, kairos means “right time,” “season,” or “opportunity” (Ramage p116). People should consider using kairos when they start a conversation and determine if it is an appropriate time to bring up their subject.
While reading about Kairos, I began to understand that some people need to use this more often. Have you even been around someone and they just start talking about something that has nothing to do with what is going on around you, or is not the appropriate time for that discussion? Well, I have and it is very annoying. You just want to say to them… “You need to work on your kairos”, though using this terminology may leave them with a blank look on their face.
Arguments are more successful if they are brought up at the right time and the right atmosphere. Think back to when you were a child, you knew when to ask your parents for something and when to come back later and ask at a different time. Even at a young age, we use kairos without even knowing. Getting your point across is all about the timing in which you bring it up. If your husband is watching football on T.V. and you start talking to him about what you need him to do this weekend, what you are saying to him is going to be ignored because it is not the right time to talk to him about that. “To think kairotically is to be attuned to the total context of a situation in order to act in the right way at the right moment” (Ramage p118). You must pay attention to what is going on around you and perhaps consider bringing up what you want to talk about at a different time. Maybe then your husband will listen and it will be a more successful conversation.
Work Cited
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: a Rhetoric with Readings. New York: Pearson Longman, 2010. Print
Unit 4 Blog 3
ReplyDeleteAs Vanessa says, “You need to work on your kairos”. Not only would it leave a blank look on the person’s face, it would be a priceless look of extreme confusion. I would like to take the suggestion of telling someone they need to work on their kairos one step further by giving them the letter “K” used in American Sign Language. K in this instance would be short for ‘Kairos’, meaning you just got “K’d”. Although, the drawback would be if you just happened to be the person that didn’t abide by the “two minute” rule prior to entering into a conversation. Yes, I have broken that rule and received the “You need to work on your kairos” look from several people already engaged in the topic of conversation. When that happens in an important conversation, it not only makes it very difficult to join in, but it impairs your ethos as well.
Works Cited
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