Ethics of Pathos and Ethos

Both Pathos and Ethos have a large ethical responsibility attached to them. Logos deals with just the straight facts of an argument, but Pathos and Ethos both on some level try to sway the audience without applying actual facts. Therefore, there is an ethical obligation for the author’s to use these devices carefully. If an author relies too much on these two devices, he is being deceitful and begins to fall in shady ethical waters. If Pathos and Ethos are used incorrectly the piece devolves from a well-written argument to passionate drivel.
The media is on of the greatest examples of what happens when this ethical boundary is passed. More and more the news sensationalizes stories to try and stir up feelings in their audience. They try to pass off ever rainstorm as the next Noah’s flood, every snowstorm as the greatest blizzard ever, or even the latest car accident as a great loss of life. I even once saw a reporter filming about a flood while riding in a canoe. Only problem, you could see people walking in the three inches of water that she was in right behind her. Things like the ruin the true purpose of the argument, and when the ethical obligations of Ethos and Pathos are not followed, the result is usually bad writing.