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Warren Buffett’s Celebrity, Epideictic Ethos, and Neoliberal Humanitarianism

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Rhetoric in Neoliberalism

Part of the book series: Rhetoric, Politics and Society ((RPS))

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Abstract

Billionaire Warren Buffett’s rhetorical agency seemingly challenges neoliberalism. His public statements supporting tax increases on the rich and carrying for the poor seemingly denounce free-market capitalism. But Meister and Platt convincingly argue that Buffett’s rhetorical agency bolsters neoliberalism rather than opposing it. Grounding their analysis in epideictic ethos and celebrity status, Meister and Platt argue that Buffett symbolizes both wealth earned and the self-restraint to retain it, exemplifying neoliberalism as a system that maintains wealth among the wealthy. Buffett’s rhetorical agency fuses epideictic ethos with philanthropic celebrity; a type of neoliberal humanitarianism that ultimately protects wealth, fosters elitism, and champions wider social and economic distinctions.

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39850-1_10

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Mark Meister & Carrie Anne Platt

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  1. Mark Meister
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  2. Carrie Anne Platt
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  1. University of Waterloo, Canada

    Kim Hong Nguyen

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Meister, M., Platt, C.A. (2017). Warren Buffett’s Celebrity, Epideictic Ethos, and Neoliberal Humanitarianism. In: Nguyen, K. (eds) Rhetoric in Neoliberalism . Rhetoric, Politics and Society. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39850-1_3

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