Final answer:
Kairos is used in persuasion as a strategy that emphasizes the importance of timing in delivering a message. By considering the most opportune moment and the current circumstances, communicators can increase the effectiveness of their argument and appeal to the immediacy of an issue to prompt action from the audience.
Step-by-step explanation:
Kairos can be a powerful persuasive strategy and refers to the sense of appropriate timing in a rhetorical context. To use kairos effectively, a communicator must assess the most opportune moment to deliver a message in order to optimize its impact on the audience. For example, discussing road safety measures right after a series of car accidents can make the audience more receptive to the message due to the timeliness and immediate relevance of the issue.
An understanding of kairos is particularly important when considering the needs and emotions of an audience. For instance, in a persuasive essay regarding mental health services, highlighting the urgency of the need based on current student awareness can make an appeal to kairos incredibly effective. This appeal to the timeliness of the matter under discussion can evoke a sense of immediate concern and prompt action.
Furthermore, it's essential to use nonaggressive language when addressing readers who might not already support your stance. By showing empathy and an understanding of different perspectives, a speaker or writer can use kairos to turn a timely argument into an opportunity to connect with and persuade the audience, even those who may initially disagree.