My First GRE Passage

这是我的第一篇GRE文章，如果有写得不好得地方，请留言指正。

题目

Claim: In any situation, the best way to persuade other people is to present them with facts and statistics rather than with emotional arguments.

Reason: Facts are objective, so they are more persuasive than subjective appeals.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.

作文

With the advancement of the society, many of us take it for granted that the best way to persuade other people is to present them with facts and statics rather than with emotional arguments. The underlying reason for this is that since facts are objective, they are more persuasive than subjective appeals. Unfortunately, I disagree with the claim and the reason, and here are the reasons why I disagree with it.

Admittedly, in some aspect, persuading people by presenting them with statics is an effective way, especially in the field of science and engineering. For instance, critical data taken generated from numerous experiments on patients plays a vital role in the process of developing a new kind of drug. Companies cannot persuade FDA to approve certain kinds of medicine by telling the urgent need for this medicine. Instead, they have to provide reliable and convincing data which was taken from numerous experiments in labs and on patients in order to prove that the drug is effective and does not have side effects. In this case, facts and statistics are not just the best way to persuade; they are the only acceptable way.

However, this claim can hardly become useful when it comes to the topics which are more related to our personal lives. The main reason is that human beings are not purely rational actors; our decisions are deeply influenced by emotions, morals, and shared values. Take Martin Luther King as an example. Indeed, he cited the fact of racial segregation and discrimination between black and white people, but he could not achieve the success of promoting the Civil Rights Act without delivering emotional speeches like “I have a dream”. His vivid description of black people’s unequally treated situation and calling for equality between different races successfully evoked the resonance in the communities, engaging more people into this movement, which is the main cause for the fundamental change. It will be quixotic for Martin to call on people to engage in the movement if he just used data and historical facts in his speeches.

What’s more, there is a serious flaw in facts and statistics which can call the claim and reason mentioned above into question. Ordinary people are not willing to understand the meanings behind the facts. Several previous experiments indicate that with the rising of number of statics and facts in a speech of a representative, the less likely voters would like to get interested in his political position, therefore achieving lower vote than others. People will get tired after listening to numerous times of similar facts, and they instead want to hear someone who can stand out and clearly express themselves. So in this case, using only facts is not convincing enough.

Moreover, the most compelling persuasion often combines both elements. A skilled advocate uses facts as the skeleton of the argument and emotional appeal to attract those who have the same ambition. A nonprofit seeking donation for poor people will show statistics on salary and food supply of these families but will also tell the story of one specific child to create a connection that moves potential donators. The fact establishes the scale of the problem, while the emotional appeal evokes the empathy necessary to motivate action.

In conclusion, I believe that using statistics rather than emotional arguments when persuading others is not the best way in any cases. Only by combining facts and emotions together in lectures can we persuade others from the deep heart.