How Does Michael Moore Use Ethos In Capitalism

“Capitalism does not permit an even flow of economic resources. With this system, a small privileged few are rich beyond conscience, and almost all others are doomed to be poor at some level. That's the way the system works. And since we know that the system will not change the rules, we are going to have to change the system.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Imagine going to work every day, arriving early and departing late- simply due to your absolute passion for the job you so diligently worked to obtain. Now picture being abruptly fired because that very company you love could no longer afford to keep you as an employee; that is what capitalism has done to thousands of Americans. Michael Moore’s film Capitalism: A love Story utilizes the four modes of persuasion in order to gain audience awareness on how destructive he believes
Capitalism: A Love Story leaves the viewer with a vision of what a better future could look like if the government can get back on track. The film emphasizes the rhetorical appeal of pathos (an appeal to the audience’s emotions), logos (a logical appeal), and a fair amount of ethos (an appeal to credibility).
In the first several minutes of the film an apparent use of pathos is established through music. Moore opens the film with mournful music while displaying families being evicted from their homes. This is an important aspect to having an emotional effect on the viewer because music is proven to impact one’s mood whether it is positive or negative. After this scene Moore begins his interview with one of the men evicted. These personal interviews with direct sources is an appeal to pathos because the audience not only sympathizes for these people but can connect with them too- what if this same thing happens to us one day? This man was told he had at least ten days to move out and was utterly distraught when the foreclosure officers showed up early, forcing him to pack up all