Pressurized Rhetorical Bodies - Rich Shivener

In today's digital landscape, public figures face unprecedented scrutiny over their every word. Pressurized Rhetorical Bodies explores how high-profile individuals-from athletes to journalists-navigate the tension between workplace expectations and public response on social media.

This work introduces the concept of "pressurized rhetorical bodies," examining how public figures are simultaneously constrained by organizational "feeling rules" while facing the emotional demands of "affective publics" online. Drawing from real-world cases of professional athletes silencing themselves after losses, journalists resigning over editorial constraints, and creators defending their content against public criticism, the book reveals how these tensions shape social media communication.

Rather than discouraging social media participation, this book provides readers with frameworks to understand how public figures compose themselves under pressure and develop coping strategies through rhetorical actions. By examining these practices, Pressurized Rhetorical Bodies offers valuable insights for anyone who creates content, participates in online discussion, or seeks to understand the complex relationship between institutions, individuals, and digital audiences in our contemporary social media environment.