Dirty Tricks, Clean Image: The Rhetoric of Washing Strategies

Abstract

This thesis project considers the rhetorical act of “washing”, by which individuals and organizations seek to associate themselves with positive or prosocial values without accompanying material action. Ever since the word “greenwashing” was coined in 1986, other terms utilizing the -washing suffix have appeared in popular and scholarly discourse. Herein, I propose a definition of washing, collect a selection of washing terms for analysis, and discuss how washing rhetorics function. I propose a taxonomic location for washing as a type of deception, more specifically a type of bullshit. Through a detailed case study of the rhetorical moves of the HomeSchool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), I demonstrate that a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as cover for hypocrisy and an opportunity for expansion, and I coin a new washing term – secularwashing – to describe HSLDA’s rhetorical actions during the pandemic. Considering that communication studies is a practical discipline and critical thinking is a practical skill, I offer a GIFTS paper (Great Ideas for Teaching Students) that describes an experiential classroom activity to help students identify washing.