David R. Gruber (Communication Studies) recently published "" in the journal, Enculturation. The article argues that constructions of credibility (Ethos) are not confined to nice, positive appeals about a character's expertise or good civic standing but, rather, can be built through all kinds of speech and even through lobbing insults. The article outlines a new form of Ad Hominem fallacy, drawing on examples of political insults designed to endear core audiences and get a laugh.
