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When used with ethos and logos, emotional appeals—known as pathos—help you put a human face on a problem you’re addressing. When you stir your listeners’ feelings, you enhance your persuasive power. Indeed, some experts have referred to human emotions as “the primary motivating system of all activity.”¹⁵ Thus, if you provide a heartwarming example of a person who benefited greatly from taking an action you’re recommending in your speech, that could be a compelling complement to statistical evidence indicating all who could benefit. An emotional appeal can be an effective, ethical component of a strong persuasive speech; however, these kinds of appeals can also be abused, so it is important to use them responsibly.