Charismatic Speakers Versus Receptive Listeners

Hirschkind’s The Ethical Soundscape was a difficult book to get into. The dense material and his complex writing style were tough to trudge through and really grasp everything that he wanted to convey. That being said, there were moments of clarity that were quite thought-provoking. The sermon listener must have an ethical-aesthetic aptitude to receive the message from a preacher and reflect that in their actions (37). In the case of cassette sermons, the khatib has little influence on the listener’s ability to grasp the content of his oration. Rather, Hirschkind argues, “he requires a listener, one whose acts of discrimination—at once moral and aesthetic—embody, extend, and enhance his discourse,” (39). Essentially, the words being said don’t matter as much as how willing the recipient is to hear those words. This is an incredibly fascinating concept to me. Intellectually, I feel compelled to argue that the content of a sermon must be the most influential aspect of the sermon. Emotionally, I understand that one has to be willing to receive this information. However, it does seem glib of Hirschkind to imply that the role of the khatib is reduced. The listener is influenced by the power and charisma of the orator, regardless of the words being said. The transformative powers of a charismatic individual, such as those giving cassette sermons, should not be miscalculated as I believe Hirschkind may be doing here.