The things valued by the target audience are critical to acheiving the desired consequence (of a particular instance of writing).

The Motivation to Act

In a given context, humans tend to act in a manner consistent with the things they value. For example,

• when parents value the good health of their children, parents will act to protect their children's health (when the parents perceive that health is threatened).

When the writer lacks the social authority to command the target audience (of a particular instance of writing) to achieve the desired consequence (of a particular instance of writing), then

• the things valued by the target audience can be used (by the writer) to motivate the target audience (to achieve the desired consequence of a particular instance of writing).

The Nature of Things Valued (by Humans)

The nature of things valued by humans varies widely—and by degree.

• Some people value MONEY more than LOVE
• Some people value POWER (the ability to get things done) more than STRENGTH (the ability to withstand external forces)
• Some people value CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM more than VANILLA

The nature of things valued by humans can vary with the context of the human(s):

• In the morning, I tend to value a ham-and-cheese omelette more than pork-fried rice
• At work, I tend to value kindness, efficacy, and efficiency in co-workers more than when I am at home
• At home, I tend to value the companionship of my spouse more than the companionship of my co-workers

Two Questions

In the context of writing-to-others and things valued (by the target audience) , there are two important questions:

1. How can YOU (as a writer) use things valued by your target audience to motivate them (to acheive the desired consequence of a particular instance of writing)?
2. What are the things valued by the target audience YOU have chosen (for a particular instance of writing)?