ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how the language and rhetoric shape the self and constructs the interests the self seeks. It suggests that conversations shape the self and what the self comes to perceive and label as acceptable or unacceptable behavior. The chapter also discusses the variety of foundational studies to theorize that the self and its interests are at least partially constructed and shaped by conversations the self has with others. Within the field of economics and management, the conventional view of morality and ethics often suggests a model of restrained egoism: It is egoistic because it is an ethic based on the active pursuit of one's self interest. Rhetorical theory may offer several analytical frameworks for understanding the role of language in moral reasoning. Managerial conversations that persuade the self to engage in ethical or unethical conduct can be analyzed in terms of their content and style.
