Nuclear Power is the Only Green Solution

Lovelock's article is about how the earth is in immediate danger from all the pollution. Lovelock wants everyone to understand why we are in peril and what we need to do to change if we want to survive. He uses language tools to make his audience understand.

First of all, I think his entire article is an overstatement. Lovelock completely dramatizes the whole issue on global warming. He compares the warming of the Earth to a fire that is "accelerating and almost no time is left to act" (par. 6). The earth is slowly becoming warmer, not burning like a fire. Lovelock also doesn't cite anything. He has no sources to backup his claim. His article isn't reliable at all. Lovelock does use some good personifications and analogies to try and convince his audience and I will analyze those.

One of the main language tools Lovelock uses is personification. The first example is in the third paragraph. "The floating ice of the Arctic Ocean is even more vulnerable to warming". This example gives the ice in the Arctic human characteristics because it will be more 'vulnerable' when it is warmed up. Using descriptive words makes the reader feel like they understand how the ice feels, when the ice doesn't actually have feelings.

The second example, "[civilization] has to use nuclear... now or suffer the pain soon to be inflicted by our outraged planet." (par. 16), gives our planet feelings which is also personification. The planet itself cannot be outraged, but Lovelock gives it this description because he wants the reader to feel related to the earth. The earth has always been given lots of personification in writing and speaking. We refer to the earth as a 'her' or as 'mother earth'. When the audience feels like they share the same feelings as the earth, they have more empathy and would more likely help the earth in a similar way as a person.

The main language tool that Lovelock uses is analogies. An analogy is "a kind of comparison in which something unfamiliar is explained by a comparison to something more familiar." (R&W pg. 94, Brett c. McInelly). Analogies are a good tool to use because they are easy to remember and understand. They are especially useful in scientific papers when the majority of the population wouldn't understand unless more simple comparisons are used.

Lovelock says, "...climatologists warn a four-degree rise in temperature is enough to eliminate the vast Amazon forests...[and] the world... would lose one of its great natural air conditioners". Everyone knows the beauty of an air conditioner. Especially in the summer. The difference between summer heat and an air conditioned room is incredible. Lovelock puts this analogy into his paper to demonstrate what the difference in temperature would be if the pollution problem isn't taken care of and we lose the Amazon. Even those who don't know much about global warming can appreciate what this would be like.

Another analogy is in paragraph 6 which says, "It is almost as if we had lit a fire to keep warm, and failed to notice... that the fire was out of control and the furniture had ignited". This, like the previous analogy, is a comparison so the reader can visualize the temperature difference. I think this comparison is also used to show the damage that global warming would create. Lovelock doesn't just say that the fire is out of control, but also that the 'furniture had ignited'. Lovelock demonstrates that if nuclear power is not implemented, the results will leave irreparable damage.

I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech made such an impact through history. It changed our country. Why was his speech so powerful? Without King's credibility and background, the speech would not have been nearly as profound. His ethos is so important and King does an excellent job at weaving his credibility into his speech.

King obviously relates to one of the audiences because he is African American, which gives him credibility. Even if we didn't know what King has done for African American rights, he establishes himself by creating an intimate relationship with the audience. By using the word "we", King shows that he has had a lot of the same experiences as the rest of the African Americans.

The African American audiences feel like they know him more personally because King implies that they have been through the same trials. He calls them "my friends" (par. 15), and treats his audience as if they know each other personally. By combining himself with the audience, King also proves that he is not just arguing for self-interests. He wants change for the entire African American population.

King is trying to convince the entire United States population that African Americans should be given their rights. He wants to convince the Government because the location is at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. He wants to convince the religious black and white men and women, that everyone can come together as "God's Children" (par. 6). He wants to convince those who don't believe African Americans should be free. "And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights" (par. 7).

King also wants to convince the African American people to continue to fight without violence. "We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence" (par. 8). By making it clear he wants to negotiate peacefully, King appeals to the police force, and gains credibility by not advocating any violent acts. Finally, King encourages the African Americans in the South and the North, to have hope that the situation will change.

One of the main African American audiences King is trying to convince are those who think that waiting will solve their problems. "This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy... Now is the time to make justice a reality for all God's children" (par. 6). King's credibility is so powerful at this point in his speech because of his experience and letter he wrote while in Birmingham Jail. In the letter, King says that he is disappointed with the "white moderate" and white religious people for being "more devoted to 'order' than to justice; who prefer a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace..." and for "[believing] he can set the timetable for another man's freedom..." (par. 19). Birmingham Jail is where King really developed his solid view about not sitting by and waiting for freedom.

Martin Luther King says, "I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come from fresh narrow jail cells". King, and many other African Americas, were unjustly put in prison. King describes the jail cells as "narrow" which gives the audiences an image of the cells, but also eludes to the narrow-mindedness white men in the South. In this context, going to jail gave the African Americans credibility because of the unjust laws that put them there. It stood as proof of the prejudice that was in the South.

King recognizes the value of his argument when he shares his personal desires. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (par. 20) He connects to the audience by sharing what his dream is for his family and every African American family. Using this personal information, King establishes that he is a father with little children and relates to others who are in the same position.

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck commits logical fallacies in his news report, "Does Congress Matter?" One of his fallacies is guilt by association. Beck assumes that all of congress and politics are corrupt. He doesn't give the reader or listener a chance to even think that maybe Congress isn't all completely corrupt. Because Beck assumes that Congress is selfish and greedy, he make the audience assume the same. Beck gives good examples of how some members of Congress are spending money, and generalizes that to all of Congress. He says, "That's all I'm looking for: 56 brave men and women out of the 535 in Congress today... to stand up to the corruption..." Beck is "stereotyping all members of the group" (Writing and Rhetoric, Gary Hatch).

Another fallacy that Glenn Beck commits is poisoning the well. He makes the issue so biased and one-sided, that anyone who wants to disagree with him would look "immoral" (Writing and Rhetoric, Gary Hatch). I mean, who doesn't want Congress to spend money on what "the people want"? As if anyone even knows what it is that the people really do want. If someone did want to disagree with Beck, the other part of the readers and listeners would have a hard time agreeing because Glenn Beck is so credible. His audience is so willing to consent to whatever Beck says that contradictory view points would feel imposing.

The last fallacy that I found in Glenn Beck's article is his assumption that everyone wants to change all of Congress. When in reality, everyone likes their own congress members, it is the "other ones" that are disliked. If a democrat could choose who was in Congress, they would get rid of the republicans and keep their own party. Beck misinterprets and assumes that America wants to kick out all of Congress when everyone actually just has certain members that they have problems with.

Pearl Harbor

President Roosevelt used pathos when he gave his speech to the American people after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This was a very emotional time for America because it involved war and the want for peace. Lives were lost in the attack and that evoked an emotional response. The people killed at Pearl Harbor were not relatives of everyone, but our nation as a whole has an emotional bond that connects everyone together. President Roosevelt used this emotion to his advantage and explained why America needed to enter the war, "...a formal reply to a recent American message... contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack".

President Roosevelt wanted to enter the war previously to the Pearl Harbor attack. "He wanted to prevent war in Europe, and in October 1937, Roosevelt proposed that the United States lead the "peace loving nations" in placing aggressive nations... under quarantine". But Roosevelt's idea "raised a storm of criticism". (Smitha par. 1) Roosevelt was passionate and knew the direction he wanted to take. He just needed to convince the American people.

President Roosevelt used specific words and phrases to bring his point across. "the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned..." (par. 5), "Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States." (par. 5), "severe damage" (par. 6), and "the facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves." (par. 13), were convincing in Roosevelt's speech and made Americans emotionally respond to the Japanese.

Roosevelt also had a very good logos appeal and used many facts to connect the idea of Japanese attacking other countries, to why America should enter the war. He listed the places Japan had attacked and concluded that the Japanese undertook "...a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area." (par. 13). President Roosevelt went on to say that he would defend our nation by going to war.

In 'Writing and Rhetoric' it says that "...a message that is primarily emotional is more persuasive than a message that is primarily logical." (Gary Hatch, page 65) The next paragraph in the Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation was President Roosevelt's best pathos appeal. He said, "The American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory." (par. 15). Roosevelt used pathos because winning comes with a lot of emotion. Roosevelt said the United States will to go war in "righteous might", so the purpose is just and the opponent is in the wrong.

His speech came all together to the main issue of going to war, and destroyed any possible thought of losing because America will have an "absolute victory". I believe that because of Roosevelt's convincing use of pathos, Americans had such a strong response to the Pearl Harbor attack that it not only led to the United States entering the war, but also to the dropping of the atomic bombs.

Video Game Violence

Video Games and Violence

Links to video games and teen violence have been proven in the last couple of years. Many argue that video games are just that, a game. But studies have shown that there is more brian activity in the emotional arousal section of the brain, called the amygdala. The research has also found that there is also a "decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition, and attention." (par. 2)

But who really cares about video game violence? Definitely not the teenagers who play these types of video games. Teenagers who enjoy their PS2s and their Xboxes don't want to hear about how they may becoming more violent or losing their self-control. So who cares? Well the parents care. That is why the article "Does game violence make teens aggressive?" is completely geared towards the parents of children who play video games.

This article is very scientific and wouldn't be as interesting for a younger person to read. The subject is very appealing to adults who have teenagers because they would obviously be concerned for their kids and violence. Because it is so capturing for a parent who wants to know more about how violence and video games are related, the parent will continue reading the article to learn about the relationship.

Although other audiences may find interest in this article, for example grandparents or babysitters, the main targeted audience is the parents. "...there's a much smaller body of research on video games...That's a scary thing for a parent." (par. 16) Parents have the most influence over their children and their activities. Neighbors, friends, and relatives do not have that same inpact. These other audiences can persuade teens one way or another, but not as directly as parents. Therefore, the article is going to aim the arguments to parents. "...parents need to be more aware of how kids are using their free time." (par. 30)

I found this article on the internet and when I opened the page, an advertisement popped up. I found it interesting that an article that is against video games and violence, would have a pop up advertisement for the Xbox 360 Elite which is now $100 off. I wondered how the advertising company could be so dumb and put the new Xbox ad on "Does game violence make teens aggressive?". Then I thought that maybe teens would find this article interesting. Teens who want to argue that video games don't lead to violence might want to read this aritcle to understand the other view point. So although the main audience is the parents, teens might also read this article, even though they are not the intended audience.

Heathcare

Now is the Time to Deliver on Healthcare
President Obama uses logos to connect his ideas together and show how healthcare needs to be reformed now. Logos was a much better chioce for Obama to use instead of pathos because he is talking to Congress. By logically expressing his ideas for change in healthcare, Obama appeals more to Congress because they are persuaded by the law and how the country is run. Pathos wouldn't change Congress' ideas about healthcare because emotions will not dictate their decisions.

President Obama talks about the health care problem which started during President Roosevelt's term. And now, Obama is "determined to be the last" president to take up the cause of healthcare (par. 1). He explains that now support comes from hospitals, even the hospitals who were against the healthcare reform before. At this point is his speech, Obama has introduced his major topic and showed that he has support from Americans. The next step he takes is introducing his specific plan of action.

Obama explains his three main points that cover why the American people need help with their healthcare, and how the government can help them at low costs. He not only includes the American people, but also Congress and their own healthcare plans. Obama explains that if you have health insurance already, you will not need to change your coverage. However if you need health insurance, you can find affordable coverage. Then he links it all together and why it matters. "[It] makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives." (par. 11)

Finally, President Obama says that he will not waste any time with anyone who doesn't want to improve healthcare and he explains why. "Everyone... knows what will happen if we do nothing... More families will go bankrupt... More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result." (par. 16) Obama connects the issue of his healthcare proposal to what the result will be if action is not taken. President Obama used logos very effectively when he addressed Congress and demonstrated why a change in healthcare needs to take place.

Heathcare

I read President Obama's "Now is the Time to Deliver on Healthcare" speech to Congress proposing his plan on Health Care.

President Obama has been talking about health care all throughout his presidental campain and now, as President. Presenting his ideas about health care need to be brought out at the right time. At a time when Americans want to listen to what he wants to say. Obama uses kairos in this particular speech by specifically stating why now is the time for action and for implimenting his health care proposal. Obama says, "Now is the season for action... Now is the time to deliver on health care". (par. 6)

According the the life cycle of a rhetorical situation, Obama is just leaving the origin stage. Some Americans are still becoming more aware of what his health care plan is and what their personal benifits would be.

A large majority of Americans, however, are aware of Obama's proposal and have formed their own oppinions about it. This is the beginnings of the maturity stage. Obama is talking to Congress and therefore, the discussing and deciding process is going on. A decision will soon be reached determining whether Obama's health care plan should be implimented. Because this is the most critical moment of debate, it is very important that Obama proves his point and takes advantage of the opportunites he has to convince Congress and the American people.

Obama includes himself with congress by using words like "we" and "us". He combines the Democrates and the Republicans together and shows how his health care program will help everyone.

Obama explains that this is the time to change health care because if we don't fix it now, there will be no possible way to compromise. He futher explains that this has been a long-time problem that we need to fix and make better for the future.

By using the time Obama has to speak and persuade Congress, he is using kairos to his advantage and seizing the moment. Obama understands that he needs the Congress to approve of his plan for action to take place. At this critical or maturity stage, it is very important that he uses the time effectively before a decision is reached and the cycle moves to deterioration and disintegration.