Blog 5

In Richard Lieber’s 1942 speech to the 7^th District Federation of Women’s Club, he discusses a need for change in the way the United States consumes their natural resources. Lieber engages in political rhetoric and persuasion and wants this organization to see that the waning of natural resources in the United States was a real problem. His ideas, arguments, and thoughts are mildly unchanged more than 50 years later. This speech reminds me of the movie, The 11^th Hour, there is the same urgency in tone by Lieber in regards to the change that needed to occur. The 11^th Hour appeals to the audience by showing the deterioration of the natural resources of the Earth and Lieber uses facts about consumption to paint the United States in a harsh light compared to the rest of the world and their consumption. The United States was in a time of war and Lieber uses the situation of war to further his appeal to the audience. He says, “use of war and appeal to preserve man”, this quote is directed at these mothers, sisters, or relatives of the men off fighting war. Lieber saw a need to preserve the American spirit and saw the needs of the American people and posed thoughts about going forward in our independence not backwards. To Lieber nature was a part of a continuum of living and it was our duty as Americans to “reduce the intensity of the struggle for existence”. He uses facts about the United States consumption of telephones and telegraphs as a way to self-reflect on why we use so much of what has been placed on the earth and how can we reduce that. During this important time in the world’s history Lieber acknowledges that economics are important and the fulfilling of the American Dream is an important aspect of the way of life in our country. The fact that the United States was in the middle of World War II is an advantage to Lieber because he sees that natural resources are being consumed at an extremely fast rate and that lives are being lost and those resources can be used responsibly, even in war. The end of his argument for reducing consumption is an appeal to the audience to be a “true patriot”, he states “true patriotism is practical patriotism”. This quote’s relation the political rhetoric unit we have discussed in class in very strong. The article by Ida Wells-Barnett, “Lynch Law in America”, touches on patriotism as a way of relaying an argument or enhancing point to an audience. Leiber does the same thing and truly believes that in order to solve the problem of consumption of natural resources Americans must first look at their own selves and realize that the problem is vast and as citizens and “patriots” they must take action.

In Matthew Wald's "Is Ethanol for the Long Haul?", he uses the Burkean approach is explained in "Becoming Symbol-Wise: Kenneth Burke's Pedagogy of Critical Reflection" by Jessica Enoch of looking at both arguments for ethanol and breaks down each side before coming to any sort of clear conclusion. Wald uses more plain terms and pictures to break down both arguments for and against ethanol use and consequences. The use of common language by Wald causes the readers to "adopt an attitude of patient reflection to indentify with one another as language users" which in turn helps with understanding of the ethanol problem (Enoch, 287). The breakdown of the problem through the use of Kaufer's level three conflict allows for reader to see how the problem affects them and their fellow citizens. The argument for Wald ends in his own conclusion he draws after researching all the facts and explaining both sides, which Burke encourages in the writing and reading process of discourse.

The issue I have thought about researching is deforestation and looking at the past and present of the problem. Deforestation is global problem that affects all facets of life and comes into different genres. It is related to politics, economics, science, and daily rhetoric and persuasion for the side of environment and business side. If I pursue this problem the research would need to show both sides for the audience to make an educated decision on the problem and solutions for the problem. Showing the history of what has happened because of deforestation would be key as well. The problem would fit into the political and scientific genre and the arguments for sustainability would need strong research and I would need to master forwarding information and facts for the audience to understand. Overall, this problem has the potential to show interesting solutions and historical causal analysis for the audience to see.

Question Answers

1. A recent argument that I had with one of my good friends was in regards to the quality of life of severely mentally handicapped individuals. He holds a strong belief that if the quality of a person’s life is threatened to the point where they have no control over their thoughts or actions then the option of euthanasia should be on the table. I disagreed with him emphatically, but as we discussed the situation in depth I realized that we were coming from different levels of Kaufer’s five levels. The frame of reference for both of our morals were completely different, what he found to moral and what I found to be moral were complete different in definition. The evidence about the quality of life that my friend was introducing was not “evidence” for me, instead it was an opinion that I could not understand or compete with logically. Looking at the entire argument we both were arguing for the most part on the level three of Kaufer’s

2. Savio’s analogy to A Brave New World was the perfect description for the censorship that the university was imposing on students. The audience’s background on the book is understood, but the idea of censorship and absolute control is played out in the university and Savio uses this analogy to show how the school is perpetuating this problem and not engaging in dialogue with the student’s in the proper manner. Savio challenges the university by claiming they are engaged in a conflict that is on a local value because the university won’t accept a new school of thought. What Savio holds to be a value does not match what the university thinks of and know.

3. The Bullard article was probably the most thought provoking article for me. The use of stasis of cause was apparent in the article, but Bullard’s aim is for future acts to be fair and equal to the poor African American communities that are hit by natural disasters. By arguing with anecdotes Bullard is being direct and forward with his audience, Savio and Wells-Barnett could have used more anecdotes or direct quotes from both situations. Wells-Barnett begins to use the stasis of cause to appeal to the audience but the facts do not give the audience a personal experience. The appeal is lost to the audience in the lynching article because of the lack of evidence that could appeal to the ethos of the audience. Bullard uses an example in detail that helps the audience understand his aim.

Short Assignment 3

In the article “Green Aple”, the problem of cities collapsing due to global warming is addressed. The article does not follow the arrangement that Bacon introduces where the hypothesis is first. The arrangement of the article is to appeal and construct the audience. A low stases is used to construct the audience through questions about how the problem is going to be fixed and if in fact there is a solution.

This article appeals to the ethos of the audience because it threatens city’s safety and uses the shock and scare factor in the beginning. The statistics that are brought forth about New York City cause the audience to question, “what is going to be done about this?”. The article is not outright scientific but does enough explanation through discussion to show that it is a proposal for cities to change. Solutions are proposed about what cities can do to reduce their emissions and global footprint. The order of the article follows the stases process that Secor &Fahenstock present in their article. Instead of a formal proposal with headings such as, Solutions, Problem, and Methods, there is a casual low stases approach to the article’s arrangement.

Why is arrangement important to a scientific article that is aimed at the general public? For a mainstream reader the Baconian arrangement does not introduce the problem in a shocking matter. The rearrangement of order and questions and ending with continual shock motivates the reader to take action. Even though it is in Scientific American, there is a notion that the article wants to appeal to the general public, rather than just science magazine readers. The solutions are spread throughout the article, there is examples for smaller cities in China, to larger cities such as Chicago and New York City. However, these initiatives have made their way to the larger public. The Clinton Initiative recently had a summer project in New York City where they painted roofs white to lower electric bills for residents. These acts could have occurred from knowledgeable articles that introduce solutions to a problem in the introduction instead of having a strict arrangement.

Arrangement and stases relate to one another through breaking the norms set, and constructing the audience through stases. Asking the questions and showing solutions right off the bat in this article take a deliberate tone and action, instead of the Baconian format that most science articles can take.

Short Assignment 2

In a persuasive letter or document the author does not ponder over who is going to be his audience. There is a clear message and audience because without a distinct message and audience it would take away from the document being persuasive. In “Letter to President Clinton on Iraq”, the audience is the President of the United States and the general public that reads New American Century. However if the authors of the letter wanted to persuade the United Nations to take action on Saddam Hussein they would have to take a less opinionated view on the issue and bring empirical evidence on why action must be taken.

Constructing the audience would require research on the issue in regards to all the countries in the United Nations. Instead of focusing just on American policy the writer would redirect the issue to a world issue. If the tone was shifted from an urgent to matter of fact, the audience is more likely to agree that the power removal must take place. The audience is made up of state heads and informed individuals on world policy, the argument must be compelling and appeal to their logos. Instead of disparaging the UN, this letter would have to make larger claims that the world would be threatened. The larger and more solid claim that is given will convince the audience of the message, no mask needed. With such an educated audience facts, findings, and statistics would help the letter show how serious the problem of Saddam Hussein is. With the instability of the Middle East pointed out in the original letter, the new letter could take that focus and enhance it. The UN stands for peace and diplomacy throughout the world. The argument that the Middle East will collapse without intervention in Iraq could be explored more within a new letter to the UN. The writer can call on the responsibility of the world’s largest policy-making agency to fix a problem that is continuous within the world arena.

Persuasive writing, especially in the political sphere, must make distinct claims that back the initial opinion. The audience construction is the most important part of persuasive writing because the audience is what drives writer. Ong would argue that the direct approach of the original letter was a mistake to the audience and its’ intended and implied readers; however the audience would not accept anything indirect at the UN or the White House. The refocusing of the letter to the UN would allow for more compelling statements to be made and be expanded and empirical evidence to show the problem in its’ entirety.

Short Assignment 1

In Studs Terkel’s “Community in Action”, he makes the point that humans fare better when they are together and it is natural and orderly to do so. By appealing to the ethos and the pathos of the audience, the author’s claim is validated through a personal anecdote.

Terkel was raised during the Great Depression and saw how communities banded together for the less fortunate. With a vivid description of the community helping a less fortunate family, the author goes on to create an epideictic argument in regards why a community in action should be the ultimate goal for each generation. When Selzer writes about the effect of personal experience in an author’s work, he demonstrates that it can help the audience not see when an author is being deliberative. However Terkel is not being as deliberative as he is being epideictic and appealing to the readers to try and always be a community. The first distinct movement that Terkel makes is when he relays Einstein’s opinion in regards to Westerners and their individualistic thinking. The audience is pulled back into the side of Terkel when he uses strong rhetoric about what the people of the, “'30s and '40s and the Depression, fighting for rights of laborers and the rights of women and the rights of all people who are different from the majority”. This passage resonates proudly with the audience, as they are Americans reading about what makes and American life, and in turn it appeals to their ethos and nationalism.

There is no restraint in what Terkel is saying to the audience, he does not entertain other schools of thought in individualism. He goes against the notions that being a part of something means a ‘loss of freedom’. However, he expects nothing from the audience; he does not use a forceful tone about what his belief is. Terkel just wants the audience to understand his story and what it means to be a community. The mention of the plumber, carpenter, and electrician as banding together, he paints a picture the audience can only hope they would one day see. His appeal to their pathos is used distinctly through this anecdote; in a way it is what puts the article in perspective. Terkel does it in the very beginning showing that there are no twists and turns, and what he believes is being state explicitly.

When one is presenting their belief or opinion the audience needs something that they can grasp for and relate too, the ethos or pathos as one could put it as. The audience feels no pressure to feel the same way as Terkel but he does compel their thoughts through his story, which demonstrates how his rhetoric is epideictic in the way Selzak portrays it.