Independent Viewing- Post #2

When a socially controversial subject matter is brought into the public, there is often a clash between contrasting opinions surrounding the appropriate ways in getting across the message to students across the nation without causing problems. The topic of “sex” is certainly a victim of this issue. The improper education that children are lacking in homes and school on the topic of “sex” is imposing a hindrance on the lives of many teens who may not be able to do normal activities due to a pregnancy or an STD. As discussed in James Houston’s documentary Let’s Talk About Sex, it is imperative to have an open communication in the homes of families as well as in the buildings of schools about sexual education and the importance of sex safety in order to deduce the number of teen pregnancies and STD’s in America.

In the United States, the majority of teenagers find the topic of sex very awkward to discuss with parents and teachers. The usual lectures are given by adults to young ones about abstaining as long as possible in order to fully prevent any pregnancy or STD. However, this certainly is not the path that most teens follow. In America alone,10000 teens catch a sexually transmitted disease everyday, and 2400 become pregnant. These statistically high numbers are largely due to the lack of communication teens have with their families and teachers regarding sex. In health class, teachers must be careful with what they preach because they know that some students are sexually active while others are not. At home, different families have different religious backgrounds which only stress abstinence, and does not even take into consideration that their children may be sexually active and do not know any other precautions because all they know is sex or abstinence. With these scary statistics continuing to increase, it is important to teach sexual education properly by accommodating for individual, familial, or religious values with accurate fact-based contraception education such as birth control options in order to show teens how to safely be sexually active. 

In addition to the high number of pregnancies and STD’s increasing due to the limited discussion occurring between teens and adults, the media plays a large role as well in manipulating the minds of teens and adolescents. Sexual imagery is all around us- on billboards, television, computers, etc. The beautiful models pose in tiny bikinis as they caress a male very seductively. This mean of advertisement conveys a message to the audience that sexual activity makes you “pretty” and socially accepted in the American society. Teens are usually the target market because this exposure to sex-related images drive their raging hormones more than that of a mature adult. With a sexually-driven environment surrounding teens in this country, it is difficult for them to resist what they see based on little information at home and in the classrooms about sex. It is significant for sex to be discussed openly at homes and in school because of today’s liberal environment using seductive photos to advertise products. 

Humans have a natural tendency to avoid situations that make them feel out of place and uncomfortable. In America, sex has become an awkward topic of discussion, and parents tend to put off the “talk” in order to avoid the sensitive confrontation with their children. However, this act of refraining from the situation is actually doing more harm than good. The lack of communication is causing a plethora of negative actions such as teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Fighting through an awkward situation is far more beneficial than avoiding one and risking a bad consequence. 

The knowledge of sex is a very powerful key to a healthy life. Understanding the options for birth control helps one to take an approach to safer sex. Having that conversation of the “birds and the bees” sounds silly, but certainly makes a huge difference in the life and mindset of teens. If open communication about sex is achieved in the home and in the classrooms, then the birth and STD rates will significantly decrease. Taking the first steps to a clean future starts with a simple dialogue.

Independent Viewing- Post #1

1. Let’s Talk About Sex is a documentary that discusses the effect of sexual imagery and attitudes portrayed in our society has toward adolescent sexual desires. In America alone, 10,000 teenagers catch an STD, 2,400 girls become pregnant, and 55 are infected with HIV every day. The documentary was directed by Australian James Houston, one of the world’s leading beauty and body photographers. After traveling around the world, Houston realized that American teens live in an environment where sexual imagery is used to as advertisement for everything from toys to electronics. This documentary was used with the intent that if our society witnesses how other nations treat the sexual discussion, then these conversations will occur more openly within classrooms and family rooms across the country. 

2.

James Houston uses a multitude of rhetorical devices to establish his purpose in the documentary. Houston’s use of ethos, pathos, logos, as well as his arrangement and organization throughout the viewing helps to establish his purpose by demonstrating that open communication and education around the topic of sexuality is important for adolescents. 

In the beginning of the documentary, Houston sets up his purpose by starting with the environment and the sexual imagery surrounding young teens on television, advertisements, social networks, etc. This pathological approach makes the audience aware of the subconscious messages that are actually affecting teens more than one may think. Emotions of anger, annoyance, and disturbance arouse within people because they cannot believe how our society is using sexual imagery as a means of persuasion. In addition to the pathological approach, Houston also establishes his credibility in the beginning when he states how he is one of the leading beauty and body photographers of these sexual photos. This demonstrates that since Houston is the photographer, he knows a plethora of information about the purpose and reasons as to why this industry uses photos to boost revenues for companies. Also, throughout the film, there are testimony’s from experts and statistics from research surrounding this issue, which also increases credibility. Finally, this film contains many facts surrounding the issue of adolescent sexuality. Throughout the film, Houston uses visual text to provide statistics about teen pregnancy and STD’s. The use of visual text instead of audio helps the reader interpret the severity of these issues and makes them remember the image longer. 

In addition to the use of the appeals to portray Houston’s purpose of open communication within families about the topic of sex, the director also uses a specific arrangement. Houston uses a comparison and contrast organizational method in order to address his purpose. In the documentary, Houston globally compares the family dynamics of different countries to the United States by traveling to the Netherlands and Australia to prove that their birth and STD rates are significantly lower because the connotation of the word “sex” is not a negative one, but more a positive one. Teens are more comfortable talking about sex to their parents, and the topic is very open in schools. Condoms are even free which helps to prevent STDs and births. Houston also portrays his purpose nationally when he compares different parts of the United States and how they deal with sex. For example, in a religious town in Georgia, the topic of sex is not discussed in their home, and the parents assume that their children know not to have sex. However, this girl actually is sexually active, and she is just not telling her parents. Houston includes this in the documentary to contrast how teens in America are much different globally and teens do not feel comfortable discussing certain topics because they know their parents will only preach abstinence. Houston’s compare and contrasting arrangement adds to his purpose because it demonstrates the different ways that different families depending on their backgrounds deal with teen sexuality.

Let’s Talk About Sex is a very effective documentary because Houston uses each rhetorical device flawlessly in order to portray his purpose. Each rhetorical device has a specific use, and they each add to the message that Houston is trying to convey. 


 Let's Talk About Sex. Dir. James Houston. Let's Talk About Sex. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.letstalkaboutsexthefilm.com/>. 

David Beckham Burger King Commercial

This commercial is introducing Burger King's newest addition to the menu- fruit smoothies. This advertisement features David Beckham acting as a customer ordering a fruit smoothie and the employee and employer waiting on this famous soccer player are starstruck by Beckham's good looks. The source of this piece is Burger King fast food restaurant, a global chain with more than 12,400 outlets in 73 countries. The context of this piece is causal because the commercial was created to persuade the audience, which are Burger King customers as well as new customers interested in drinking real fruit smoothies, to buy this new product. A few rhetorical elements used are pathos to get the message across that if David Beckham is ordering this smoothie, than other people should order it as well, since Beckham is a role model through his amazing soccer skills and his dashing appearance. Also, the fresh fruit that is displayed in the commercial helps to create logos that the fruit is fresh and not frozen, which makes the smoothie taste better without any artificial chemicals or sweeteners. The author accomplished his purpose by choosing a famous person to persuade the audience to purchase Burger King's new product of fruit smoothies.

Jim Yong Kim, Dartmouth College president, tapped by Obama to head World Bank

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/official-obama-to-nominate-dartmouth-college-president-to-head-world-bank/2012/03/23/gIQAAPLiVS_story.html

This article discusses Barack Obama's decision to appoint Jim Yong Kim, Dartmouth College president, as the president of the World Bank. As the World Bank's major contributor, the United States is granted the privilege to choose the president of the bank, and the European nations choose the head of the International Monetary Fund. Jim Yong Kim is the first Asian-American to represent the United States in the World Bank. This article comes from the Washington Post- the most widely circulated newspaper covering information locally, nationally, and globally. It is also the oldest paper in the DC area, which demonstrates its high credibility to provide accurate information to the public. The context of this piece is causal because every five years a new president for the World Bank is elected by the president of the United States. The last president was elected in 2007 by George W. Bush and now President Barack Obama made his selection for 2012. This piece was written to inform the entire world about the new president coming into the World Bank and to describe his background and how he will ameliorate the global economy. Since the World Bank includes a multitude of nations, the audience is primarily everyone. The plethora of factual data within this article about Jim Yong Kim's success, a slight rebuttal to recognize the other side's hesitance towards Kim's future presidency, as well as the formal diction used to create a serious tone makes the author effectively accomplish his purpose.

7 Things You Don't Know About a Special Needs Parent

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-lin/special-needs-parenting_b_1314348.html

This article discusses the struggles and triumphs a parent with a child with a medical and developmental issue has to undergo in everyday life. This article comes from the Huffington Post, an American news website that was launched in 2005 and still growing and expanding. The context of this piece is causal because it has been brought about due to the 6 million children in America receiving special education. The purpose for this article is to show from the point of view of a parent with a child with an intellectual and developmental disability how they truly feel. The audience for this article is the general public because special education children are all around them, and this touching passage can show them how their lives are so much different. Also, the audience is other parents with IDD children because they can share similar characteristics with each other and swap tips on parenting. The rhetorical elements used in this passage was the point of view written from the parent with a child with a medical and developmental issue because it created a more emotional piece and reality to the article. Also, the full circle ending puts the entire article into perspective and thus helps the audience (even people who do not have IDD children) to relate to this parent and feel her thoughts. Due to these rhetorical elements, the author accomplished her purpose and established her credibility well through the eyes of her life.

IRB #3- Post 2

Chapters 14 to 27 of Payment in Full delve into the life of Elvira, the orphaned African American girl taken into custody by a Jewish couple after they could not conceive themselves. Rebecca, Elvira's adopted mother, introduces Elvira to the African-American community as well as exposes her to Christianity. However, Elvira seems to be more interested in the Jewish religion. For example, Elvira's favorite foods are bagels and she enjoys watching Rebecca prepare Shabbat dinner and other Jewish remedies. The bond between Elvira and the Rosen family strengthens day by day, and she realizes that this is her family. Later in the sectyion, it is discovered that Elvira must move in with a colored family- one who is more like her. Elvira refuses to do so, revealing her love for the Rosen family. In the end, the judge allows Elvira to stay with the Rosen's, and it is official that Elvira is in the custody of the Rosen family. 

Henry Denker's stylistic approaches in this chapter often reveal allusions to the Civil War era through the prejudice that Elvira is experiencing while living with a white Jewish family. His informal diction to describe the slang used by African Americans during this time demonstrate the differences during this era between blacks and whites. The syntax is often very short, for most of the details are described through dialogues between people. The imagery used in this section reveals the context of the story because it describes typical scenes that one would see if they lived during this era. Every chapter describes a dilemma Elvira must overcome, with vivid details that spark an emotional connection between the audience and the characters, while enticing the audience to continue reading. This ratio, according to Burke's Pentad, is very effective in this fictional story.

Finding the Fountain of Youth

This piece discusses how moderate exercise can actually decline memory loss and increase hippocampus size, which, in terms of the aging process, increases a life expectancy rate of 1-2 years. This conclusion was seen when 120 elder adults between the ages of 55-80 were tested. One group was sent to an aerobics class and another was sent to a stretching class. The aerobics class saw the greater improvement with memory and hippocampus size because their kinetic ability increased. This article was written by Dr. Michael Otto from Psychology Today magazine. Dr. Otto has a Ph.D. in Exercise and Mood. The context of this piece is spacial because as people age, their memory decreases which is linked to hippocampus size decreasing. With this study of a moderate vigor to exercising, people can actually increase their memory and stop the hippocampus from decreasing as people age. This piece was written to convince people that exercising has more health benefits than just one, and it is important for everyone to be active in order to maintain a healthy physical and mental life. The specific audience for whom this piece was intended for are the senior citizens and elderly ranging between ages 55-80. However, the general audience is the public whom with this information can start at an early age to increase their life expectancy, memory, mood, etc. to live a happy and healthy life. The rhetorical devices used in this piece is an illusion dating back to the "Fountain of Youth" myth by Ponce de Leon which ties into this piece because it is said that the "Fountain of Youth" has been found through exercising. Also, the use of exemplification as a structure helps the audience to relate this finding to an actual test that people in their age group have performed to show how amazing these results truly are. Finally, the formal diction used is geared towards anatomy and bodily organs such as the hippocampus, which establishes the authors credibility as a doctor, for he was able to connect the hippocampus to memory to exercising. This demonstrated his understanding of the entire situation. The author accomplished his purpose because he not only talked about exercising as increasing memory, but he talked about the exponential amount of health benefits that exercising has to offer as a whole. Also, the author was able to provide a study that was shown to prove how moderately vigorous exercise does indeed increase memory and hippocampus size.

Adele- Someone Like You

This song, Someone Like You, describes a recent breakup the singer Adele has had with her boyfriend, and how she is using the pain to make her a stronger person. The author of this piece is Adele, an English singer/songwriter who has won numerous awards as well as being awarded Artist of the Year by Billboard in 2011. The context of this piece is causal because Adele wrote this song after a breakup with her boyfriend, which was a very low point in her life and she was experiencing a jumble of emotions too strong to comprehend, so she decided to put a tune to them. The purpose for this song was to show to the world that Adele is not afraid of how she feels, and she is using this experience to make her stronger, especially when she states "never mind I'll find someone like you." The audience for whom this piece was written for was all of Adele's fans both in the UK and the USA who have ever been hurt by a loved one and need a song to give them courage. Within this song, Adele uses a plethora of rhetorical devices to persuade her audience that she is growing from this experience. The chosen use of repetition of the line "Never mind I'll Find Someone Like You" continuously reinforces the claim that Adele is a strong woman and she is not going to let one man ruin her chances at love forever. In addition, the use of metaphorical language throughout the song describes scenes well in her past love life to give the audience a depiction of how the relationship was. Finally, the repetition of "I wish nothing but the best for you" shows Adele's gratitude towards her past lover even though he found someone else. She is acting very mature in the situation, which establishes her credibility for, she is recognizing the other side. The use of pathos with the strong, emotional diction engages the audience because they can almost relate to in one way or another Adele's experience. Adele effectively accomplished her purpose because this song won a multitude of grammy's and awards, which display her success through writing a passionate, from the heart song.

IRB #3- Post 1

Payment in Full is a novel written by Henry Denker, an American novelist and playwright. During the Great Depression, Denker left his job at a bar to pursue a career in writing, which as always been his passion. His first ever script was given the Peabody Award, the Christopher Award, the CCNY Outstanding Program of the Year Award, and the Variety Award of the Year. From then on, his novels and plays have been a success. The prologue to chapter 13 of Payment in Full begins the story when Mr. and Mrs. Rosen, a young Jewish couple living in New York, find out that they have miscarried yet again, making this their fourth time losing their baby. After this time, they decide to adopt an orphaned African-American girl by the name Elvira. Elvira is very attached to Mrs. Rosen, and they meet each other in an orphanage for the first time when Mrs. Rosen decided to keep her for good. The bond between them is very strong. Mrs. Rosen is determined to not take Elvira away from her own culture and heritage, so she decides to send her to church instead of synagogue. The context of this book is spacial because it is based on cultural as well as historical origins. The purpose of this novel is to propose a compelling novel that shows the audience that even though they may not come from the same backgrounds or are not technically blood related, their feelings for each other are more alike than anything. The audience for whom this novel was written is former Denker fans who enjoy his compelling and thought-provoking novels. Also, anyone interested in reading a touching story about the live of an African American girl growing up under the watchful eyes of Jewish parents. The rhetorical elements used in this book are foreshadowing to provide the audience with suspense for the next chapters, informal diction to describe the orphaned girl's secludedness from any proper learning, allusions of Mr. Rosen's previous live living in Poland, as well as narration to describe events as the novel progresses. The author accomplished his purpose through these rhetorical devices as well as describing every detail to engage the audience and move them through an emotional roller coaster as they laugh and sometimes cry during parts.

Doritos Super bowl ad: 'Man's Best Friend'

This advertisement shows a family whose cat goes missing, and the father sees a dog burying the cat's collar, implying that the dog killed the cat. The dog persuades the father to not tell the wife by offering a bag of Doritos, and the father quickly accepts the bribe. The source of this advertisement is Doritos chips, which are a very popular brand and produced by the hugely successful Frito-Lay Company. Doritos alone brought in 1/3 of the entire sales for the company. The context of this piece is causal because it was brought about during the Super Bowl game since Doritos is a popular snack eaten during this day. The purpose for this commercial was to persuade Americans that Doritos is so irresistible that it makes people forget about important issues (such as a household pet going missing) and makes them focus on the deliciousnesses of the chip. The audience was directed towards the American citizens watching the Superbowl game because this snack is often eaten during sports events. The rhetorical elements used in this commercial are pathos created by the humor of a dog outsmarting a human through persuasion of the Doritos chips as well as an upbeat musical background to keep the suspense throughout the commercial to make the audience wonder what will happen next. The author accomplished his purpose because he showed to the audience through this scenario that Doritos chips are so delicious that they can be replaced with any important issue.

IR Choice (MP 3)

Payment in Full
Henry Decker
Section 1: Prologue-13
Section 2: 14-27
Section 3: 27-Epilogue
I chose to this book because since this unit is the only unit that contains fiction, I wanted to take the opportunity to read a fictional story. This novel was recommended to me because it tells a very emotional story about a Jewish woman who adopts an African American girl who overcomes many obstacles to later become a successful and strong-willed woman. I am very excited to immerse myself in this story and use my knowledge of Burke's Pentad and the 'aspects' of fiction to discover the rhetorical devices that are used to tell this fictional story.

President Barack Obama's State of the Union Speech

On January 24, 2012, President Barack Obama gave his annual State of the Union speech which summarized the successes and downfalls within the year, and where our country stands today. As President of the United States, it was Mr. Obama's duty to deliver this speech in order to revive the American spirit during this recession, as well as to show the immense amount of progress he has made during the four years of his presidency, with hopes of getting re-elected in 2012. With this being said, the context of this piece is causal because it was caused by a tradition that the president must make a State of the Union speech, as well as speaking to the entire American nation about himself and reminding America in his possible last year of presidency that he is a very efficient president. The purpose for this speech had two aims- to inform the American nation about the issues still needing to be fixed with a proposed solution, as well as to convince the public that President Obama is capable of being an ideal president for the next four years. The use of rhetoric in this speech was flawless, as it effectively helped to accomplish Obama's purpose. The president used a multitude of patterns of development such as narration through the story of single mom Jackie Bray and her job opportunity, cause and effect through the issues within America and Obama's plan to tackle them, as well as definition when the President defines America as he leaves a memorable impact on the citizens. The tone of this speech was ambitious because it sparked a need for motivation within America. The diction and syntax helped to create this tone by pertaining to the audience with choice of saying "we" as a whole, including the President as a common person. Finally, the conclusion of the speech with the use of an anaphora of repeating the phrase "this nation is great" helps the reader to remember why America is the world power and how we achieved this position, with the use of pathos.

Newt Gingrich's Standing Ovation at South Carolina GOP Debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka0LMt5ciRc

This video contains the Republican Debate in South Carolina for the race to candidacy in the 2012 presidential election against current president Barack Obama. In this clip, candidate Newt Gingrich is answering the question given by moderator Juan Williams about his views on unintentionally belittling poor Black-Americans about getting jobs, as well as referring to Barack Obama as the "food stamp president." Gingrich sharply defends himself and turns the negative image Williams has painted of Gingrich back on Williams, which in return receives a standing ovation by the crowd of supporters. The author of this piece is Fox News, which is a leaning-conservative radio station, and establishes credibility for the debate is for the Republican candidate, not the Democratic candidate. The context of this piece is causal because the 2012 Presidential Election is quickly approaching, and a Republican candidate will soon be chosen through debates and votes from the American citizens. The purpose of this debate is for Newt Gingrich to convince the state of South Carolina (audience), as well as the American public that he is the ideal president and will be able to turn the country into a more positive direction than the other candidates. As Gingrich spoke, he used a plethora of rhetorical devices to allude to a very convincing and effective debate. His strong and determined tone when speaking gave a sense of leadership and passion, which are two important qualities of a president. Also, Gingrich's use of parallelism towards the end when summarizing his thoughts left a lasting impact on the audience, for they now know exactly what Gingrich's plan is for America and how it will be effective in the future. Finally, the factual information established credibility because it backed up Newt's claims and showed the audience that he knew exactly what he was talking about. Due to the feedback of the supporters in the background of the moderators, Gingrich effectively accomplished his purpose, and also won the South Carolina primary. He is one step closer to becoming the Republican candidate to run against Barack Obama in the 2012 election.

IRB #2- Post 3

Chapters 6-7

In chapter 6 of Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, the rhetor discusses how facial expressions dictates one's interpretation of another's feelings and inner thoughts. However, sometimes, people can misread the expressions of others in a process known as mind-reading failures. These misunderstandings result in disagreements, arguments, and hurt feelings. Others do not even look in the eyes of the person they are talking to. Autistic people, for example, look away and read the signs of the environment to pick up a vibe from these people. In the final chapter, chapter 7, Gladwell discusses society's bias to others as we use our eyes and ears to judge rather than our instincts. He leaves the audience thinking about if resists the temptation of rapid cognition through immediate tasks rather than intuition, this could possibly change our reality for the better, or for the worse.

In the final chapters, Gladwell uses narratives to later describe the cognitive reasoning behind these examples. This arrangement pattern helps the audience to connect a story to the science behind that problem. In addition, Gladwell's use of scientific diction enhances the piece and establishes credibility for the rhetor, for it reflects knowledge and in-depth research of the psychological field. However, Gladwell's use of the sophisticated words still pertains to the audience because he explains each term through his work, which helps the audience understand what he is talking about, as well as to make connections in one's repertoire. Finally, the syntax of the piece is very diverse, which is appealing to the audience and grabs their attention through the varied length and types of sentences.

Unit 3 Reflection

In 1776, our founding fathers embarked on a set goal to make their new country of America into a democracy. It was important to these intellects that our society be run strictly by the people, for the people, with the allowance of manipulation in the government if needed in order to be the most successful country. The founding fathers rebelled against the strict rules placed by the British government, and they knew they did not want the same in America. Based on this democratic society, it is the individual’s duty to elect only the brightest leaders into government in order to maintain and uphold the legacy that the United States has had over the centuries. In return, it is the government’s duty to establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty in order to form a more perfect union (United States Constitution). The lasting legacy’s of the individuals in history who took a stand on important issues to shape our society has greatly impacted our government’s structure today.

As history has taken its path, many individuals had to take a stand to the government and fight for the rights of its citizens in order to resolve the issues created along life’s course. Even before the American Revolution and the United States of America was independent, famous individuals took a stand for their beliefs in order to resolve certain issues. During his speech in the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry stood above the rest as he advocated for colonial rights in government. Before the United States Constitution was written and the Revolution was being fought, Henry had to stand up to the judge, who happened to be his father, in order to abolish the Parson’s Clause and increase colonial rights. This course of action set a precedent for other individuals to fight for the rights of citizens and go against the government in certain cases.

In addition to Patrick Henry’s influence on the Parson’s Clause, President Abraham Lincoln also had an obligation to make a very important speech to his people during the American Civil War. Through his brilliant speech of only lasting two minutes, Lincoln made an everlasting impact on America today and emphasized equality and unification of its people. It was the obligation of this individual to remind the American people that the  "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln ensured America that a democracy will remain in place, and that states’ rights were not dominant. It is the duty of the government to the individual that the individual’s rights are secured, and everyone was equal.

Years after Lincoln’s address at Gettysburg, individuals continued to fight for their rights; an obligation made to society. One brave man, Martin Luther King, Jr., was determined to fight for the rights of the African American people through his wise words and perseverance. His most famous line, which referenced the work of the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, stated,  “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” Mr. King felt strongly that it was his duty to stand up to the government and fight for the rights of other individuals in an attempt to gain freedom and equality. It is with this passion that King was able to break the barrier between the white and black people and finally create a more united America.

After reading the famous speeches by these individuals, I have a better feel for my duty in my society. In one year, I will be granted the right to vote. It is imperative that when given this huge obligation, I make sure I am voting in the most suitable representative that I feel will best turn my country in the more positive direction. Within age comes more responsibilities, and being mature about situations is key to a successful society. The brave and determined individuals who fought for the rights of citizens did not decide one day they were going to do this; they witnessed the unequal and unfair actions that were forced upon innocent civilians, and with this information, they knew they must do something to stop this. Staying informed in society and taking an active role in governmental decisions is important for a united country.

How the Brain Interprets Pain and How to Get Relief

This article discusses an experiment that tested the question of whether romance can cure the feeling of physical pain. The study was done at Stanford University, and the subjects were fifteen students who were in an intense relationship. The students inflicted a thermal pain on their left hand, and then were asked to focus on an image of their loved one. The results showed that the pain alleviated when the students were gazing at the photograph, but when they looked away, they felt more of a pain. This article came from U.S. News, a highly credible leading news weekly that focuses on reports from American colleges. Marshall Allen, the author of this article, won the 2011 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The context of this piece is spacial because it analyzes the results from an experiment over a period of time, through social interactions between students. The purpose of this article is to propose new information about engaging in emotional experiences will trigger the brain to provide relief. The audience of this piece is everyone who has ever been in love with a significant other and can relate to the pleasure that they provide in order to make these connections between the content and themselves. The major rhetorical devices listed in this piece are logos through the scientific explanations of how emotional experiences trigger a sense of relief to the brain, formal diction when discussing the functions of the brain and its different parts, as well as establishing credibility for the plethora of colleges, doctors and professors the author quoted in order to effectively accomplish his purpose.

IRB #2- Post 2

Chapters 3-5
In this section of Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, the author discusses many different theories to the reasons why we make decisions. In Chapter 3, Gladwell argues that our society is oblivious to our unconsciously motivated behaviors that urge us to make biased assumptions. For example, when elected president in 1920, Warren G. Harding was not the most suitable president yet he was the most handsome and distinguished-looking president. This rapid cognition expresses the root of prejudice and discrimination because people will chose society's "better fit" over anyone else. In Chapter 4, the discussion is based on analytic vs. intuitive decision making. Both of these are used in inappropriate circumstances and often lead to biased decisions. Finally, in Chapter 5, Gladwell goes so far to argue that when learning something new, the confusion that coincides with a new task can actually be an unconscious sign of distrust.

According to the stylistic and rhetorical analysis sheet, a plethora of strategies were used by Gladwell. In chapter 3, there was often a sarcastic tone presented through the informal diction. When describing society's unconsciously biased behaviors, Gladwell uses a less-didactic diction such as using simplistic words of "good" and "bad" instead of a more sophisticated word choice. This sarcastic tone is created through Gladwell's annoyance of society making unintelligent decisions based on their rapidly unconscious behavior. In chapter 4, the use of rhetorical questions was continuously sewn into each page. These questions helped the reader to make decisions based on themselves to determine if they were more analytical decision-makers or intuitive decision-makers. This helps strengthen the connection between the reader to the author because it engages the reader to think about themselves based on the observations of the writer. Finally, in Chapter 5, the rhetor uses a cause-and-effect arrangement to argue his claim effectively. Gladwell discusses different scenarios all leading up to his claim that the unconscious disproval of something new may be out of distrust and confusion. He also makes the audience differentiate between intuitive and emotional judgement.

The overview of this section was unconscious decision making, and how our environment affects the decisions we make unknowingly, and how it strongly dictates our judgement intuitively. The 3 parts of this section were broken up into biased decision-making, analytical vs. intuitive decision-making, and intuitive and emotional judgement. The parts go from broad to more specific; from dealing with a national decision to more personal judgement. The title of each chapter discusses the major example explained in the chapter, and then how it relates back to the main title of the book- Blink. For example, for chapter 3, the "Warren G. Harding Effect"title is an example of how in the "Blink" of an eye, we make unconscious decisions that can be very biased, such as electing a handsome president instead of a more intellectual one. The interrelationships in this section are strong between the writer and audience through the plethora of rhetorical questions that help the audience evaluate their own lives based on the research and observations of the highly credible writer. Finally, the conclusion of this section leaves the audience to judge themselves and think about how biased and intuitive their judgement has been on the past.