TOW #2: TEXT- Breaking Bad Normalizes Meth, Argues Prosecutor By Blake Ewing

     In this article, Blake Ewing, an assistant district attorney in Austin, provides insight as to how the popular show Breaking Bad, normalizes the meth industry. Breaking Bad is a popular show that takes the viewer through the life of a dying man, Walter White, and his decisions to cook meth to provide for his family. Since this is such a popular show about a serious subject like meth, Ewing argues that, although entertaining, it makes meth seem normal. In reality, methamphetamine is one of the most serious, and dangerous drugs in society, and through the show's popularity, meth seems less intimidating. Ewing's audience is meant for all those who watch the show as to show them what exactly it is doing to their minds. Since I am an avid viewer of the show (just finished watching it) I found this article compelling, as a credit to his use of rhetorical devices. Ewing initially makes himself seem approachable to the reader (mostly Breaking Bad fanatics) by saying that he enjoys the show as well. By opening himself up to the viewers of the show, the audience doesn't automatically discredit him as a person who doesn't understand the true worth of the show (it is amazing). Ewing again makes himself approachable by closing his article saying that although meth is normalized by the show, he is still going to watch it. Although this may seem counterintuitive, it makes his point easier to grasp. For me, Ewing is simply trying to say that the show isn't a bad influence as long as the viewer is cognizant of the effects of meth. Ewing also uses hyperboles to appeal to the pathos of the reader. Humor used by Ewing such as, "Does this mean that watching an episode of Breaking Bad will cause responsible adults to run out and find a local meth dealer? Clearly not" (Times) provide readers with a comic relief to his serious claim. This question also appeals to the reader's sense of logos as it makes logical sense that something that crazy would not happen. Another useful rhetorical device he uses is that he clearly addresses both sides of the argument and then substantiates why his point is better. This gives him more credibility as he acknowledges that there are other sides to the argument. Overall, I think Ewing effectively uses rhetorical devices to get his point across. From being a die-hard fan of Breaking Bad I understand how sensitive we can be when people criticize the show, however the way in which Ewing does it is brilliant. Not only does he get his point across that the show is indeed making meth normal, he does it from the perspective of a fan. After reading this article, I realize that what he was saying is indeed true. Before watching the show, I never really thought about the drug industry and meth, however after the show I think meth is more common in everyday conversation. Although people are simply talking about the show, meth is talked about and seems more normal. Overall, I think Ewing did a great job making his point while not angering any die-hard fans.

TOW #1- Visual Text: Nokia Lumia 1020 Commercial By Nokia

      In this commercial, Nokia attempts to advertise its latest phone, the Lumia 1020. Nokia is advertising the Lumia 1020 for its 41 megapixel camera, unseen in the phone industry, to try and compete will other phones such as the Apple I-Phone. In order to gain customers, Nokia pokes fun at the struggle of other cellphone users in their latest commercial. By showing that their cameras are not up to par with the 1020, while also appealing to the audience's emotions, Nokia puts forward a valiant effort that caught my attention. During the commercial, people are struggling to get a good picture of a children's play, and their attempts to do so are humorous. People taking random panoramas and even head-butting each other are part of Nokia's rhetorical strategy of using pathos to get the audience interested. While watching the commercial, I found myself laughing showing that the commercials' attempt to be comical, worked. Nokia was once a top seller of cellphones, however with the invention of the I-Phone in 2007, Nokia, along with other companies saw a steep decline in marketshare. In order to gain more marketshare, Nokia has targeted the camera aspect to the cellphone, and through this commercial the camera shines through. At the end of the commercial, the viewer sees that a man all the way in the back is relaxed and can see the entire play due to the power of his camera-phone, the Lumia 1020. This with and without effect is seen by showing people with I-Phones struggling and then showing people with Lumia 1020's relaxing. This rhetorical device is exaggerating the difference between phone users, however it makes Nokia's point that the camera is better on the 1020. Personally, I think that this commercial was very comical, and therefore caught my attention. The pathos used by Nokia really appealed to me and made me realize how much better having a good camera would be. Although head-butting people for a picture is hyperbolized, the constant struggle of taking a decent picture on your phone is real. Because Nokia pointed this out to me, I realize the need of a better camera on my phone, and therefore I think the commercial definitely worked. Nokia's use of pathos, and with/without as well as hyperbole appealed to the audience, and moreover was a successful commercial. 

IRB Introduction #1

     For the next 4 weeks, I have chosen to read, Moneyball by Michael Lewis. This book is a recount of the remarkable successes of the 2002 Oakland Athletics. In years before the 2002 season, the Oakland Athletics were ranked near the bottom of the MLB, and were the poorest team in the league. In a league where the richest teams usually won the most games, the Oakland A's defied all when they won 20 consecutive games and made the playoffs under general manager, Billy Beane. The book delves into the way in which the A's won, as well as the managerial aspect to how Beane turned the team around. I chose this book because it was recommended to me by Mr. Yost, and also because I really enjoyed the movie. When I heard the premise of the book, I was really intrigued, as it seemed to connect my interest with business and sports into one cohesive novel. Since I run my own clothing company, seeing how another industry is managed may help me in my own entrepreneurial adventures. I hope to gain managerial ideas and techniques from the book as well as inspiration as to how a manager can fully lead his workers. Not only do I want to learn about business from this book, but I also hope to have an enjoyable read about my favorite two topics. Often times, non-fiction seems boring to me, however I am excited to read this book and learn from a non-fiction novel

How Doctors Die by Ken Murray

            How Doctors Die is written by Dr. Ken Murray M.D, an essayist, speaker, and a retired physician. Dr. Murray has been published in several medical magazines such as the Zocalo Public Square, and has also been interviewed on NPR. In this particular essay, Murray compares how doctors and patients decide to go about treatment for life threatening injuries. Being a retired doctor, Murray has experience in the medical field and therefore knows much about the internal workings of a hospital. Murray begins by providing an anecdote about his mentor, Charlie, an orthopedist who was diagnosed with cancer. Charlie, albeit that he could’ve gotten the best treatment decided to forgo any, “Radiation, or surgical treatment”(231), and instead just died at home. Murray continues to explain that due to the fact that doctors are aware of the probability and the suffering involved with treatment, the majority of them forgo any operations and instead elect to die at home. What appalled Murray was that although doctors elect to refrain from treatment, many of them give their patients, “futile care”(232). Murray continues to hypothesize that the reason for such activity has to do with the patient’s lack of knowledge on treatment, the doctor’s lack of judgment, and even the panic of the emergency room. While these all are contributing factors, the bottom line and purpose of Murray’s essay is that the medical system can, “swallow people up”(234) if patients aren’t educated on what they’re deciding. In order to avoid the panic, the medical bills, and the haphazard nature of the hospital, Murray suggests to, like his cousin, and fellow doctors, “Go gentle into that good night”(235). Murray’s use of anecdotes from his mentor and his cousin who also died naturally, better Murray’s point because the reader sees the examples as relatable. I felt as though Murray affirmed his point by emphasizing the contradiction that doctors themselves don’t go through intense treatment; therefore why should patients. Overall I thought the essay was very well written and even convinced me to consider dying naturally. To me it seems peaceful and less invasive and that was Murray’s point.

Dying Man

Image By: Vipdictionary.com

Would you rather die covered in wires with large medical bills or in peace with your family?

Objects of Affection by Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough

       Objects of Affection is written by Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough, an essayist, literary translator, and teacher at Emerson College. Ewa’s numerous essays have been published in The American Scholar, Ploughshares, and various other journals. This essay specifically, discusses Ewa’s attachment with antique objects. Ewa begins the essay by saying that such items, “Connect us to the past and its messy materiality by making the past more concrete”(167-168). Once this claim is made, Ewa recounts her time as a child in Communist Poland where due to the scarcity of items, everyone had to hold onto what was his or hers. In order to further substantiate her materiality Ewa provides an anecdote of her grandmother, whose possessions were all wiped away in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Ewa’s grandmother was shaped by the fact that all her possessions disappeared because along with them, memories were lost. Ewa uses this anecdote to show that she doesn’t want to lose everything as her grandmother did. Instead, Ewa now keeps things that her husband calls “junk” such as her, “Daughters’ newborn caps, their christening gowns…cards they wrote to me [her] on Mother’s Day”(174). Ewa’s purpose in writing about her attachment to objects is that she wants to inform the general public that keeping sentimental items can be rewarding. Ewa sums up the essay by pulling from story, This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen, by Tadeusz Borowski. The story talks of a man who takes his personal items to a gas chamber despite knowing that he is going to get them taken from him. Ewa’s point in using this story is to show that, “Objects help us exorcise some of our fears...they give us semblance of permanence and grant a stay against chaos”(175). Pulling from this story helped me understand the power of objects. Overall, I think that this essay is well crafted and accomplishes its purpose of giving reason to keep sentimental items. After reading about Ewa’s grandmother, I realized how little I know about my family history and connected that to the fact that my family’s trinkets are in India. Moreover, the essay was insightful and Ewa accomplished her purpose.

Weird Cup By Carl Norwaydude

Some may see just a weird cup, however others may see a history of family memories encased in a small cup

Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here by Mark Edmundson

        In this essay, Dr. Mark Edmundson discusses the major drawbacks of higher education and proposes a way for students to have fulfilling careers through following their passion. Dr. Edmundson is an established writer, and an English professor at the University of Virginia. He has won several awards for writing and this essay in particular, has been published in the Oxford American literary journal. Being a professor, Edmundson directs his essay towards incoming students as to show how to get the most out of a college education. Edmundson observes, “To everyone, university education is a means to an end. For students that end is a job”(91) and while seeing this, Edmundson says, “They have it wrong”(91). Rather than using college as a stepping-stone towards getting a high-paying job and a life with “A driveway of your own”(95), Edmundson asserts that the real value of college education is, “Finding out what form of work for you is close to being play”(100). Edmundson starts the essay in the second person to get the effect of talking directly to the reader. He uses this strategy to break down the barrier between the author and reader and by doing so the essay is more approachable. Also, instead of saying his claim, Edmundson poses questions to the reader such as, “Why make trouble”(95) and “Doesn’t the content of the courses matter at all”(94) as to make the reader feel more involved. Edmundson later discusses Emerson and Freud, two famous writers that convinced him that challenging everything was more rewarding than conforming to societal needs. By working in these two prominent figures, Edmundson further substantiates his claim. Later, Edmundson talks about his father’s dissatisfying career. This anecdote serves to make the essay’s point that by doing what society wants; you will end up like Edmundson’s father. Overall, I think the essay was very well written to the point where I agreed with what Edmundson was saying. His authoritative tone, stories, insights, and use of prominent figures convinced me that Edmundson is very intellectual and correct in his claims.

Student Affairs Cartoon! By Oullette (2010)

What will happen if we continue to conform with society and fail to question everything

The Good Short Life by Dudley Clendinen

        In this essay, author Dudley Clendinen describes his thoughts of death after he is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Clendinen was a reporter for the New York Times and the editor of The Baltimore Sun. Shortly after being diagnosed, Clendinen offered his perspective on death through writing this essay, as well as hosting a radio series on WYPR. In this essay, Clendinen opens with the statement, “I have wonderful friends”(63) and continues to talk about how his life is fantastic. However midway through the first page he mentions the necessity for obtaining a gun to kill himself. The way Clendinen changes the tone of the essay catches the reader’s attention. Although Clendinen is cognizant that with modern technology he is able to prolong his life, he decides not to undergo the, “Colossal waste of love and money”(65) because he doesn’t want to be, “A drag”(64). Clendinen not only accepts the fact that he is going to die, but rather embraces it and decides that once he is unable to, “Tell a funny story, (or) walk my (his) dog…Life is over”(66). Clendinen’s purpose in writing this essay was to inform the public that it’s more beneficial to die once you can’t do simple tasks as opposed to prolonging your life. This unique perspective is supported by an anecdote where Clendinen sees his mother suffer through treatment. Clendinen recounts, “She looked at me…as she might have at a passing cloud”(65). Essentially, in order to stop himself from becoming so weak that he wouldn’t be able to love his daughter, he wanted to kill himself. I thought that this anecdote was powerful, as it exemplified what Clendinen did not want to become. Later on, Clendinen references a song called, “Dance Me to the End of Love”(66) to even further show how he truly feels about dying. I thought that this essay was well written and offered a fresh perspective on death. I think Clendinen achieved his purpose as I now question how I would want to die. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this essay as it was very insightful and thought provoking.

Pulling the Plug By Bennett (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

This pain and suffering is not helping anyone...