TOW #8 - Blink TOW #2

In his bestseller, Blink, Malcom Gladwell digs deep into the human conscience and discovers the true reasoning for why we think the way we do. In his 2nd nonfiction book regarding psychology, he discusses the quick judgments that people make and why they occur. In response to his first novel, The Tipping Point, many people have wondered why the sociological changes in everyday life happen, and he addresses these people and enlightens them with facts, stories and questions to think about, dealing with human intuition and its effect on the world. He then wants his audience to act in response to their judgments, whether it be a change in mindset or a change in perspective. In order to educate his audience about "the power of thinking without thinking", Gladwell uses anecdotes and quotes from credible sources throughout the entire text. The anecdotes really made the entire book quite intriguing and he talks of a variety of different things, including marriage counseling, food tasters, and the seemingly never-ending Coca-cola vs. Pepsi battle. One towards the end of the book talked of gender equality in symphonies and how in the past, conductors believed that men just sounded better than women. He says, " Musicians were identified not by name but by number. Screens were erected between the committee and the auditioner… and as these new rules were put in place around the country, an extraordinary thing happened: orchestras began to hire women" (250). This is a prime example of how the snap judgments of others have a major effect on society, one of Gladwell's central arguments. He quotes various sources, thus appealing to ethos. Regarding the symphony anecdote, he uses quotes from established musicians, quoting, " 'The very first time the new rules for auditions were used, we were looking for four new violinists,' remembers Herb Weksleblatt, a tuba player for the Metropolitan Opera in New York… 'And all of the winners were women. That would simply never have happened before. ' " By using quotes from those with firsthand experience, he establishes his credibility and appeals to ethos throughout the entire text. I found this entire book very interesting, and I do believe Gladwell achieved his purpose. His countless examples made it easier for the reader to relate and I found myself reconsidering my intuition and snap judgments. Throughout Blink, Malcolm Gladwell encourages readers to consider their mindsets and discusses the importance of acting if a change needs to be made.

Tow #7 - "Meet Joko Widodo"

In the profile piece of Joko Widodo, Hannah Beech introduces the new leader. The recently elected 7th president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo or Mr. Jokowi for short, will be sworn into office on October 20th, 2014 and in this piece, is described in great detail. Hannah Beech, an established journalist and the Southeast Asia Bureau Chief for Time Magazine, appears to be introducing Mr. Jokowi to the entire world, in order for everyone to become familiar with the new leader and his practices. She uses direct quotes from the president himself and other credible sources in order to establish credibility and intense diction to emphasize the seriousness of the role that he is taking on. She uses these strategies to present the new president to the world. One important quote from the president was his description of his life with his family. Beech quotes, " 'My family, we worked very hard for basic human needs, like food, education, health care,' He says. 'That’s why I know from my experience that democracy must deliver a better life to the people.' " In this direct quote from the president, Beech illustrates his willingness to work hard and how he really understands what many of his citizens are going through, only increasing his want to help them and proving him to be a man of the people. She also quotes other sources, like Ernest Bower,   chairman for the southeast Asia studies at the center for strategic and international studies (CSIS). He said, " ' My gut tells me history is going to call on Jokowi to provide leadership and he will fulfill it.' " This powerful quote emphasizes the belief that Jokowi will be successful as president and displays the faith that many people have in him and his practices. Beech also uses very strong words, which constantly changes the tone of the piece. When describing many of the problems in Indonesia, she used words like, flustered, issues, challenges, aggressively, and vulnerable, giving that section a very tense and serious tone. These are just a few examples of her intense diction which affects the entire tone of the profile. I think that Beech definitely achieved her purpose. After reading, I felt much more educated not only about Jokowi, but about the entire archipelago of Indonesia and its economy and culture. This profile effectively introduced the new leader to the world and the world looks forward to seeing what he will achieve as the President of Indonesia.

Tow #6: "Asphaltisation" - visual text

In this powerful advertisement, titled "Asphaltisation", SAMU social displays the biggest struggle that homeless people face, trying to get off of the streets, in a very literal way. This French humanitarian emergency service company is active in cities all over France and the rest of the world, providing care and supplies to homeless people or those who are in "social distress". Through this advertisement, they address those who may be at risk of becoming homeless and those who have the potential to help people who are in living on the streets. SAMU social appeals to pathos and dark coloring in an attempt to illustrate the severity and the struggles of living life on the streets and to inspire people to lend help to these less fortunate people. Pictured in the ad are an old man and a dog, both embedded in the cement of a sidewalk, looking very depressed and tired. In the corner, it says in French, " The longer you live on the streets, the harder it is to get off it.", thus explaining why they are pictured, enveloped in the concrete. Both elderly people and dogs are groups that people tend to feel emotional towards and to see them struggling is very sad to look at. The elderly man is not wearing proper shoes and appears to be struggling to keep his eyes open. The image of them sinking into the soil is very powerful and quickly grasps people's attention. This strategic use of pathos is an attempt to evoke sympathy in those who see the ad and it makes them want to help the unfortunate man and dog. They also use very dark colors, giving the advertisement a gloomy and dark vibe. Both of these strategies used in the ad help SAMU social's attempt to achieve their purpose, by grasping the attention of their audience and by giving the entire ad a sad feeling. I think that the service company definitely achieved their purpose. When I saw this ad, I immediately felt bad for both the man and the dog and I wanted to help them, no matter what. In Asphaltisation, SAMU social effectively depicts a major struggle of the homeless and inspires people to lend help to those on the streets.

Tow #5 - Now Arriving - The Deadly Ebola Virus Lands in America

In Now Arriving - The Deadly Ebola Virus Lands in America, David Von Drehle highlights the frightening fact that Ebola has finally come to the United States. A successful author and journalist for Time Magazine, Drehle explains the outbreak story in vivid detail and its potential impact on the rest of the country. Addressing American citizens, he writes in an attempt to educate them about the deadly virus and its side effects, and to explain how it found its way to the U.S. In this piece, David Von Drehle appeals to logos and ethos and uses figurative language in order to achieve his purpose. Throughout the article, he appeals to logos and uses various facts and statistics, explaining the significance of the virus. He says, "With more than 3,300 people dead in the growing West African epidemic, the arrival of Ebola in the U.S. is indeed unnerving news". This number illustrates the effect of Ebola on people in other countries and how it has the potential to majorly affect the U.S. He also gives basic facts about Ebola, including, " Patients are contagious only when they are suffering symptoms: fever, muscle aches, vomiting and so on." By stating basic side effects, he attempts to educate his audience about what cases of Ebola may look like and what they should look for. He also appeals to ethos, by using many quotes, from very credible sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Texas Governor, Rick Perry and even President Obama. These pieces of information used by Drehle, help him establish his credibility and trustworthiness to his readers, giving his argument more weight. He also uses figurative language, including metaphors, in an attempt to achieve his purpose. When talking of containing the case, he says, "It can be tedious work, though, and it is only as good as the front-line caregivers who are the point of the spear". The author seemingly compares the containment of Ebola with fighting a tough battle, with "the front line caregivers", being doctors acting as soldiers fighting the virus, and "the front of the spear", being the direct attack of the issue. This metaphor helps illustrate the importance of Ebola and the difficulty it will take to extinguish it from the United States. I think that Drehle achieved his purpose during this piece. Before reading, I did not have a great idea of what kind of virus Ebola is and what its side effects are. Now, I am much more educated on the subject and I know what to look for, in the case that Ebola spreads throughout the country. In this Global Health Article, David Von Drehle effectively describes Ebola to American citizens, and discusses the importance of the problem it proposes.