Sunday, January 29, 2012
Mencken vs Kroll on the Death Penalty
Out of the two, I would have to say that the Kroll piece was much more effective, if only because it was much more connected and together as compared to the Mencken essay. With Kroll's essay, the pathos was so heavy you could have cut it with a knife; with Mencken, the appeals were scattered, if they were even there. While I do not believe an argument can be very good if the only thing it relies on is pathos, compared to the scattered nature of Mencken's essay, Kroll's was more effective. With Mencken, I had not the slightest idea who he was aiming his essay at, and at about the first mention of religion, the entire argument slides into a downward slope of hypothetical after hypothetical, until it finally reaches what was probably the entire point of Mencken's argument: him talking about how the execution process should be much quicker. With that he manages to backdoor you into what he believes, without really having any substance. However, the Kroll essay is a narrative, one that takes a clear bias as it tries to get you to agree with Kroll. The effect, while not quite that much for me, was much better than Mencken's if only because of the cohesiveness of the essay, rather than Mencken's scatterbrained attempt to make a point, which he only got to after insulting the opposition and trailing off into tiny rant after tiny rant. My assertion that the Kroll essay is better is more so based on the fact that the Mencken essay was anything but persuasive to me, rather than the fact that it was all that amazing.
"Sixteen Military Wives" by the Decemberists
What is this song about (subject matter)?
This song is about (in the first stanza) army men who die fighting, and leave behind wives The next part is about a group of "academics" out of whom only a few care. The last one is about cannibal kings eating the aforementioned characters.
What is the theme of this song?
The first stance and chorus led me to believe that it is about how soldiers were sent out because "America" "can't say no" and that because of this they say that it is necessary, since "America" says it to be. "And America dies, if America says it's so." But then the idea that the anchorperson goes "la de da de da" which is pretty much nonsense and means that the anchorperson does not actually care.
This song is about (in the first stanza) army men who die fighting, and leave behind wives The next part is about a group of "academics" out of whom only a few care. The last one is about cannibal kings eating the aforementioned characters.
What is the theme of this song?
The first stance and chorus led me to believe that it is about how soldiers were sent out because "America" "can't say no" and that because of this they say that it is necessary, since "America" says it to be. "And America dies, if America says it's so." But then the idea that the anchorperson goes "la de da de da" which is pretty much nonsense and means that the anchorperson does not actually care.
"Race for the Prize" by the Flaming Lips
What is the theme of the song?
The theme of the song is that sometimes a race doesn't mean competition, people can work together towards a common goal for the good of humanity. In the first stanza it says "Two scientists were racing/For the good of all mankind...For the cure that is their prize..." In this song the race is not a literal one, but a figurative one in which both of them merely want the "prize" not for themselves but for humanity. The race does not mean that they are working against each other, and in the third line it says "Both of them side by side" meaning that really, they are working together and the "race" is how they both want to get the cure (the mentioned "prize") for the good of humankind. Therefore, in this song, the lyrics point toward a resolution to get the prize for their species and not for themselves. The music pushes a somewhat resolute, calming idea, at least at first. But then it gets more rocky, somewhat like turbulence, which shows how the two scientists are working together against whatever danger it is that they are fighting against.
The theme of the song is that sometimes a race doesn't mean competition, people can work together towards a common goal for the good of humanity. In the first stanza it says "Two scientists were racing/For the good of all mankind...For the cure that is their prize..." In this song the race is not a literal one, but a figurative one in which both of them merely want the "prize" not for themselves but for humanity. The race does not mean that they are working against each other, and in the third line it says "Both of them side by side" meaning that really, they are working together and the "race" is how they both want to get the cure (the mentioned "prize") for the good of humankind. Therefore, in this song, the lyrics point toward a resolution to get the prize for their species and not for themselves. The music pushes a somewhat resolute, calming idea, at least at first. But then it gets more rocky, somewhat like turbulence, which shows how the two scientists are working together against whatever danger it is that they are fighting against.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Patrick Henry Speech Fallacies
"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?"
This part of the speech relies on the fallacy of argumentum ad baculum, or the appeal to fear or force. Here, Henry is trying to get the audience's attention by making the extreme, the idea of soldiers in every house, the possible reality if the audience does not do/feel as he does. Thus fallacy pretty much just means that he is relying on his audience's fear as his main point right here. If the audience does not agree to go to war, then there will most definitely be soldiers stationed in every house before there can possibly be any way to free themselves from the British, their oppressors.
However, while this speech does commit several fallacies, it is also true that it is well written, and I can imagine, well delivered. Henry's rhetoric is quite strong, and while he does not back up all of his statements entirely, that does not stop things such as argumentum ad baculum not catching peoples' attention and making them listen. This makes people feel like it maybe was urgent, that it was necessary, and therefore most people don't even realize that it is a fallacy, and that they may not have entirely backed up their statements.
This part of the speech relies on the fallacy of argumentum ad baculum, or the appeal to fear or force. Here, Henry is trying to get the audience's attention by making the extreme, the idea of soldiers in every house, the possible reality if the audience does not do/feel as he does. Thus fallacy pretty much just means that he is relying on his audience's fear as his main point right here. If the audience does not agree to go to war, then there will most definitely be soldiers stationed in every house before there can possibly be any way to free themselves from the British, their oppressors.
However, while this speech does commit several fallacies, it is also true that it is well written, and I can imagine, well delivered. Henry's rhetoric is quite strong, and while he does not back up all of his statements entirely, that does not stop things such as argumentum ad baculum not catching peoples' attention and making them listen. This makes people feel like it maybe was urgent, that it was necessary, and therefore most people don't even realize that it is a fallacy, and that they may not have entirely backed up their statements.
Duck and Cover (1951)
Overt message
You must be ever cautious for an attack, ready to duck and cover to save yourself. No matter where you are, you are supposed to duck and cover to protect yourself.
Covert message
This video fives people the idea that there is something they can do when an atomic bomb is dropped, and that keeps them from feeling helpless when/if it happens.
Propaganda/persuasion and why?
Propaganda, because it obviously tries to get people no to feel safe, but to feel like maybe they could help themselves, that they can stay safe. The government might have been trying to dissuade the people from the fear they felt, that was ever present in this time period.
You must be ever cautious for an attack, ready to duck and cover to save yourself. No matter where you are, you are supposed to duck and cover to protect yourself.
Covert message
This video fives people the idea that there is something they can do when an atomic bomb is dropped, and that keeps them from feeling helpless when/if it happens.
Propaganda/persuasion and why?
Propaganda, because it obviously tries to get people no to feel safe, but to feel like maybe they could help themselves, that they can stay safe. The government might have been trying to dissuade the people from the fear they felt, that was ever present in this time period.
Destination Earth
The overt message
Oil helps many things run and give us many luxuries, but the way to make it work is through competition for more oil, among other things.
The covert message
The video was also trying to show how horrible the Martian state was, using the Martians as a metaphor for communists, which was a big deal at the time. The idea of competition, which was poo-pooed by the ruler, was what they were trying to promote, while they made the ruler look cruel.
Propaganda or persuasion and why?
Propaganda, through the use of transfer, with the idea that oil stands for America, which stands for freedom. This gives the cartoon a source of false credibility.
Oil helps many things run and give us many luxuries, but the way to make it work is through competition for more oil, among other things.
The covert message
The video was also trying to show how horrible the Martian state was, using the Martians as a metaphor for communists, which was a big deal at the time. The idea of competition, which was poo-pooed by the ruler, was what they were trying to promote, while they made the ruler look cruel.
Propaganda or persuasion and why?
Propaganda, through the use of transfer, with the idea that oil stands for America, which stands for freedom. This gives the cartoon a source of false credibility.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Propaganda (WWII 1941-1945)
What is the overt message?
The most obvious thing is that it says that you should "eat less bread" but that what people eat at home effects how they do in the war.
What is the covert message?
Other than what is said in the overt message, the only message I can see is that it wants women to stay at home and cook, and that that is the only way that they can help win the war.
How does the disparity in the two of these make it propaganda?
The message says that you should eat less bread (one must assume this is the "key" the poster speaks of_ yet the picture shows the woman cooking the food and looking happy while she does it. Meanwhile, the overt message does not really gibe with the covert message, which very well seems to have little to do with what the overt message wants the people to do. That's what would make it propaganda.
The most obvious thing is that it says that you should "eat less bread" but that what people eat at home effects how they do in the war.
What is the covert message?
Other than what is said in the overt message, the only message I can see is that it wants women to stay at home and cook, and that that is the only way that they can help win the war.
How does the disparity in the two of these make it propaganda?
The message says that you should eat less bread (one must assume this is the "key" the poster speaks of_ yet the picture shows the woman cooking the food and looking happy while she does it. Meanwhile, the overt message does not really gibe with the covert message, which very well seems to have little to do with what the overt message wants the people to do. That's what would make it propaganda.
"Clampdown" by the Clash (1979)
What is the song about? How do you know?
The song is about how people get trained to believe a certain way, like as it says, "We will teach our twisted speech/To the young believers." Then it says that "they" which I assume to either be government or an authority figure of some sort, make you work hard until you are the one brainwashing younger generations.
What musical elements add to your lyrical interpretation?
The heavy beat throughout the song sounded much like a hammer hitting a nail or otherwise the government like a "clamp down." This other wise shows that it is like the work it focuses on throughout the song and the hammering in of ideas.
What is something in the song that relates to propaganda, persuasion, deception, rhetoric, or argument? Explain.
The song is about the propaganda of society and how the society enforces these ideas without even meaning to.
The song is about how people get trained to believe a certain way, like as it says, "We will teach our twisted speech/To the young believers." Then it says that "they" which I assume to either be government or an authority figure of some sort, make you work hard until you are the one brainwashing younger generations.
What musical elements add to your lyrical interpretation?
The heavy beat throughout the song sounded much like a hammer hitting a nail or otherwise the government like a "clamp down." This other wise shows that it is like the work it focuses on throughout the song and the hammering in of ideas.
What is something in the song that relates to propaganda, persuasion, deception, rhetoric, or argument? Explain.
The song is about the propaganda of society and how the society enforces these ideas without even meaning to.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Propaganda, Persuasion, Rhetoric, and Argument
730, 745, 780, 783
745- "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
This quote seems to be going with the "History is told by the victors" type of thing, only with a bit of a twist, which is where the topic of persuasion and propaganda come in. Similar to the one about victors, this one has the common idea that history is not necessarily what happened, but rather what ended up being recorded. In this case, it means that history is what common perception has allowed for us to see, based on our biases. An example of this could be looked upon with the Crusades. If you were to ask most students what they knew about the Crusades, granted that they knew they were, they would most likely slant it to the side of the Europeans, the Christians, and portray the Arabs as aggressors, as the ones who were in the wrong. That's because our biases cause that to be the way it ends up being portrayed. Just like with every other thing in history, what we are told now gets changed by the attitude toward it at the time and now, when it is being taught about. Whether it was meant to be that way or not, propaganda effects how things are retold, and deception is involved in many historical retellings.
745- "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
This quote seems to be going with the "History is told by the victors" type of thing, only with a bit of a twist, which is where the topic of persuasion and propaganda come in. Similar to the one about victors, this one has the common idea that history is not necessarily what happened, but rather what ended up being recorded. In this case, it means that history is what common perception has allowed for us to see, based on our biases. An example of this could be looked upon with the Crusades. If you were to ask most students what they knew about the Crusades, granted that they knew they were, they would most likely slant it to the side of the Europeans, the Christians, and portray the Arabs as aggressors, as the ones who were in the wrong. That's because our biases cause that to be the way it ends up being portrayed. Just like with every other thing in history, what we are told now gets changed by the attitude toward it at the time and now, when it is being taught about. Whether it was meant to be that way or not, propaganda effects how things are retold, and deception is involved in many historical retellings.
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