TOW #24: Modern Myths

Scientific magazine, Natural History, is well known for chronicling the discoveries made by various science centers, so it is not surprising that paleontologist, science historian, and evolutionary biologist, Stephen Jay Gould had his essay published within its pages. Cleverly disguised as a dissertation to point out the inaccuracies regarding the beginnings of baseball, its true roots deal with humans and our fascination with origins. In his essay, The Creation Myths of Cooperstown, Gould compares the tale of the Cardiff Giant to the Abner Doubleday conception of baseball by citing the similarities in why they were fabricated. As a desire that traces back to our basic inclinations, Gould insists that the abundance of myths about beginnings is not coincidental. He argues that the reason we prefer creation myths to evidence of evolutionary development lies in the fact that “creation myths identify heroes and sacred places” (Gould 530), giving meaning to our otherwise mundane world. This, in fact, is the main purpose of the essay: to explore the human yearning to know how things began and in doing so, broaden the scope of thought for readers. 

Of all the parts of the essay, it is Gould’s tone which is most revealing to this purpose. His colloquial writing makes the article less formal, allowing his satire to leave a lasting impression. Even with this humor though, a distinctly cynical mood is felt, confirming the particular audience for whom the writing is intended -- those who blindly believe the myths they are told. His multiple allusions to differing creation stories are among one of his most successful strategies for this audience. By providing readers with familiar areas of reference, the allusions give specific examples of paradoxical inconsistencies with creation myths. However, the main reason Gould is able to realize his purpose, in my opinion, was not due to what he said, but rather, what he didn’t say. The prime success lies in Gould’s avoidance of any mention of religion, a slippery slope considering the topic. Keeping the writing strictly secular prevented partitioning of the audience and thus a stronger impact on readers.

TOW #23: Why Blood Drives Need Saving

       The simplicity of an unnatural image like blood within a donation box efficiently grabs attention from the public.  Without thinking, people are able to tell that something is “incorrect” about an image like that.  So the fact that something is different also tells them that there is an underlying message.  If the image was a donation box filled with a few coins, the viewers might not stop to “listen” to the message.  Even if the text were more direct and changed to “we also need you to give blood,” the viewer would have turned the magazine page already or turned their eyes to a different billboard.  The fact is that an abnormal image, no matter how simple it may seem, perplexes the viewer and draws their interest to the point where they want to comprehend it.                

         The creators assume that although its audience is concerned with the health of mankind, it is not informed enough on the ways to help and the variety of resources needed by societies like ARCBS.  In other words, people care enough to give money, but they also need to care enough to give blood.  By visually attaching “Money Isn’t Everything” to the image of the collection box, the ARCBS contradicts the assumption made by its audience that money is all that their society needs to make a difference.   

The text contradicts the image of the box and tells viewers that they need to do more than empty the spare change from their pockets.  Yet it does this in an indirect way that is a subtle suggestion.  The word “blood” is barely used in the advertisement as it only appears in the society’s name and their website.  The simple idea of blood being donated to the box, not money, serves the purpose of soliciting action.  It’s important to note that the donation box is not full.  This reinforces the overall theme previously explained of a void and has the connotation of lacking.  The blood implies what the society wants from the viewer and the emptiness of the box implies why they want it.  If the box were filled to the top, the viewer may not have sympathetic emotions that inspire him/her to go out and donate blood.  One might think “they don’t need my blood if the box is full.”  Instead, the pathos aspect of the advertisement invokes concern on the part of the viewer and encourages them to act.

TOW# 22: Ex-convicts Near You

       After spending over three years in prison, James Daniels thought that he had done his time paying for his crime. So when he was released, he was surprised to find that the majority of American society would be unable to see past the previous felony. He spent four years following his release working hard to earn a second chance in this country, only to be rejected in both economic and social aspects. Daniels explained his situation, detailing its roots in misconceptions held by the common citizens of America. "I made dumb mistakes when I was younger that led to my conviction," Daniels tells everyone, "But there's a lot more to me than just that."

       In the four years since his release from prison, Richard Cobbs has applied to over 75 different jobs, each one with no successful result. It is not for dispossessing the proper experience or the proper skills, in fact, at age 52, Cobbs has gained experience in laundry, sanitation, and catering work, as well as training in basic culinary arts. The reason he faces numerous denials is because of a simple little box; a box which many of us check off without a second thought, a box which imprisons a person to certain social standard, a box which determines the content of your character for you, a box which labels you an ex-criminal. Cobbs is just one of the current 70 million people in our country who have felony records and who, because of this record, are automatically disqualified from jobs even before getting an interview. A practice like this does not encourage the path to normal life for ex-convicts, but instead disallows it by hindering the steps necessary to support oneself in the world. Without a job many of these ex-felons are kept from the fundamental requirements for life, causing many to face the difficult choice of looking for different ways to provide themselves with basic food and shelter. It is this sense of hopelessness caused from a denial of necessities that often causes these people to reenter the incarceration system, not a desire to commit crimes again. Attempting to continue a normal life under these conditions is difficult, but living with the social stigma of being an ex-convict is nearly impossible.

TOW 21: Visual Ad

           As a coalition between the two countries during the early 1990s, this advertisement was published in numerous magazines in both Japan and the United States with the short phrase "even our art begins to look less beautiful. End water pollution." With this, the objective of the image is fairly clear -- to convince its viewers to end water pollution before its too late. It's method of presenting this argument, however, is quite interesting indeed. It is obviously  reference to the famous Japanese painting, "The Wave" and so its reference to the damage done to artwork across the world is prevalent. The actual makeup of the image itself, is also what makes it such a powerful piece. Much like the original painting (woodblock) itself, the power is held in the artistic techniques of the author.
         The power of the image comes from first from the use on contrasting colors to break up the image. The deep blue of the background and of the wave itself, contrast deeply with the images of the boats and especially of Mount Fuji in the back. This allows the image to really tell a whole story, describing the setting and the events that take place in the scene. Of course, this would all be amiss if no to mention the obviously misplaced imagery of trash filling the ocean. This causes an emotional appeal to the viewers of this image, causing a powerful call for change regarding the situation. Another similarly important aspect to the image is it perspective. The wave itself seems to be in the foreground do to its forced perspective compared to the mountain, however, it is not merely the wave that appears to be the focal point, but rather, the trash that is within it. Unlike the original picture, the focal point seems to be focused on what is in the water rather than what is beyond it, namely, Mt. Fuji.

TOW #20: The Pursuit of Beauty

      In his article in the New York Time's, author Alec Wilkinson explores the implications of what it means to do what you love -- what makes it beautiful to you. He takes an interesting stance on a topic which has been discussed for years; exploring its implication on a truly different level. For his own article, he explores the idea of "beauty" through mathematics. He reveals to the audience that he had "only passed high school math because he cheated" -- an effective method to bring readers to a closer level to his narration. In doing so, he then explains the significance of  a man he met through his daughter who was nothing short of mathematical genius, successfully solving an equation which had remained unsolved for over 20 years. This transitions him to the idea of number theory, a branch of pure mathematics that truly and completely serves no purpose whatsoever. What it did provide people who were involved, however, was a complete satisfaction in the use of numbers sequences. He ties it back to the the mathematician aforementioned, Ytang Zhang, in how his had particularly felt after solving the equation. He described it as an "exile from this dreary world", something that "he was passionate about, without completely understanding why".
      All of which lead Wilkinson to his ultimate conclusion regarding beauty. It ultimately is in the eye of the beholder and it is ultimately how it makes one feel that indicates its true beauty. The fact that the author utilized the idea of solving math problems to describe the ambiguity of beauty is extremely effective. After all, for many, and obviously for the author himself, the idea of solving math problems is the last thing that would be considered beautiful.

TOW #19: Half the Sky

         Interestingly enough, the main argument in this book is presented early within its pages in a very similar manner to Declaration of Sentiments we read in class. Like this speech, the claim is proven deductively, through the presentation of "known truths" and the consequences of said truth. Then, for the rest of the early chapters, gives evidence to inductively support the claim that was put forth earlier. It begins with an admittedly basic concept; the true and all too often ignored fact that there is a rampant oppression of women and girls in the developing world and that this oppression is indeed a violation of human rights. The book goes on to explain this country's high value in human rights, and how this is the very thing that was seen to give "birth to the United States" (43). With this provided knowledge to the subject -- the major premise -- the book goes on to explain that when human rights are in violation and a group of individuals is being oppressed, it is the duty of the others to rise to the occasion and take action against it. This premise too is supported by a myriad of examples in American history, starting with the initial Declaration of Independence, to the Emancipation Proclamation, and the more recent struggle for civil liberty. Using these examples provides a strong credibility to the general truth they use for the rationale in their argument.
         The earliest chapters (the first five that I read) fulfill the same role as the bulleted points in both the Declaration of Independence and Declaration of Sentiments -- to inductively prove that the minor premise of the general truth applies here and now. To do this the authors must provide evidence of human right violations in the form of women's oppression. In chapter 1, this is explored through the life of a Cambodian girl who was sold into sex slavery and in chapter 2, with an Ethiopian woman who faced devastating injuries for her pregnancy. These (and many more) prove the general truth is in fact applicable, and therefore, action is necessary. This is ultimately the main goal of the book -- to encourage a global call to arms against the oppression of women.

TOW #18: We Need Better Presidential Debates

 

          Written by Robert Donovan and John Rosenkranz for the Wall Street Journal, this article takes a direct stance on the current format of the presidential debates. The authors do this by first identifying and exploring the cons surrounding the style of debate used now. This includes not only personal opinions on the matter, but also numerous data points to explore regarding the topic. This, in fact, is where the true strength of their argument lies -- in the facts. The authors of this article are meticulous with the examples they provide to support their case. They argue that the current method of debating -- which they describe as being nothing more than a "ploy" to ask catch the presidential hopefuls off guard -- is ineffective at its job andpresnts an ill representation of their true ideals. Instead they suggest hosting these debates in an Oxford debating style. This style is unique from the present method in that is more structured and formulaic.  Oxford Style debates follow a formal structure which begins with audience members casting a pre-debate vote on the motion that is either for, against or undecided. Each panelist presents a seven-minute opening statement, after which the moderator takes questions from the audience with inter-panel challenges. Finally, each panelist delivers a two-minute closing argument, and the audience delivers their second (and final) vote for comparison against the first.

          The evidence provided from these two co-authors is quite impressive. To prove their argument, they provide many examples of their point -- a strong appeal to logos. This brings a lot strength to their argument. By including references to numerous debates that have followed the same debate structure and how they too would work for the presidential debates.

TOW #17: Canadian Journalist Ad

       Juniper Park is a global advertising agency which has worked with numerous companies throughout its 50 year run. Over these years it has become known very famously for its clever use of symbolism in its ads to successfully display its message to the public. In August of 2012, Juniper Park's published it most recent series of ads for the NGO Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. The NGO is a strong petition group which protests the Canadian acts for restriction of journalists. This particular ad by the company depicts these very journalism tools (cameras, recorders, etc) as weapons, with the phrase "information is ammunition" written toward the bottom. This simple ad is extremely powerful in its use of creative juxtaposition of camera material and a high power gun. By comparing these two things, the ad is able to lead viewers into the conclusion of similar abilities. In showing that a camera can be just as powerful as a gun, it follows the theme of the well-known adage, "the pen is mightier than the sword".
         The ad also is very smart in utilizing very dull color tones. This, although being the opposite of eye catching, actually gives the advertisement a greater sense of urgency. Truly the success of the advertisement comes from its ability to illustrate a correlation between journalism and warfare -- against the same enemy. To many, the use of firearms is the only way to counteract evil in this world. However, this ad suggests that this is not necessarily so, instead providing the idea that journalism can be just as powerful in ending countering such things. Given the intent of the ad and the simplicity of its message, the audience for such an ad is the general public. With this message, the ad hopes to bring forth a call to action from viewers, in hopes of getting them to also protest the acts about journalism restriction.

IRB Intro #3 Half The Sky

Half The Sky is a self proclaimed "call to arms, call for help, call for contributions and call for volunteers" toward one of the greatest humanitarian issues of our era. Focusing on sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and girls' education authors Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn argue that the oppression of women is the ultimate paramount moral challenge facing our society, comparing it to the fight against slavery from the past. Though the subject matter in itself was not necessarily the most eye catching to me for this book, it was actually my brother who recommended that I read it. He too explained that he did not have much initial interest in reading it (but as it was a required reading for his college he didn't really have much of a choice) but it's subjects and themes cover much more than just the oppression of women -- focusing on the discussion of moral values in a society and what implications they have on a culture.

TOW #16: Race in America

       Inspired by recent debates filling American life regarding the idea of racial prejudice within the United States, writer Matt Leran began his article series, Race in America. Written exclusively for the opinion pages of the New York Times, Race in America is an exploration into the "identity of America" through the lens of its actual citizens. This series is particularly insightful in that it utilizes the stories and experiences of actual American people to paint its narrative about what America is truly like -- for all people. The stories within its pages do an exceptional job of describing not just the events that people have experienced in this country, but the rather, who is experiencing them, driving home the point that this truly is not a dividing subject about different races, but a unifying one about joint human experience. Not to discredit its as an informative piece, however, as it does provide a good deal of knowledge on a topic that many who are not directly related to are not aware of. Of course, this used of anecdotal structure is what holds this piece together and also what makes it most successful as it adds to both its appeals to ethos and especially to pathos.
      What makes this article series different from any other piece looking into the racial divide in America is, as I mentioned before, its use of stories to describe its message. Whether it be from Maya McCoy about her conversation to her black son, or Josh Frias about growing up being told by his white parents that racism doesn't exist, this article presents a myriad of experiences from all different perspectives on the issue. What this brings to the article is a greater level of ethos for connecting to the American people, it isn't just a writer telling you what is going on in America, it is people describing there personal experiences within it. It also brings success in its appeals to pathos for the same reason. Having real people describe what its like believing that "race definitely factored into how one participated in school" or that is truly "isolated one from their peers" brings an emotional pull that is unparalleled by mere statements of racism in America. This makes the article stand apart and, consequently, be extremely successful in doing what it sets out to achieve.

TOW #15: What Would Martin Luther King Do?

     Written just in time to celebrate this upcoming holiday of Martin Luther King Day, this article takes a almost satirical look into the way politics is carried out in this country in comparison to the high moral standards we hold ourselves up to. In this way, the author, Will Tennen, takes a memorialized figure such as Martin Luther King Jr, and compares his actions to our own as a country. It is a humorous strike on the saying, "what would Jesus do?" in comparing moral standards to the actions of others. Though the article takes a satirical jab at almost all elements of the political spectrum, including the way in which debates are now run, his most adamant is at the policies of Republican front runner Donald Trump, particularly his stance on Muslims in this country. In his article, author Will Tennen uses powerful allusions to past events in order to draw convincing comparisons to the faults in our political upbringing and consequently bring forth a sense of change.
     Beginning his article with a quote from King Jr himself about the "necessity of social justice in America" brings a strong and forward message to his audience about the topic of his discussion throughout the rest of the piece. This powerful quote is then easily used to negate the modern tactics and policies of recent politicians, bringing a source from which to point flaws in our current character as a country. It is from this very quote that Tennen derives the morality with which to ask his ending question, "what would Martin Luther King Jr. do?". He asks this regarding our political attacks, our split congress and of course immigration reforms. It seems that this saying repeats itself throughout the article, being referenced in relation to other aspects of King's life. Overall, the success of this article can be accredited to this clever idea repeated throughout its work.

The Elegant Universe (IRB #2)

      The latter half of Brian Greene's non-technical book takes an interesting turn in subject matter, switching from the development and evolution of string theory to its relation to what he refers to as "hidden dimensions". In his last chapters he takes this topic -- which, in some scientific way that I cannot claim to understand, connects back to string theory -- and explores, in a similar way, its implications to the human condition as a whole. This comprehensive study of the theoretical 11th dimension and its relevance to the unification of the twenty first century follows through Greene's technique approaching these especially technical subject matters, by connecting them to everyday life of people. He does this, as mentioned in the previous post, most effectively through his colloquial writing style. However, another aspect to this style that became cleat to its success appealing to the layman is Greene's creative use of metaphors and other analogies. These analogies not only add a creative flair to the writing, but also give an easier understanding to the complexity of his subject matter.
       The most effective metaphor to be constantly referred to throughout the book is his comparison of the fabric of space to a quilt. Albeit amazingly simple, this metaphor which compares the very fabric of our universe to the simple stitched fabric of a quilt makes it unquestionably easier to understand the topics as hand. Greene is able to explain the "Newtonian directional physics" that are  "law to the relativity of interstellar connectivity" (203) which this metaphor. He explains that "like the quilt, they particles are stitched together. And, very much like the quilt, there are tiny holes which can let other pieces of matter through" (100). This constant relation back to quilt furnishings makes it easier for myself and other audience members to relate to what is being stated throughout the book and what ultimately contributes to its success.