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.

TOW #13: WWF (Visual Text)

          The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) is the world's leading non-profit conservation organization. Their primary goal as an organization is to combine global reach with a foundation in science, involve action at every level from local to global, and of course to ensure the delivery of innovative solutions to meet the needs of people and nature across the world. Or, in layman's terms, to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats on the environment. In order to achieve this goal, the WWF relies heavily on the sponsorship and support from the common citizen and it is for this reason that the majority of their advertisements are geared toward the general public. This ad in particular is used to demonstrate the harsh effects of deforestation, showcasing its impact on the wildlife in an area. Through the use of symbolism and contrasting color palettes the WWF ad is able to successfully bring forth an emotional response from the audience, causing a reconsideration of deforestation and an ultimate demand for change.
         The true genius in this ad comes from its masterful use of symbolism. In showing the cluster of trees in the shape of lungs, the ad symbolically represents the life of the forest and corresponding wildlife. So, with this comparison made, the effects of deforestation are made much more powerful -- showing the death that it causes. In that sense, the contrasting colors of the various hues of brown against the hues of green also create a powerful image for onlookers. This stark difference in colors make it clear how different the brown depicts a sense of death and destruction. It is the four words at the bottom which serve as the final call to action for the audience of the image. The words, "before it's too late" make it clear that the WWF wants those who see this image to make a change and to end the death of the forest. Ultimately, it is these four simple words that make the point of the ad crystal clear and cause a stir in anyone who looks upon it. It is for this reason that this ad is so successful, because it is able to call to the emotions of its audience.

TOW #12: The Elegant Universe (IRB)

          Written in response to his major success with his theories in numerous published scientific magazines The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene provides a comprehensive, though strictly non-technical, assessment of string theory and its shortcomings. In doing so, it also takes a unique perspective on what scientific discovery is truly about and how this relates to the expectations we have toward our own capabilities -- something which he refers to as the "ultimate theory". It was this amazing insight which ultimately made the book a finalist for the non-fiction Pulitzer prize in 2000. Though the book begins on a primarily scholastic subject, it quickly evolves to something much more in depth and thought provoking as the work continues. Greene's success most heavily falls in the fact that he tells such a topic in an almost narrative form, one which is very unlikely given the subject matter. He is most effective in his use of colloquial diction to describe the mysterious of the universe to the "average man".
          Beginning with a brief consideration of basic physics, the book concentrates on the major conflicts regarding the study. Greene establishes a historical context for string theory as something that could someday become a necessary means of integrating the probabilistic world of particle physics and deterministic Newtonian physics of the macroscopic world. And yes, as Greene himself admits, "this is just as complicated as it sounds" (Greene 45). This concession of its difficulty is one of the many things that makes the book such an enjoyable and easy book to read. Greene continue this colloquial throughout the rest of the chapters to easily relate to audience members. This book, probably better than any others I've read, best relates its scientific work to the average and everyday lives of its audience, only furthering its discussion on the common man.

TOW #11: The Art Of Dying

       Written as an editorial in The Guardian, the emotionally charged article, "The Art of Dying", takes a unique look into the work of famous physician, neurologist, and best selling author Oliver Sacks, a man who successfully revolutionized the way scientific case studies were told. Following the announcement of Dr.Sacks' terminal cancer, the author describes, in much detail, the emotions of finding out the misfortune of such an influential man while simultaneously exploring the lasting legacies of his life (and death) on the science community. The author of the article, Ranjana Srivastava, does this most effectively through the use of many difference anecdotes, describing her own time as a physician and how Sacks had inspired her in her work. This use of these anecdotes serve to bring an emotional feel to the writing and convince the audience, assuredly other fans of Sack's work, of the very thing that sacks himself believes -- that his death should be seen as a way to remember his accomplishments and that there truly is value in embracing our mortality.
        Like much of its body, the article begins with an anecdote. The author tells of her feeling when it was first announced that Dr. Oliver Sacks, her idol, had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, discussing the immediate distress that she felt as a "stab through the heart" (3). She is recalls "a former patient who came into the hospital dying of liver failure and metastatic bowel cancer" (5) and begins to tell of the struggle she felt to break the news of her terminal condition. It was at this point that the work from Oliver Sacks had inspired her most, and taught her how to treat people, not just conditions. In a similar fashion, it was the words from Sacks himself who was able to bring her comfort, "like the genial, grandfather-figure he is, he reassured us, oncologist and all, that he still felt intensely alive" (5).  Srivastava ends her article with similar message, exploring the numerous works done by Sacks and expressing the extreme gratitude she felt toward him. She believes, as many still do, that Sacks did what other biological scientists were afraid to do. He taught what it meant to be human and frail.