I found this weeks reading to be a very accurate depiction
of every day life. Although many people
often keep their judgments to themselves, it is human nature to pass judgments,
many times without even realizing it. This does not just apply to people, but
media and “real life” situations as well. Rhetoric parallels this idea
perfectly as it is the way these situations, encounters and forces in the media
are shown. I found the example in Backpacks
vs. Briefcases to be very well put as they discussed men’s deodorant. Not
only do they want you to buy the product, they send messages on sexuality and
how a “normal” male figure should look. In reality, you are just buying the
deodorant, but the rhetoric behind the way the media presents it is completely
different. This goes hand in hand with knowing your audience and the context in
which you are presenting your item. This same men’s deodorant add would not be
found in a children’s magazine, or on Disney channel. It would be shown during
a time where the viewers buying the product would be present. For example, any
sort of late night television, sports station, etc. This is not all
coincidence; it is recognizing a rhetorical situation and the elements used to
construct it within its genre (context, audience, etc).
This is my first time constructing and Academic Argument, so
I found the Finding Evidence reading
to be helpful. It broke down each area into specifics, such as; considering the
rhetorical situation, using data and evidence from research sources and collecting
your own date. The one I found to be most effective for me personally was using
data from research sources. I am good at doing the research, but struggle with
using and incorporating research from other people into my argument. By
determining what kinds of sources I will need before searching for them I feel
it will help in making this process less stressful. I also learned there is a
large difference between an academic source and a popular source; for example a
library database vs. an article from national geographic. Knowing how to look
for this research, and when to ask questions will help ease my frustration when
beginning my search.
I think you are very accurate when you state that it is human nature to pass judgment and that is basically how we create stereotypes. If a certain kind of people all act in a similar way, we will soon assume how that kind of people will act in future situations. In some cases, it is a terrible thing to judge the book by its cover because even if we assume he or she will act in a certain way, which may not be the outcome. At the same time, it is interesting to read what you wrote about marketing agencies using stereotypes to reach their target market. The assumption is probably accurate nine times out of ten which helps a lot when they advertise a new product. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHey Annie! That definitely was one of the great parts of the article, understanding that what we do every single day (make quick judgments) is also something we can do in terms of writing and rhetoric. And when you think about examples such as their deodorant one, it's crazy that good writing is just as important as the other aspects of advertising. I'm glad you're finding the readings helpful! :)
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