Question of the Week 10

Excuse me while I act like a nerd and answer the question of the week the same day it was posted… but c’mon, it’s the last one! Show some enthusiasm people! WOO 😀

Anyway:

What’s one NEW thing you learned this semester in this class? Identify what you learned and how you imagine you’ll apply it to some other aspect of your life.

Before I took English 121, I did not now the first thing about a “rhetorical situation”, let alone the importance of my audience. When Professor Ludeker stood in front of the class and asked us what we thought a rhetorical situation meant I was confident that I had the answer. But then she said it had nothing to do with rhetorical questions. Oops.

As Ms. Ludeker explained to us, a rhetorical situation is pretty much any circumstance that involves one person using any sort of communication to influence or change the perspective of another person (or persons). That means that a huge portion of our own communication can probably be categorized as a rhetorical situation.

Of the four elements that make up a rhetorical situation (author, text, audience, and context), I think the most important one is audience. If there is one thing that I could take away from this class, it would be the importance of identifying my audience and knowing how to reach them. When you are trying to communicate, you have to know who your audience is in order to figure out what exactly they are expecting out of you.  Otherwise, the whole purpose of your message will be useless. For example, if you write an essay to PETA members telling them to buy the new premium steak you offer at your restaurant, your inbox will probably fill up with hate mail pretty fast.  

I think understanding who your audience is will be beneficial in all circumstances that require communication. Anytime I need to persuade, argue, or define a certain topic to people, I can do it properly because I’ll know how they (my audience) will want me to communicate with them and I’ll also know what their expectations are in regards to the topic at hand.

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Pollution

What is one world problem that you think needs a solution? Identify the problem and offer YOUR ideas for a solution. Describe what needs to be done, how the solution will be implemented and who will should be responsible for undertaking your idea.

One world problem that needs a solution is pollution (that rhymes!). I think the main reason why the problem of pollution hasn’t been solved yet is because it comes in so many different forms. Most people pollute when they’re not even thinking about it; driving cars, littering, or even using cleaning products are all acts of polluting. Pollution has many harmful ramifications because it harms both our environment and us. It affects every aspect of our environment (from the water to the air) which in turn affects plants, animals, and humans alike. The thing is, pollution is not just something that happens in one specific country; the whole world contributes to it!

So what can we do to solve the problem of pollution? The answer to that is very tricky. While almost everyone pollutes in one way or another, only a few people are willing to change their lifestyles in order to accommodate our environment. However, there is an endless list of small actions everyone can take in order to reduce their pollution output. It is up to everyone who has access to appropriate resources to undertake this idea.

1.) Recycle. This is something almost anyone can do to help out the environment. There are accommodations for recycling almost everywhere nowadays from curbside recycling services to the recycling bins at HCC. Instead of throwing your scrap paper into the trash, why not toss it into the recycling bin? That small action could help save a couple of trees.

2.) Keep your car in the garage. One of the biggest contributors to air pollution is exhaust fumes from cars. Walk, ride your bike, take a bus, or ride the metro to the places you need to get to, if possible. If taking a car is necessary, then try carpooling with people to reduce the amount of cars on the road.

3.) Plant a tree. Trees are vital in order for us to live. They clean our air and help us breathe. It is unfortunate that thousands of forests and rainforests are being cut down permanently in order to make room for industrial purposes. Plant trees in your communities and reduce your paper consumption in order to save trees.

4.) Avoid using harmful household products. Many cleaning products contain chemicals that harm the environment and us. Buy products that mention on the label that they are environmentally friendly or that they don’t contain harmful chemicals, etc.

While these actions may seem small or petty, they are the stepping stones to helping solve the problem of pollution.

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Q of Week #8

What’s one thing you think most people should know how to do by the time they become middle-age? Why? How should/can they learn how to do that if they haven’t already?

The one thing I think most people should know how to do by the time they become middle-age is to express their emotions. Whether people agree or not, it is a fact that every single human being expresses some kind of emotion (unless someone is numb from shock or something [in which case they would be experiencing the emotion of “shock”]). An emotion is basically a strong feeling that is provoked by something (maybe an object or a person) in particular. It is a natural thing to show emotion; that is why a baby cries, laughs, or gets upset whenever it feels like it. However, as a person grows older, they learn to refine how they express their emotions. For example, although a toddler might hit his peer for taking his toy, a fifth grader will know that expressing his emotion in that way is not acceptable. I think it is imperative for someone who is middle aged to know how to conduct his/her emotions properly.  If not, that person might become a social outcast.  Society holds certain “norms” as to how a person should deal with their emotions. These “norms” are what keep things in order. If a 50 year old goes around hitting everyone who upsets him/her, he/she would probably end up in court. It’s just the way things work.

It would be hard to be in your 40s or 50s and not know how to properly express how you feel. If someone is middle aged and still does not know how to express emotions, there are several options they can take. I think the most helpful thing would be to go to a therapist or a communications specialist. Or, the person could read up on some books about coping with certain emotions.

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Q of Week #7

 Question of the Week 7

The absolute best location to spend Spring Break would be South Padre Island, Texas. Trust me, I’ve been there. This beach is the perfect combination of sand, ocean, and a beautiful view. Spring break is meant to be the week that helps us all relax and unwind from our hectic daily schedules. I don’t know a better way to spend it than on a beautiful beach.  Why spend your break freezing your toes off on a ski resort or wasting your time on your couch when you could have the sand right beneath your feet? South Padre Island has the most incredible view with white sand, huge palm trees, and turquoise water. In the time that I was there, not a single cloud passed the sky. When spring break comes around, the weather on South Padre is perfect; dry and warm, with a slight breeze every now and then. Not only will South Padre allow you to escape a fast-paced lifestyle, but it offers quality housing, food, and entertainment at a low price. The people are friendly and the beaches are ultra-private. You and your family or friends will get to spend time together while relaxing at the same time. No one to bother you, nothing to stress about; what better way to spend your break than South Padre Island?

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Why I Should Be Empress…

Topic: Why I should be Empress of the house

Audience: My mom

 

Dear Mom,

It seems to me that the power balance in our household has gotten out of control. While you are gone at work, your kids are struggling for who gets the control. That’s why you should allow ME to become the official Empress of the house. Just think about it; I have a good head on my shoulders and I am the most responsible of your children. I control my temper under the most pressing situations and I make sure that my decisions are unbiased. As Empress, I would make sure that my siblings stay under control and understand the rules. If I became Empress, you would come home to a sparkling clean and quiet house instead of being met by four unruly teenagers. You would be able to relax and actually get a full night’s rest.

Please consider,

Mariam

 

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Refutation of “Obesity is Not a Disease”

Obesity is Not a Disease

We choose to Refute

Weaknesses:

-Hawley defines a disease as pathological, but then goes on to say that being obese is a person’s choice. This is a weakness because he contradicted himself. His main definition does not support his argument.

-He only used his opinion. He did not provide facts to back-up his claims. Using opinion makes an author lose credibility.

-He does not give enough support as to how obesity is not a disease. If he can’t support his own argument, then it won’t be effective.

-His tone is very angry. Having an angry tone would make the audience close themselves off to what he has to say.

-He does not cite enough of his sources. He thinks the reader will just take his word for it. Not citing sources is a huge blow to an author’s credibility.

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Research

To be honest, before I started college, my first instinct was to Google random sentences when researching a topic. I’d type in keywords or sentences and just hope that something good would show up. I would use websites that had seemingly useful content and never bothered to check to see if those sources were trustworthy or not.

Now, I take a different approach.  Even though I use websites from Google hits in my research, I make sure that each site is reliable and comes from credible authors and sources. To do this, I look at the organization that developed the website (universities, government, businesses, etc) and I look at the web address itself to see if it ends in .edu or .gov. I think sources that come from universities or government sites are less subjective than other sites (that maybe end in .com) because they have to be more professional.

I also pay attention to the tone of the content within a website. For example, if I go to a site where the author just rambles on angrily about a certain topic, I will know that this site is not credible because, for starters, the author does not know how to write professionally.  A good source presents information in a professional and academic manner.

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Paper Shouldn’t Be Able to Beat Rock In RockPaperScissors.

Question of the Week

Identify an opposing argument to your position. It might be the opposite of your position or you might be trying to sort out “gray area” in the controversy.

-An opposing argument to our position would be that Paper should be able to beat Rock in the game of RockPaperScissors.

Who is a potential audience for this argument? Identify them as concretely and specifically as possible.

-Since RockPaperScissors is such a universal game (anyone can play it), a potential audience for this argument would be people who truly believe that Paper has a right to beat Rock. More specifically, an audience could be the World RockPaperScissors Society.

What do you know about them already?

-They are a group that takes RPS very seriously. They hold annual competitions where they offer $1,000 and they have a character description for Rock, Paper, and Scissors.

What do you need to know about them in order to understand how to argue with them? What arguments might they provide that you need to rebut?

-We need to know WHY they think Paper should beat Rock. If we understand their logic, then we can find holes in their argument and form our own argument’s basis off of that.

Why this audience? What do you want them to do with your argument?

-This group seems to take the game very seriously and they seem like they would have a lot of influence on other people who play the game if they change their rules. We want them to understand the logic of our argument and change the rules of RPS.

Why/how do they have the power to act? What can they do? Why should they do anything?

-They can reach a lot of people who think that Paper should beat Rock and influence them. This group is obviously “professional” at the game. They can change their rules and post it on their website. They should change the rules because logically, Paper can’t beat Rock. How can Paper, something so flimsy, beat Rock?

What kinds of arguments are most likely to be effective in creating an effective response (or win against) the opposition? If you can, name the rhetorical appeals you think will most likely work in your favor/will convince your audience of your position.

-The rhetorical appeal that will most likely work in our favor would be “logos”. We can appeal to the World RockPaperScissors Society’s sense of logic in order to explain to people that Paper can’t beat Rock. Paper is a flimsy and weak object and Rock is solid. Just because Paper wraps around Rock does NOT mean that Rock is killed.



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I’m not a genius, just a hard worker.

As a child, my parents and I frequently moved around the States. This resulted in me going to a new school every year. I had to make new friends, get accustomed to new teachers, and find my way around new buildings year after year. When I was in fifth grade, we moved to Michigan and my mom put me in a charter school. I was the only person of Indian origin; the rest of my classmates where white.

It was the second week of school, and the whole class was sitting quietly, waiting for the teacher to prepare the next lesson. We were going into science which was my favorite subject. Following the teacher’s directions, I got out all of my science supplies and put them on my desk. I heard a couple of kids behind me snicker and say something about me being a “nerdy Indian girl”. I brushed this comment aside at the time, but looking back on it now I realize that I had been both labeled and stereotyped.

A common stereotype is that all people of Indian origin are super smart. Being a naturally studious person, I was always labeled “the genius Indian girl” at school. This used to bother me very much because even though I was a good student, I was nowhere near a genius. I struggled with school just like any other student. It used to annoy me that kids would come up to me all the time and ask me for help, immediately assuming that I would know the answer. In group projects, all the work would be dumped onto my shoulders because I was “smart”. My classmates thought that being Indian automatically made me smart and they took advantage of me for that. What is more, I feel like they thought I had it easy because I was “genetically” smart.  In reality, I worked hard to get good grades; it wasn’t because of my genetic makeup. I worked through my learning disabilities and struggled to understand my coursework.

The only thing this stereotype made me do was work harder. I never embraced it, but I realized that I can’t change everyone’s minds. I just ignored anyone who said “You are so lucky! You’re going to ace this test ‘cause you’re Indian”, and kept doing my thing. I feel bad for anyone who thinks that intelligence is something inherited. It is something you have to work hard and struggle for.

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Blame It on the Books

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with a series of novels entitled A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. These books, although quite depressing and sarcastic, helped readers understand a variety of vocabulary words. The author would define the words according to its context in the story. As an overeager nine-year old, every time I found out what a new word meant from the book, I would relate it to my family members to show off.  One word I learned from the books that I loved in particular was the term “volatile”. It was a totally new word to me and it sounded really fancy.  I went to school and started using the word right and left with my friends and teachers.

However, I spent days trying to find the opportune moment to use the word at home. Finally, a couple of weeks later, my chance had arrived. My family was discussing something about my sister’s upcoming speech at her school. I jumped in and said matter-of-factly, “Oh don’t worry, she’ll do great! She’ll probably be volatile.” My family was quiet for a second before they busted out laughing. At first, I was confused. Eventually, it dawned on me that I had used the word in the wrong context. Once they were done laughing, my family asked me what I thought “volatile” meant. I told them that I thought it meant “extraordinary”. They started laughing again. It didn’t help that they pointed out I was pronouncing the word wrong too (I was saying vul-LAY-tal instead of vol-a-tile).

Later on my mom told me that “volatile” actually means something along the lines of fickle or unstable. As I mentioned, the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events would only define words according to the context of the word in the story so sometimes definitions were not too clear. I was extremely embarrassed about using this word in the wrong way. My pride was wounded and I didn’t feel as smart as before. From that incident on, I learned to double-check the definitions of all the new words I came across so that something embarrassing like that would never happen again.

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