Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Sixteen Military Wives" (2004) by the Decemberists
The song is about tradgic events that start from things in everyday life. In just a few minutes, the song has switched from 16 military wives to 14 cannibal kings. It is showing the gradual, yet not so gradual destruction of America. "Cause America can and America can't say no". The thesis is that America's desire to show strength and pride often has the potential to be its downfall. America can't say no, and that's what will cause it to come crashing down.
"Race for the Prize" by the Flaming Lips (1999)
The theme of this song is that personal ambition often makes us lose sight of what is important in life. "Theirs is to win. If it kills them. If it kills them. They're just humans. With wives and children". The two scientists in the song are so focused on finding "the cure that is their prize" that they are willing to risk the well being and happiness of their family for it. The soft vocals in the song help emphasize a sense of hopelessness. In a way, they've already sealed their fate since they have lost focus on the important things in life.
Mencken vs Kroll
Kroll's essay was more effective than Mencken's because it had a better use of pathos. In Mencken's essay, the closest we as the readers come to being emotionally attachted to the argument is when he associates the hangman with other unpleasant jobs. Given the fact that most of us aren't trashmen, plumbers, and the like, the pathos in the essay is very weak. In Kroll's essay, however, we're right in the middle of the story. We can basically create the picture of Robert Harris getting executed. This opens our thoughts up emotionally to Kroll's hidden argument against the nature of the death penalty. It is through this emotional connection that Kroll's essay is more effective than Mencken.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Example of Fallacy in Patrick Henry Speech
1) "Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies?"
2) This is an example of loaded questions because Henry is trying to get the audience to say no to this question in their heads. This way, he come right back and say that they were "meant for us". This allows him to feed his desirable answer into the mind of the audience.
3) Even though Patrick Henry's speech is full of fallacy, his ability to deliver it with passion gains him great emotional favor with the audience. In fact, a sizeable margin of the speech uses pathos to spark the patriotism inside the audience, thus making his speech highly popular as a turning point in American History.
2) This is an example of loaded questions because Henry is trying to get the audience to say no to this question in their heads. This way, he come right back and say that they were "meant for us". This allows him to feed his desirable answer into the mind of the audience.
3) Even though Patrick Henry's speech is full of fallacy, his ability to deliver it with passion gains him great emotional favor with the audience. In fact, a sizeable margin of the speech uses pathos to spark the patriotism inside the audience, thus making his speech highly popular as a turning point in American History.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Duck and Cover
Overt- The governent wants you to be safe (They are giving you safety precautions against a new danger: the atomic bomb)
Covert- The government can't really prevent the atomic bomb from striking, so they're trying to do their best to protect you, although you're not really safe. (They never mention any ways they can stop the atomic bomb from striking)
This is propaganda because they are trying to make you feel safe without telling you they have no way of stopping a nuclear attack.
Covert- The government can't really prevent the atomic bomb from striking, so they're trying to do their best to protect you, although you're not really safe. (They never mention any ways they can stop the atomic bomb from striking)
This is propaganda because they are trying to make you feel safe without telling you they have no way of stopping a nuclear attack.
Destination Earth
Overt- America is great because of oil (Cars, and all other inventions associated with oil)
Covert- Go buy more oil (Generates revenue for economy). Go into the oil industry (Martians starting their own oil wells)
This is propaganda because the American Petroleum Institute (the sponsors of the cartoon) doesn't want you to know that the goal is to sell more oil and recruit more quality workers for the oil industry.
Transfer- Oil is why America is great
Bandwagon- Everyone is buying oil or starting oil wells
Covert- Go buy more oil (Generates revenue for economy). Go into the oil industry (Martians starting their own oil wells)
This is propaganda because the American Petroleum Institute (the sponsors of the cartoon) doesn't want you to know that the goal is to sell more oil and recruit more quality workers for the oil industry.
Transfer- Oil is why America is great
Bandwagon- Everyone is buying oil or starting oil wells
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Propaganda (WW2 1941-1945)
Overt- Eat less bread
Covert- Sacrifice consuming wheat to send to troops overseas
This is propaganda because it doesn't really tell you the specific reason why you should eat less bread. It is holding something back.
Covert- Sacrifice consuming wheat to send to troops overseas
This is propaganda because it doesn't really tell you the specific reason why you should eat less bread. It is holding something back.
"Clampdown" by the Clash (1979)
The song is about the Nazi's reign over Europe and how the people are ushered into Nazi life. "We will train our blue-eyed men" refers to Hitler's preference to blue eyes. "We will teach our twisted speech" refers to the radical ideals of the Nazi's being covered by less radical themes.
The strong vocals give off an authoritative tone. They act like Nazi authorities barking orders in your face, almost in a threating manner.
This song relates to persuasion by showing the wear on the oppressed's resistance until they finally buy into Nazi demands. From stanza to stanza, the "clampdown" drags the subjects in little by little until they give up their original moral values for brutal ideologies.
The strong vocals give off an authoritative tone. They act like Nazi authorities barking orders in your face, almost in a threating manner.
This song relates to persuasion by showing the wear on the oppressed's resistance until they finally buy into Nazi demands. From stanza to stanza, the "clampdown" drags the subjects in little by little until they give up their original moral values for brutal ideologies.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Propoganda, Persuasion, Rhetotric, and Argument
The four quotes I liked the most were 13, 23, 137, and 151. They all deal with the forming and managing of political systems, and the advantages and drawbacks that can come with them.
Quote 151: I cannot tell what part of me deceives the other- George Buchner
This quote serves as the main theme nearly all fallen world civilizations in history. No matter what era, nations that crumble usually don't see destruction coming until it's too late. Whether it be political corruption, civilian rebellion or the like, these nations usually destroy themselves. They are too busy with other matters that they are caught out of position when the upmost strength is needed to keep the nation intact. By then, they've already sunk their own ship, or something more disastrous.
Quote 151: I cannot tell what part of me deceives the other- George Buchner
This quote serves as the main theme nearly all fallen world civilizations in history. No matter what era, nations that crumble usually don't see destruction coming until it's too late. Whether it be political corruption, civilian rebellion or the like, these nations usually destroy themselves. They are too busy with other matters that they are caught out of position when the upmost strength is needed to keep the nation intact. By then, they've already sunk their own ship, or something more disastrous.