TOW #13: Niche is the New Mass by: Tim Wu

The average American consumes over five hours of TV per day according to Tim Wu, writer for The New Republic magazine, and author of “Niche is the New Mass”. In this article, Wu explores how the popular video streaming company Netflix is revolutionizing the television industry. He argues that because they are creating a television culture that is catered to specialized fan bases, instead of the far-reaching scope of on-air television, Netflix is changing America’s TV watching habits. To prove that Netflix is slowly but subtly changing our television culture, Wu calls upon the history of Netflix, and quotes from various people.

To help the reader understand the context of the Netflix “revolution” and the company itself, Wu explores Netflix history. He explains how they pioneered the beginning of Netflix exclusive shows: “Once while attending a software convention, he ran into a guy named Stu Pollard… ‘He gave me his movie, and he said. “I’ve got ten thousand of these if you’re interested’’” (33). Wu also explains the new series on Netflix: “Rather than putting the show through the normal pilot process, the company would commit to two 13-episode seasons up front” (34). The fact that Wu spelled out the achievements and history of the company helps him to understand how Netflix is different than network TV. Therefore, he is later able to compare Netflix to regular TV more effectively, because the reader is able to see the difference, and how specifically Netflix is different.

Not only that, but Wu uses quotes to back his later assertions that Netflix is revolutionary. He claims Netflix can offer something regular programs for the masses cannot: a niche, series that specific groups of people watch that don’t target the masses. He quotes Netflix Chief Content Officer: “Human beings like control...To make all of America do the same thing at the same time is enormously inefficient, ridiculously expensive, and most of the time, not a very satisfying experience” (34). Through this quote, and others like it, Wu is able to drive his points home, and show the reader that he is not blindly asserting random statements. The reader is able to see other people backing this argument. Even though the person who says this is partial, the quote, along with others, strengthens Wu’s argument considerably, and brings to attention the subtle change Netflix is inflicting on our society.

I agree, after that, all I want to do is go “binge-watch” on Netflix. It’s addictive and I fully believe they’re taking over America.

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TOW #12: IRB- A Breifer History of Time by: Stephen Hawking

How does our universe really work? Where did we really come from and where are we going? The answer is actually more complex than you would think, according to Stephen Hawking, world renowned theoretical physicist, and author of A Breifer History of Time. In A Breifer History of Time, Stephen Hawking offers a simple explanation to the common person about complex theories about our universe. He is able to dumb these complex theories down for us through the use diagrams and analogy, which help the reader to understand.

Although usually scholarly works offer no more than one bland diagram, Hawking takes another route in A Breifer History of Time. For example, when explaining the Relativity of Distance, it is hard to illustrate the idea with only the use of words. Therefore, Hawking includes pictures to go along with his written examples so the reader can comprehend the topic more. There is a picture with a person on a train bouncing a ping pong ball. To them, it looks like the ball moved only a couple inches from hand to table to hand, but to an observer outside, it looks like the ball moved forty feet because the ball was on the train moving as well (I could not find the actual picture online). These pictures are rhetorical devices because they are used to forward Hawking’s purpose, which is to educate the general public on important scientific theories; and through these pictures, the reader is able to comprehend them.

Not only do pictures aid in reader comprehension, but in addition to that, Hawking includes well crafted analogies. Intellegently crafted either before or after the introduction of a new theory, these analogies also help the reader to comprehend complex theories. For example, in the “Curved Space” chapter, when discussing uniform gravitational fields, Hawking compared gravity from a uniform field and gravity from acceleration to an elevator. He says that when “you are accelerating, everything that happens inside the elevator will unfold exactly as it would if the elevator was not moving at all but at rest in a uniform gravitational field” (Hawking 45). Although this complex theory, the principle of equivalence, is hard to explain with the scientific terms, the analogy to the elevator connects the principle to something the common person can conceptualize. Therefore, Hawking is able to make sense and teach his readers.

So far, Hawking has achieved his purpose with a great amount of craft, because as a reader I am able to understand theories probably way over my head when he offers visuals and analogies, for me, the common peasant (compared to Hawking’s intelligence) to understand.

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[Not Hawking's picture of the principle of equivalence, or relativity of distance, but the only picture form the book online]

TOW #11: Why pro-lifers keep fighting abortion by: Helen Alvaré and Meg McDonnell

When I came across the article “Why pro-lifers keep fighting abortion,” and I saw it was written by two obviously educated and high-profile people, Helen Alvaré and Meg McDonnell one of whom is even a professor of law at George Mason University, I expected an academic argument about the debate on abortion with considerable substance. To my disappointment, this article depicted “pro-lifers” to be simpleton and the article’s purpose does not even have a platform.

The article aims to convey reasons why the pro-life argument has survived, and at the same time give people who are pro-life confidence in their views. However, in the beginning, Alvaré and McDonnell make a fatal mistake. They begin with, “pro-choice Americans must wonder from time to time what keeps pro-lifers going,” (para. 1). Beginning an article with a highly arguable statement like that plants the seed of doubt in a reader’s mind right away. Not only that, but their reasoning for their purpose relies mainly upon the assumption that pro-choice has been beating pro-life for “40 years since Roe v. Wade,” (para. 1). This is also an assumption. If the abortion battle had been won by the pro-choice side, then “pro-lifers” would be a minority with a very bleak future. This is what Alvaré and McDonnell attempt to illustrate with this assumption, but it just is not true. The abortion debate is still very prevalent and neither side has dominated. Although there are laws that legalize abortions, many states are passing preventative pro-life laws. For example, in Virginia, it is illegal to get an abortion unless the woman views an ultrasound of the unborn baby and then decides to go through with the abortion. This is very much a victory for people who are pro-life because it prevents a significant amount of abortions.

Aside from the premise of the views in the article which fuel the purpose being refutable, the rest of the arguments in this article are spotty, and never offer any facts. The few fact that are thrown in are stated plainly without a source and highly questionable. So, even if the article was not based on a refutable idea, the lack of facts and reliable information to support their arguments would crush any shot Alvaré and McDonnell had at proving their purpose regardless.

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TOW #10: Comic by Gary Larson

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“The Far Side” is a comic series by Gary Larson that covers and comments on everything from political issues to people’s everyday grievances. This particular snippet is about the worst scenarios that can happen to an Apple computer user and to a PC computer user. In the comic, the top section is “Hell for Apple users” and there is a man standing naked (censored) in front of the devil, who says to him: “Welcome to Hell. Here’s your PC”. This is understandable considering Apple computer users would not like to have a PC because they chose Apple in the first place. In the bottom section of the comic though, is the same scenario, except it is “Hell for PC users” the kicker is that instead of the devil saying “Welcome to Hell. Here’s your Apple,” he says “Welcome to Hell. Here’s your PC”.

Larson wrote this comic to highlight the fact that even PC users hate PCs, and thus comment on how PCs are far inferior to Apple computer (implying it is because of various functional problems with PCs). Larson is able to do this through the obvious, satirical humor. The main device he uses to get across this humor is juxtaposition. The juxtaposition of the two scenarios works well because visually the pictures of the two different “hells” are right next to each other. Also, the devil is saying the same thing in both of the comics and there is the same caption with it: “Hell for PC/Apple users”. The constants in the comic just make the single difference (or lack of differences) stand out more. Thus, Larson is able to cut right to the point and make his purpose extremely obvious by the clear juxtaposition that helps to build satirical humor.

IRB #2 Into: A Briefer History of Time by: Stephen Hawking

In my quest for a new IRB this marking period, I was hunting through my father's library. Nestled between dusty stacks of books, I found A Briefer History of Time by: Stephen Hawking. And here's where you get to finally meet Julie in her primitive nerd form. Before I even opened to the first page, I saw the words "string theory" and "quantum gravity" and knew this was the book for me.

Like a kid in a candy store, I flipped through the pages excitedly. I saw that the book was exactly what the title says it is, and more. It aims to cover topics like the big bang, Newton's laws, the theory of relativity, curved space, the expanding of the universe, wormholes, and much more! Now, you're probably thinking, "Wow, I really didn't know Julie was such a freak, I'll note that for future reference in class," but really, I am so pumped to read this book. Not only is it by Stephen Hawking, arguably the best scientific mind of the century, but this book will force me to think on an abstract level, and will teach me so much.

I hope to take away simply a lot more knowledge from this book. These are topics that I know the basic premises of, but want to know more about in depth. Also, I believe actively reading books on scientific topics will help me to get ahead in the field that I want to go into. I also just think science is really interesting and hope that this IRB, although a school assignment, can be entertaining as well.

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TOW #9: 96.3 by: Delaney Doran

As I sat down to write this week’s TOW, a neglected copy of the Trojan Times sat staring at me on my desk. Sadly, the average Wiss student does not pay much attention to these monthly papers, so, I felt bad, and picked it up. Interestingly enough, the paper actually has a plethora of article types, humorous and informative alike. On the front page of the November issue is Delaney Doran, a senior this year, with her article “96.3”.

“96.3” highlights how Wissahickon scored a 96.3 on the PA School Performance Profile assessment. Doran first tells the reader what the Performance Profile assessment is, and what it is made up of. Then, she talks about why Wissahickon deserves this honor. Her purpose is to let the average Wiss student know that their school is not the “ratchet” or “ghetto” school that they might hear about in the hallways. She aims to point out that Wissahickon is actually a great place to get an education.

To help her reach the students, Doran begins with a strong introduction, highlighting Wissahickon’s strengths as a school with strong diction. Doran points out Wissahickon’s “stellar visual and musical arts programs” (para. 1). This appeals to those students reading the article who are musical, and get “props”. Not only that, but the word “stellar” has a strong connotation, but types of student can understand this word. If Doran had used a more advanced word, many may not have known the meaning and either been confused, or decide to stop reading. Doran also points out the “outstanding” teachers and sports teams that “continually compete at regional and state levels” (para. 1). The majority of her article then uses facts to illustrate how this recognition was given and what it means. To bring her point full circle, Doran closes her article with a humorous but resounding ending. She says that she wants to congratulate the teachers of Wiss for their “A” (para. 6). Using the play on words, Doran is able to connect to students and teachers alike with this reference to grading. Therefore, Doran proves her point that Wissahickon is in fact a great place to get an education through strong diction, hard facts, and a funny but effective ending.

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TOW #8: Outliers (IRB pt 2) by Malcolm Gladwell

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, his purpose is to analyze factors that make people successful. He does this effectively through not only the facts and anecdotes I have previously pointed out, but he also uses dialogue and rhetorical questions  in the second half of his book.

When Gladwell highlighted why Korean flights crash so much more than any other flights, he pointed to lack of communication. To illustrate this effectively for the reader, he adds dialogue. “Klotz: One-five-zero maintaining two thousand Avianca zero-five-two heavy. The captain is clearly on the edge of panic. Caviedes: Advise him we don’t have fuel...Klotz: Climb and maintain three thousand and, ah, we’re running out of fuel, sir” (199). By using a direct dialogue from the cockpit of a flight that crashed, Gladwell is able to dissect the conversation directly for real-world evidence. This makes his argument stronger by appealing to logos, and when dialogue like this is paired with facts and figures about the number of crashes, there is an irrefutable correlation that the reader can see between lack of communication and plane crashes.

Not only does dialogue strengthen Gladwell’s arguments, but his rhetorical questions relate his purpose to the reader in an engaging way. At the end of the section that explains the link between growing rice in asian culture to how asian kids are much better at math on average than anyone in the world, Gladwell ends the section with a question. “...it’s hard not to wonder how many other cultural legacies have an impact on our twenty-first-century intellectual tasks. What if coming from a culture shaped by the demands of growing rice also makes you better at math? Could the rice paddy make a difference in the classroom?” (232). This use of a rhetorical question engages the reader because it prompts them to think on their own.

Though these rhetorical devices and more, Gladwell achieves his purpose in effectively analyzing the factors that make people successful. However, in doing so Gladwell actually discourages people from success. All the facts and supporting evidence he uses supports his theory that success comes from one’s cultural background, not the hard work of the individual. Only one chapter, “The 10,000 Hours Rule” supports the fact that with hard work comes success. Thus, making Gladwell’s book interesting, but quite upsetting to someone who is not from the cultures highlighted with his data. As for me, I’m Jewish. Does that mean I’ll become a doctor or a lawyer because my great-grandfather wasn’t like the irish farmers and worked in the manufacturing business? No, and Gladwell cannot tell me differently. I’m set to prove him wrong.

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TOW #7: Education Reform: Not Complicated--but Seriously Difficult by: David M. Steiner

The first marking period of my junior year is coming to a close, and I’ll have to admit--my grades aren’t all they could be. However, my courses are vigorous to say the least. I take three AP’s: English, U.S. History, and Biology and the rest honors. My electives aren’t so easy either, Research Methodology is a course that calls for a self-structured research project where the teacher is really just there to guide you and help you if you run into trouble. David Steiner, founding director of the CUNY Institute for Education Policy at Roosevelt House, writer for the Huffington Post, and the author of Education Reform: Not Complicated--but Seriously Difficult, writes an article that calls the average American citizen to action.

Steiner aims to get citizens to care more about the education system. He emphasizes that courses need more vigor (to which I was hyperventilating just thinking about), better teachers, more funding, and higher expectations. Throughout the article, Steiner references a book published on international education practices by Amanda Ripley. First, he cites the main things that work when implemented in an education system, such as “demanding and coherent criteria” (Steiner). Then, Steiner uses this analysis of foreign education systems to parallel our own. He says, quite bluntly, “if all U.S. schools applied the rigor and attention to their academic offerings that our high schools apply to their highest-profile sports programs, our students would come far closer to matching their demographic peers in high performing countries” (Steiner). Not only that, but Steiner utilizes the pronoun “we” so as not to seem to critical. Instead of seeming like he blames other people, or our government directly, the use of “we” makes Steiner seem like he is self-analyzing. The word “we” suggests he is reflecting on his own choices and makes the article seem less accusatory.

As a student reading this article, a lot of its effectiveness was because of personal preference. At first, when I read that Steiner wanted more academic vigor, I felt nauseous. However, I understand that I am a driven student taking college-level courses who is involved in extracurriculars as well. After reading the article, I understood who Steiner was trying to target. It’s the students and teachers of the regular level classes not even necessarily at schools like mine, but at schools in worse areas. Steiner points out that the U.S. does not have a good idea of what we want high school graduates to actually know and be able to do skill-wise. In result, as a whole, the students of America are not up to par. After reading this article, I can agree with that. It all comes down to how much we as Americans care about our educations.

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TOW #6: Vigineo Home Security Advertisement

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This advertisement for Vigineo home security systems is quite simple, yet eye catching. The goal of the advertisement is simply to sell home security systems. The advertising executives and employees at Vigineo aim to accomplish this through minimalism and fear.

Pictured here is a white background with a hand with it’s fingers crossed, which symbolizes someone hoping for good luck. However, drawn on the fingers is a picture of the face of a tough-looking man with a knife to another man’s throat. The text at the top reads: “Because you can’t always trust good luck.”

Aimed to target homeowners, this ad is effective because of its minimalism and play on fear. The average time people look at advertisements is about one second. Homeowners are most likely working people, and do not spend time looking at advertisements for long. The fact that the only thing in the picture directly relates to the point that Vigineo wants to get across cuts through any fluff right away. Viewers get the point. The white background helps to bring out the hand even more, and the use of black inc for the faces drawn on the fingers draws the eye directly to it. The play on fear utilized in conjunction with the minimalism drives the point home.

The text at the top reads: “Because you can’t always trust good luck,” which refers to the man with the knife to the other man’s throat. The advertisement is essentially telling the viewer that they can’t just rely on luck to be safe in their own home. This play on fear is effective because the reader sees exaggerated, but plausible consequences of not getting home security, and the play on the crossed fingers for good luck ties everything together. Thus, through this simple and funny ad which plants a small seed of fear within viewers’ minds, Vigineo effectively prompts people who don’t have home security to think twice about their safety, and of course to use Vigineo.

TOW #5: Like apparel are we headed for ultra-casual? by Jerry Epperson

In the October issue of the magazine Furniture Today, well-respected furniture critic Jerry Epperson wrote his usual opinion piece. However, in Like apparel, are we headed for ultra-casual?, he barely mentions furniture at all. Instead, he begins with describing how people used to dress nicely in general. Then, he goes on to tell his experience and observations when he went to eight different department stores. Epperson mentions furniture only once, saying, “I decided to go shopping and look at today’s styles in apparel, which is often a leading indicator of what is about to occur in home furnishings” (Epperson). For most of the piece, Epperson seems to be merely griping about the latest fashion trends. However, like the title states, his purpose is for the readers, mostly people who are literate in the furniture world, to take caution about new trends in fashion, because they may carry over into the furniture world.

Epperson does not achieve his purpose flawlessly. He writes, “My observations included:” and then proceeds to list what he observed at the department stores he visited (Epperson). Epperson does not take an objective stance on his observations, throwing in comments like: “Wearing exercise clothing has no requirement that the wearer exercise, evidently” (Epperson). This detracts from his purpose because he spends the majority of his piece throwing in lines like this instead of telling the reader how this could affect new furniture styles directly. Epperson seems to air more on the criticizing than analyzing side.

Not only does his list full of snarky comments detract from his argument, but Epperson’s rhetorical questions do not serve his purpose either. At the end of his piece, Epperson writes: “Will everything all blend together in one neutral style that is ultra-casual? Is that our fate?” (Epperson). He closes with this sweeping statement, but instead of enforcing the fear and caution Epperson set out to do, he makes a sweeping statement that readers can easily argue with. Besides complaining about people’s clothing style, Epperson offers no evidence of these styles carrying into the furniture world. Therefore, these questions, intended to strike fear in the furniture business, do absolutely nothing.

This furniture set up looks pretty put-together to me

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TOW #4: Outliers (IRB) by Malcolm Gladwell

       The book Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, a well-known thinker and National Bestselling author, is about how successful people find their success. In the book, Malcolm Gladwell argues that people are not successful because they work for it; they are successful because they were lucky and born in good circumstances. Gladwell aims to flesh out all of the apparent misconceptions common people have about success. He argues that success cannot be acquired by just anyone. In the first half of the book, he essentially tells all of the people looking to be successful, like young entrepreneurs or young people just entering the work forces or people going through school, that the “outliers” are not truly outliers at all. He wants to assure his audience that successful people essentially had help being successful.

       Gladwell uses facts frequently to forward his theory. When Gladwell argues that phenomenon like relative age affect a person’s success in the world of sports, he offers tables listing teams of professional athletes. Gladwell explains that whichever month a sport’s cut off is in, the best players will have their birthdays close to the cut off because they were always at a couple-month advantage athletically and developmentally. Not only does he prove this by listing the roster of the Medicine Hat Tigers, the best junior hockey team in Canada, but also by listing rosters for the Czech junior hockey team, and Czech national soccer team. By offering multiple pieces of evidence, Gladwell is able to appeal to logos, which enhances his argument. This may also appeal to ethos because his evidence will impress a reader who tends to respond to logos.

        Anecdotes are also a large part of Gladwell’s argument. He uses anecdotes to illustrate large portions of his subject’s lives. When Gladwell begins the “10,000-hour rule” chapter, he uses Bill Joy, legendary computer programmer as an example. Instead of just telling the reader where Joy grew up and such, Gladwell crafts his life into an interesting snippet. He writes: “Joy came to the University of Michigan the year the Computer Center opened. He was sixteen. He was tall, and very thin, with a mop of unruly hair. He had been voted ‘Most Studious Student’….,which, as he puts it, meant he was a ‘no-date nerd’” (Gladwell 35-36). Gladwell goes on to tell about how Joy got lucky with the fact that he was enrolled in the University of Michigan. These short anecdotes are sprinkled throughout each section, and they help Gladwell to appeal to pathos, like with the fact that Joy was a ‘no-date nerd’. They also help to forward his purpose because the anecdotes serve as the context to many of his arguments. By utilizing both facts and  anecdotes, Gladwell achieves his purpose in an intriguing but believable way.

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TOW #3: SmartWater

Millions of people a day buy bottled water. Although most contain the same type of water, many people, including my good friend Leah, think that “SmartWater is just better”. I disagree;  I know it’s all in the packaging.  Due to the fact that there are countless types of water bottles to choose from, and usually they sit right next to each other in convenience stores, SmartWater has adjusted the rhetoric on the bottle so people choose their “superior” product.

In order to influence people to choose and keep choosing SmartWater, the scientists and advertising team, who should know what they are talking about, considering it is their product, utilize a friendly tone and advanced vocabulary to convince the reader of the superiority of their water. On the front of the bottle, SmartWater proudly proclaims that the water inside is, “vapor distilled water and electrolytes for taste” (SmartWater bottle). Although these words are not necessarily SAT words, the average reader is not usually confronted with words like “vapor distilled” and “electrolytes” when choosing water. Besides giving the reader information about the water, these words just make SmartWater sound, well, smart. Many readers may also be prompted to wonder, what is vapor distilled? Maybe this water really is better… And electrolytes, wow! Not only does the vivid vocab on the front achieve its purpose, to get people to buy SmartWater, but the blurb on the back with a casual tone helps as well.

When you turn the SmartWater bottle around to find out more about the water being “vapor distilled,” the blurb back is different than the usual. It boldly says how their water is “a difference you can taste...unless, of course, you prefer the taste of that stuff that comes from underground...like spring water (then you’re on your own)” (SmartWater bottle). This intentionally casual and playful language appeals to both pathos and ethos. Instead of the reader seeing the water company as some removed sources of information, the bottle talks directly to the reader, utilizing second person. Therefore, the author seems like a friend or someone that the reader trusts. Also, the challenge of “unless, of course, you prefer the taste of that stuff that comes from underground,” appeals to pathos because if the reader did like spring water, the light but slightly undermining tone this makes the reader think twice about spring water. Although the company may be making a jab at the customer’s tastes, the blurb does it in such a way that the reader could not possibly be offended, and it still makes SmartWater sound better. SmartWater uses advanced vocabulary and a casual tone to effectively prompt people to buy their water over countless others, and judging by my friend Leah, their tactics are working.

TOW #2: NSA Republican Political Cartoon by Mike Luckovitch

Mike Luckovitch, a Pulizter Prize editorial cartoonist, illustrates the relations between the Republican party and the NSA in this cartoon. In this cartoon, a representative from the NSA is sitting in front of a board of elephants, who represent the Republicans. He is seemingly reporting back the NSA’s findings to the Republicans by saying, “We intercepted the ‘chatter’ of a group plotting to cripple the U.S. government and harm the economy”. In reply to this, the Republicans say, “we don’t appreciate you listening in to our phone calls”.

For the intended audience, well-educated people who know a little about politics, the multiple messages are clear. The first message is that the NSA is using the protection from terrorism as an excuse for listening to people’s phone calls. The audience knows this because the three Republicans are the congressmen at a political hearing for the NSA to justify what they are doing. By saying “we intercepted” something, the NSA is justifying the fact that they are abridging American freedoms. The second message is that the party in power, now has the ability to spy on the opposing party. The NSA is controlled by the Democratic Party currently, and they have the ability to spy on the Republicans as exemplified here. This demonstrates the particular danger of using terrorism to justify domestic spying. The third and most prominent message, and also the punchline of this cartoon, is the fact that the Republicans are the sources of the terrorist ‘chatter’ that the NSA found. Luckovitch is commenting on the motives of the Republican party. The third message is that Republicans do?{'-"{ not have America’s best interest at heart. Instead of talking about how to improve America over the phone, they were “plotting to cripple the U.S. government and harm the economy”. This illustrates that the Republican party is really maliciously plotting for their own good.

Through the use of humor and multiple layers of meaning, Luckovitch achieves his purpose. He is able to get across his messages with multiple layers of underlying meaning as the reader chronologically reads the cartoon. The first message about the NSA can be deduced from just the fact that the NSA was at a political hearing. The second message comes through when the reader sees the Republicans as the ones being spied on. The punchline brings the cartoon home with humor. Luckovitch is able to use humor to illustrate deeper meanings and get his messages across in this cartoon.

(source: http://www.sodahead.com/fun/still-more-political-cartoons/question-3899085/)

TOW #1: A Bully Does His Research by Jesse Eisenberg

In the piece A Bully Does His Research, found in the New Yorker website, Jesse Eisenberg, an actor that surprisingly writes for the blog section, addresses the true underlying pain that a bully can inflict. The article is a satirical inner monologue from a bully who begins the day by taking another student’s lunch money, then gets scolded by his teacher, is suspended by the principal, and tears down his father on the way home from school.

The unique thing about this bully’s inner monologue is that the bully doesn’t think like an actual person would. Instead, Eisenberg incorporates the victims’ views within the thoughts of the bully. For example, when the bully is confronted by the teacher, he or she responds with: “Yeah, I know you wanted to go to RISD since you were my age, but you couldn’t get in and now you’re stuck teaching sixth-grade science. Well, boo-hoo-hoo!” (Eisenberg). The ambiguity of the bully’s words illustrates the meaning throughout the passage. A bully would not actually say any of these things, but when someone is being bullied, all of the suppressed pain in a victim’s life seems to be at the forefront of his or her mind.

In every confrontation, the bully seems to know the exact source of pain for the victim, and he or she exploits it. No real bully would be saying things like: “thanks for the ride home, Pops! Is it nice to pick me up in the middle of the day, or does it highlight the fact that Mom’s the one with the real job?” (Eisenberg). At the very end, the bully is staring at his own reflection while he is locked in his room. Eisenberg then writes the inner monologue of the bully attacking himself. He ends with, “if no one likes you, you could remain in that safe little bubble? Bite me!” (Eisenberg). 

Through this utilization of satire, and a full circle ending, Eisenhower proves his purpose that many bullies can exploit some of the most painful things in a person’s life; however, they probably ridicule themselves internally as well. This simple and tasteful blog post shows any reader the true thoughts of both the bullied and bully, and therefore, it can help just about any age, gender, or type of reader to overcome this daunting problem.

Article Link 

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IRB Intro: Outliers

As my mom told me early this year, The Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell is a nationally ranked book. All throughout this spring, she would give me little bits and pieces of information from the book, such as the fact that the Raven's Progressive Matrices tests are the most advanced IQ tests in the world, and almost no one can get a good score on them. Obviously, this was intriguing. I began to ask my Mom more about the book, to which she replied: "you'll just have to read it." So, since The Outliers has been lying on my nightstand beside my bed for a few months now, I decided to give it a shot. 

I researched a bit more on what the book was about and I found out that it offers the formula to success! Well, not quite, but it does highlight many famous successful people (and success stories) and analyze what made them so successful. Gladwell's radically different viewpoint on success states that success is not just who a person is, or how hard he or she works, but most of success can come from someone's culture, family, generation, and his or her upbringing. Although Mr. Yost did give us a fair warning on Gladwell's writing style, the topic of his book is just too attractive to resist. 

After reading this book, I expect to be equipped with the secret to life, and the formula for success. So I may be exaggerating, but in all seriousness, I want to use the information in this book to make this year a successful year for me. My goal in this year is to learn to think on a higher level and to learn to work with the efficience and diligence of a college student. I have to adapt to my new workload and at the same time balance many different extracurricular activities. I'm hoping that some tips and advice from someone who has studied why certain people succeed might help me to do the same. I'm hoping to become an outlier!

A Personal Essay by a Personal Essay

The shortest, yet possibly most intriguing of the essays in The Best American Essays is A Personal Essay by a Personal Essay. Written by Christy Vannoy, this essay takes place during the duration of a clinic led by “the Article’s Director and Editor for a national women’s magazine,” but it never reveals where or for what magazine specifically.

The only real evidence that Vannoy is credible is that this essay is from McSweeney’s, a well-known American publishing house. However, credibility is not of much issue because this is a creative work with no information needed. In fact, it is all a narrative from the point of view of a personal essay. During the story, this essay is in this writer’s clinic in which personal essays are read and critiqued. Throughout the story, the personal essay is sizing up the other essays and contemplating what makes a good personal essay.

Vannoy’s purpose in writing this was to highlight the fact that struggle makes good writing. Vannoy targets the aspiring writer to get her point across that difficulty or rough times in one’s life can make great stories.

Vannoy is able to prove her point through humor. The internal monologue of the essay about other essays is both funny and relatable. The essay thinks: “Every essay who’s been through chemo or tried lesbianism ends up bald. Bald isn’t the story. Alopecia was heading in the right direction, loving herself, but she was getting there all wrong” (Vannoy 210). Although this humor may be cold and cutting, Vannoy is able to portray the faults in certain essays and how the essays could be better.

Besides using humor to prove that struggle trumps bland personal essays that lack hardship, Vannoy uses the point of view as a unique rhetorical device. Although this essay is short, the use of an inanimate object personified throughout the whole essay is intriguing. Without this device, this essay about essays would be exactly what it’s telling the reader not to be when writing: dull. Therefore, the point of view proves a point within a point: spice up your writing.

(source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/PgoRc8Q_baC/Afrikaaner+Community+Suffers+Economic+Hardship)

Generation Why?

        Generation Why? by Zadie Smith is an analysis on the fundamental ideas behind Facebook and social networking as we see it today. The essay begins by informing the reader of the beginning of Facebook and of Mark Zuckerberg’s story. Then, the essay goes on to examine why people need Facebook, and it explains the website’s effect on social norms.
         Zadie Smith claims to be part of Zuckerberg’s generation, making her view credible because she is not just any third party critic. Smith also is a tenured professor of writing at New York University, and she has published many novels.

       This essay is clearly written by Smith shortly after the Facebook fad came to be to bring to attention the falsehood and faults in having a virtual identity through Facebook. Obviously targeting the “new generation,” this essay aims to expose that Facebook is a juvenile way for people to socialize. Smith makes this apparent when she points out Zuckerberg’s own inept social skills.

        Smith utilizes real facts and quotes as rhetorical devices to help prove her point. Real things written on Zuckerberg’s own profile, such as his interests in “minimalism, revolutions, and ‘eliminating desire’” are used in her writing to highlight his faults as a social person (Smith 191). Through these facts, Smith is able to prove that Facebook, and the idea of Facebook stemmed from a lack of social understanding in the first place. Also, Smith uses quotes from high esteemed programmers, like Zuckerberg, but who oppose Facebook. For example, Smith quotes Jaron Lanier, who says “…the belief that computers can presently represent human thought or human relationships. These are things computers cannot currently do” (Smith 193).

       The exploitation of Zuckerberg and Facebook’s intrinsic social loop holes does allow Smith to prove her point because it makes the reader realize that a site like Facebook does a horrible job of feigning real socialization. Through her use of facts about Zuckerberg, and her quoting of other high established people in the computer world bring into the light that Facebook is not all it’s cracked up to be.

(source: http://calibermag.org/articles/the-many-faces-of-facebook/facebook-mark-zuckerberg/)

Magical Dinners

Magical Dinners, by Chang-Rae Lee is a personal narrative about his family’s first Thanksgiving dinner. The narrative focuses mostly on the food that is eaten and cooked by Lee’s mother, especially when he was a young kid. Through highlighting his mother’s cooking, Lee flashes back from Thanksgiving dinner to multiple meals that his mother cooked, and to her gradual progression to making Americanized meals.

Lee’s purpose is to connect to other immigrants by showing how through these meals, his family clings to their culture. He uses his own childhood to illustrate how an immigrant family could feel when trying to adapt to life in America. The audience can be anyone; however, this essay was probably meant to strike a chord with immigrant people, who have had similar experiences with culture.

Lee’s most common rhetorical device that he uses in his writing is his imagery. He describes all aspect of the settings and food in his story with vivid adjectives and vocabulary. Lee also does an exceptional job with conveying the emotions of a character. When he describes his mother’s disappointment if someone does not like her food, Lee includes the fact that first, “you can watch her face ice over. Shatter… but soon enough she’s simply miserable, her pretty eyes gone lightless and faraway,” (Lee 133). Not only does Lee tell of her emotions in a descriptive way, but he includes the gradual progression of different emotion as well.

Essentially, Lee’s narrative achieves its purpose without even trying. Immigrants are likely to connect to any story of other immigrants’ hardship because that is what most of them have in common. Many families from other countries have probably clung to an aspect of culture like food, so through merely telling the story, Lee can connect to many people.

Lee is the most credible author for this topic because it is his personal narrative. It’s all from his point of view, so one would assume he would not lie about his experiences. Also, he graduated from Yale and is a professor at Princeton so one would think he should be pretty trustworthy.

(source: http://www.cwsglobal.org/newsroom/news-releases/cws-supports-bipartisan.html)