Every Nook and Cranny

            Advertisement has become imbedded in American culture, coupled with the excess of commercialism in its capitalistic society. In order to sell their products, companies need to advertise. Over the years, the amount of advertising has increased in amount and location. Advertising continues to find new ways to reach targeted audiences, whether through television, movies, and even literature. Gary Ruskin and Juliet Schor wrote an article discussing the intrusive behavior of commercialism and how it is invading the everyday lives of American’s everywhere.

            Being on the Board of Directors of Commercial Art, Ruskin and Schor have established their credibility for the topic of commercialism, thus their arguments are valid. The introduction used not only presents the main idea but connects it to the argument involving the relationship between the government and commercialism. Their argument is effective because they assess the locations that commercialism is occupying. Involvement in the government, schools, television, and through spam, commercialism is able to broaden their reach of audiences. However, the excess of advertisements becomes problematic as they increase in numbers. Commercial items are being flushed towards consumers by any means necessary and successfully reaching new consumers. The consumers continue to involve themselves in commercialism becoming more materialistic and thus spending more money on meaningless items, as Ruskin and Schor stated.

            Ruskin and Schor also use the pathos appeal by addressing the topic of commercialism and children. Advertisements target children in their homes and at school. Soda, candy, and fast food companies reach children through television commercials during children programs and through product sells in schools. This encourages the children to desire the unhealthy foods more, thus have a probably risk of obesity. By using this appeal, Ruskin and Schor strengthen their argument because of the common appeal towards the health and safety of children. If the children are being endangered, people are more likely to respond.

            Growing up, I noticed the ambush of commercialism everywhere I turned. Vending machines, movies and television flooded advertising and products into my life. However, they generally distracted myself from the show I was watching or encouraged me to spend money, resulting in ignoring them to the best of my abilities, but they continue to flood the media. Commercialism is a large part of American society. It continues to grow and affect consumers across the country.

Social Connections

Social Connections

            The manner in which people communicate is constantly changing as time goes on. Communication has improved from taking months to reach someone in another state, to almost a second to reach someone across the globe. Developments in technology has been the main contributor to this improvement However, as Steven Johnson discusses in his essay, “Social Connections,” as technology continues to become more sophisticated, it closes off human communication as much as enhances it.

            Johnson’s introduction of this idea genuinely starts the readers thinking process of this strange situation. I personally asked myself “do my iPod and phone cut me off from the people around me?” My answer certainly agreed with Johnson’s proposal that “We wear white earbuds that announce to the world: whatever you’ve got to say, I can’t hear it” (414). A personal example of this is I typically listen to my iPod to “disappear” from a social situation such as a conversation my friends might be haven that I do not wish to listen to, or when riding in the car with my mother, and especially when taking public transportation. I use my iPod as a symbol that I do not wish to communicate with anyone else.

            Johnson makes a very valid point in introducing this tactic that many Americans share when they wish to separate themselves around the public. It allows the reader to relate to his argument. In addition, he also discusses how devices such as the iPod have restricted communication, but that the internet and global technology has benefited the manners of human communication. He does an excellent job in tying his analysis of Thomas Friedman’s column to his own argument by using it as evidence. However, his argument could have been stronger if he discussed the human need for social interaction.

Reader Response 3: "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids"

“Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids”

            Anna Quindlen discusses the naivety and oblivious nature of people in our society. She details the fact that people do not acknowledge the hundreds and hundreds of homeless children walking through our streets. She uses this factor as a contributor to stress the issue that homes are becoming too expensive for the average person to afford to keep a home. Thus, people everywhere are becoming homeless with little to no way out. The strength of Quindlen’s argument is through the use of pathos appeal to connect to her readers.

            Throughout her essay, Quindlen is persuading her readers to recognize the issue that is being overlooked everywhere. People are unable to support themselves financially and are being forced on the street. Innocent people that are simply trying to make a living, hold a job and raise their children are finding themselves homeless because they are laid-off, or cannot support the number of children in the home because of their low salaries. Quindlen  says, “…if there is a bureaucratic foul-up in your welfare check or the factory in which you work shuts down, the chances of finding another place to live are very small indeed” (317). People are not getting the help they need, and a lot of them are being forced onto the street because of uncontrollable factors. Her essay is very effective because she reaches to the emotions of her readers to sympathize for these poor people, especially the children, and tying it with her persuasive tone. She is able to get her point across to the readers and have them thing about the problem that goes unseen every day. These poor children, most importantly, need homes, or at least the family needs help to be able to support and shelter these children properly.

            I personally believe people and the government should pay more attention to this pressing issue. Children and low-income families that are doing what they can to provide for themselves need the extra help. The children should not have to suffer because people are not doing what they can to help them. There is help out there, and there are people that can afford to lend some kind of support to the hundreds of families out there. Even if it’s just one family, or child, taking the initiative to let them know support is out there, is enough.

Reader Respons 2: The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation

             Grade inflation has become an increasingly, curious issue among different schools and especially colleges. Student grades have been improving in recent years and scholars and professors cannot decide whether the students actually deserve the grades they are receiving or not. Alfie Kohn argues in his essay “The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation” that the idea of students’ grade point averages increasing without achievement is a bad thing is a myth. Kohn provides a series of evidence and research that shows how it is almost impossible to effectively track why students do well in school and whether they deserve the grades they are getting, thus showing that grade inflation is a myth and the real issues involving grades are being ignored.

            Teachers teach differently and students are learning differently and even easier. If grades are improving over time it does not necessarily imply that they are inflated. It could have a number of reasons, relating to the material being covered, the desire students have to learn, etc. “Maybe students are turning in better assignments. Maybe instructors used to be too stingy…” (Kohn 63). The educational system continues to change over time, thus there it is difficult to trace if the same work will get the same grade in different time periods. Also, because education is becoming increasingly important, students are being encouraged more to study and learn earlier and more effectively which could relate to the increase in higher grades.

            Overall, Kohn provides different reasons for why grades could be inflated and then refutes it by providing evidence as to why the grades are not being inflated, which increases the effectiveness of his argument. For example, he includes the idea that because SAT scores are low, students cannot deserve higher grades. “ But this is an inapt comparison, if only because the SAT is deeply flawed…the claim that scores dropping is poor basis that grades are too high…those who regard SAT results as a basis for comparison should see higher grades…”(Kohn 63-64). Grade inflation is or is not true depending on the teacher. If a teacher is simply handing out high grades for undeserved work because they are not taking the time to adequately grade them, that the grades are inflated. However, in prestigious institutions, where instructors provide challenging requirements, grade them appropriately, and students still receive high grades then the grades are not inflated, but deserved.

Kohn’s extensive research and validity of his evidence and analysis of that evidence effectively delivers his purpose. He claims that it is too difficult to prove that grades are inflated, provides opposing arguments, and refutes through proving his own argument. I agree with his argument because there are simply too many reasons as to why students are receiving and deserve higher grades than in the past. Over time, grades will continue to increase because students want to succeed.

Media Violence is Good for Kids.

     Media violence has become a topic of concern for agression, rage, and vioelnt acts by and among children. Many believe that gang violence, murders, and injuries are mainly caused by the violence that is seen in television, books, and other media. Children are succeptible to what they see in television and are inspired to copy what they see in their daily lives. It is also seen as the fuel for kids to exercise their agression and rage. However, is the violence corrupting the children or helping them experiences emotions that they have been sheltered from?

      Gerard Jones argues in his essay “Violent Media is Good for Kids” that children should be exposed to violence in media because it allows them to find themselves. “Identification with a rebellious, even destructive, hero helps children learn to push back against a modern culture that cultivates fearand teaches dependency” (232).  Children should not be isolated from feeling certain emotions. Exposure to good values and negative values alike allow them to express themselves fully. When children are pushed to act a certain way and to avoid natural urges they act out against what they are told to do. However, when they are encouraged to explore they are more willing to learn what is right and what is wrong.

      Jones’s argument is valid because children are inclined to disobey their parents when they are being pushed to behave a certain way. Children that are constantly pressured to avoid their interests, such as violence and outlaws, they will act like their idols more frequently because now they have a reason to break the rules. On the other hand, if they are allowed to carry out their fantasies it will have two outcomes: they will get bored with it, or more likely, it will build their character. When children let out their emotions and express their rage and agression it relieves stress and become less prone to violence as they age. The children that are forced to avoid violence end up bottling up their problems to the point where their rage exploads. Being exposed to violence teaches children how to learn from that violence and to understand what it really is early on. Children that are sheltered from it don’t comprehend it and abuse that violence when they are exposed to it.

     Overall, Jones’s is effective in arguing his opinion that children should be allowed to exposed to and act out media violence. He provides examples of how allowing chidlren to act out their fantasies of violence and agression built their character and ultimately brought value to their lives, as well as his own personal experience. I agree with his argument because children should be free to explore their interests. It allows them to discover their place in their world and become better people because of it. Children that are sheltered from natural emotions and impeded from discovering themselves.