Unit 2 Reflection

   

     There are many ties between a person and his government.  The United States government, based on elements of liberty and justice, has sustained a stable and developed country with the help of individuals bold enough to suggest change.  The philosophers of our past: Machiavelli, Rousseau, Locke and Plato wrote and expressed many ideas on government, people and their obligations to each other that have undoubtedly shaped how society functions today.  Their defiant beliefs suggest the obligations government holds to an individual as well as the obligations an individual has to their government. 
     An individual’s obligations to society revolves around being a leader in order to question or challenge the way the government runs.  Rousseau describes a Sovereign defined as citizens collectively working together.  They voice the general will or interests of the people.  It is their duty to speak out against problems in the government so that a better society can be formed.   John Locke alludes to the need for people to follow rules and laws, even if it means giving up freedoms because in return, the government will protect them.  Locke, similarly to Rousseau believed that if the government was abusing power, it is the duty of an individual to rebel against it and replace it with another government.  Locke saw tyranny as "the exercise of power beyond right.” A leader that follows his own rules is one that no longer truly benefits the community with his influence.  Therefore, an individual must join with others to rebel and reform.  Plato’s Allegory of the Cave represented misconceptions of reality.  Prisoners in a cave see shadows on the wall, of which they perceive to be real. Once one prisoner climbs out of the cave and sees the sun, he sees the things that are creating the shadows and realizes what it real and true. Upon return to the cave, it is his responsibility be a leader, as he can see better than the rest: “you have been better and more thoroughly educated than those others and hence you are more capable of playing your part both as men of thought and as men of action."  How one understands what he sees is an important qualification for being a leader.  Therefore, it is important for an individual to lend his opinions, ideas and the ways he sees things to the government because it is always necessary to change and improve.
     The government’s duty to an individual requires that power be used to create a stable environment.  Machiavelli in The Qualities of a Good Prince very thoroughly describes the obligations a  man of authority and power must fulfill in order to be an effective leader.  Machiavelli  believed that a Prince must avoid being hated in order to maintain power.  He warns princes against doing things detrimental to their image such as taking possession of a person’s land or  the disbanding of his people’s traditions.   It is a prince’s duty to understand when war is necessary and be aware of when there are threats of invasion.  He must rely on bravery  and his own natural abilities rather than money or luck to succeed against challenges or opposition.   Machiavelli states, “people are by nature changeable. It is easy to persuade them about some particular matter, but it is hard to hold them to that persuasion” however, if an authority is willing to force an idea to gain the support of his people, he will almost always be successful.  Machiavelli did not write about being a fair leader; he believed in finding short cuts to secure power.  The ideals of this prince parallels the government.  A government’s obligation to an individual revolves around protection, security and building a strong and stable society. However, the ways in which you achieve those results, are not always be honorable.  Acquiring the “goodwill” of the people does not necessarily mean ruling over a people that are all happy.  The obligation of a government to an individual is to simply maintain  status quo.
         Though Machiavelli believed that people are bad by nature, I disagree.  Though desires often bind us and influence decisions, people are honorable.  Though self interest has thrown society into times of war and destruction, courage and the ability to progress, has landed our country in a stable place.  Philosophers in the past and people even today can argue that humans are lazy or the government is corrupt, but everything is relative. The pattern has been set and history will likely  repeat itself; a person's obligations to society might change or maybe they won't.  I wonder, if these philosopher's words will be taught in classrooms 500 years from now.  Will we use their ideas to question our own roles in society?  Or maybe everything eventually becomes obsolete.

AOW November 28

     This ad for Target is a photo of three people making snow angels. To the left is the phrase, “Dashing in the snow” and below “Santa has elves. You have Target.”  The three people all look very happy cheerful.  They are wearing bright colors and look very fashion forward, even dashing, as the ad alludes.  
     Target is an American retailing company that was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis.  It is the second largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart.  Target’s logo is a red ring with a red dot in the middle.  It is known with the phrase, “Expect more. Pay less.”
    The ad was made because of the change of seasons.  Since the temperature is dropping and snow will soon fall, customers will be needing to purchase warm clothes.
    The purpose of the ad was to remind people that is necessary to buy new clothes for the cold season, however, bulky or puffy jackets and pants should not take any space in your closet.  The ad is saying, you can look cute and stylish this season, and stay warm and comfortable at the same time.
    The ad was directed towards a younger audience ranging from teens to people in their twenties. 
    The rhetorical elements in the piece include: color and placement.  The models are dressed in bright and fun clothing and they just look like they’re having fun.  Against the white snow, the clothes stand out even more; so there is some contrast used in this ad as well.  The photo was taken above the models, so the audience is able to see every piece of clothing.  Unlike some ads, there is no specific focus on one area.  The ad is trying to not only sell shoes, but scarves, hats, sweaters and jeans.  The phrasing was also clever: “Santa has elves. You have Target.”  This makes is seems that Target has everything you need and in great quality.
    This ad did accomplish its purpose. The clothes stood out and captured my eye as I was looking through the magazine, which is really what these companies to happen.

Ad found in The Oprah Magazine- December 2011 

AOW November 21

     This commercial for Bridgestone Tires begins with a car driving along a woodland road.  The driver spots a beaver along the way and quickly swerves to avoid hitting the animal.  The beaver waves in thanks.  Six months later, this same driver is along the same road, however the weather is horrible and it’s pouring.  A tree comes crashing down in front of the car and the driver quickly stops.  He steps outside of this car to see that the river has flooded and the bridge he was about to cross over, has collapsed.  The beaver appears again and it’s shown that he was the one to cut down the tree in order to save the man from death.   A voice over is saying “for drivers who want to get the most out of their cars, it’s Bridgestone or nothing.”
       Bridgestone Tires is a company that started in 1931 in Japan.  It became Japan’s largest tire manufacturer and expanded its business overseas to the United States.
     This commercial was produced for the Superbowl of 2011.  The Superbowl attracts many viewers, so their commercial was shown at this time to get people aware of their products and increase  their number of customers.
     The audience for this commercial is anyone watching the Superbowl and for anyone who owns a car.
     The purpose of this commercial is having good tires (specifically Bridgestone tires) for your car can prevent accidents.  Also, one’s good driving does not go unrewarded.  Since the driver stopped his car and did not run the beaver over, the beaver was more intent of saving the driver’s life. 
     The rhetorical elements used include exaggeration and cause and effect.  The commercial was largely exaggerated as it involved a beaver with an ability to greet with the two-hits-to-the-chest and peace-sign. This made for a very silly tone.  The commercial also showed cause and effect: be a good driver and you will be rewarded, own good tires and you will be safe from accidents. 
     This commercial differs from many other car related commercials because it was a narration.  There were characters, a setting and a time period.  As the driver is swerving out of the animal’s way, there are different perspectives of the car, all of which are focusing on the tires.  This is one way the product is highlighted. 
     I do not think that this commercial is successful.  After watching it, all I can think about is how ridiculous the premise was, which takes away from the product. A commercial really should not distract from their purpose so in many ways, this commercial missed the mark.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bWb-WT_iNQ

IRB 2

Title: Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith

Author: Anne Lamott

First Section: 1-90
Second: 91- 180
Third: 180- 272

I chose this book because many people have recommended it.  I have not read any religious themed books before, so this will be something new and interesting.

AOW November 14

     Technology plays a role in nearly everything and it would seem, technology even has control in the kitchen.  With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many people are trying out recipes and marking pages in their cookbooks.  However, it could be that the cookbooks we have used for years aren’t as informative and useful as once believed.  New cooking apps for the iPad are in many ways hinting that “books as kitchen tools are on the way out” (1).
      Julia Moskin has been a writer for the New York Times Dining Section since 2004.  She began writing about food in 1993 as a restaurant critic for the New York Press. She has co-authored nine cookbooks and has written for the magazines, Saveur and Metropolitan Home.
     The piece was written in response to new cooking apps that are available for purchase.  The new apps include, Baking with Dorie, Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals and Professional Chef. These apps animate cooking instructions. The book The Geometry of Pasta has an app in which “motion is added to the mix”: pasta butterflies flutter into boiling water, the word “Parmesan” is itself grated into a bowl, and the word “prosciutto” is sliced into slivers (2). 
     The purpose of the piece was to not only inform the audience of all the new cooking apps available, but also show that slowly but surely, cookbooks could become a thing of the past.  It is reasonable to say that eventually everything becomes obsolete with new and advancing technology making almost all aspects of life easier and more efficient.
     The rhetorical devices used in this piece include an appeal to ethos, pathos and logos and also description.  Moskin established logos as well as pathos by quoting people who have used the app before. For example Bob Huntley said, “I struggled with getting the whole recipe downloaded into my head. I kept having to go back to the page, and the interface was so difficult to manage” (3).  Also,  “You can’t hear the onions sizzling in the pan, or how to move your knife through a salmon fillet, or see how to put your pasta machine back together in a book.”  By embedding these thoughts into the article, the audience can connect and relate to those same annoyances and struggles with using a cookbook and can see logically that using a cooking app is the best option.  Moskin also describes with much detail what these apps have the ability to do which establishes credibility.
       The audience intended to read this article are readers of the New York Times and also anyone interested in or just pondering the efficiency of the new cooking apps.
     The author did accomplish her purpose.  She used quotes from various sources, included detailed information but still made the article interesting and fun.  Maybe instead of a cookbook for mom’s Christmas gift, I’ll consider a cooking app instead!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/dining/are-apps-making-cookbooks-obsolete.html?pagewanted=2&ref=technology

     In Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller looks back with happiness and also anger at her family and the extraordinary time and placed they lived.  Her life in Africa took place in a bubble of Anglocentricity. She saw Africans as servants and terrorists and did not even take notice to their culture.  Though Fuller comes to a realization that she is African by “accident” and not by birth, Don’t Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight is a love story for Africa and all the black men and women who “at the expense of so
many remained voiceless”  (1).
      The writing is incredibly effective specifically with the use of the three appeals and structure.  Fuller  uses a timeline and tells the dates of important events to move the story along and to establish ethos.   Her diction establishes pathos, including the nearly continuous dialogue and racial remarks to emphasize the negative atmosphere in Africa caused by white supremacists.  Fuller organizes her memoir by stepping back in time as a child and then going forward to being an adult.  This organization keeps the story interesting and allows even more reflection as she places current aspects of her life against moments in her childhood.
     Fuller uses informal language and concrete word choice.  The detail of the memoir includes facts of the happenings where she lived: “In March 1978, Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa of the African National Council makes an agreement with the while government…” (2).  Detail is also used in incidents: “She is floating facedown in the pond.  The ducks are used to her body by now, paddling and waddling around it, throwing back their heads and drinking the water that is full of her last breaths” (3). Fuller uses a lot of imagery: “What I can’t know about Africa as a child is her smell: hot, sweet, smoky, salty, sharp-soft.  It is like black tea, cut tobacco, fresh fire, old sweat, young grass” (4) also, “There is only one time of absolute silence.  This silence is how I know it is not yet dawn, nor is it the middle of the night, but it is the place of no-time, when all things sleep most deeply…” (5). The grammatical sentence structure is mainly long and descriptive sentences, lots of dialogue and words in the African language Nyanja.  The memoir is told in a child’s perspective and the tone is mostly light and happy as Fuller finds a way to laugh, even when there is nothing to celebrate.


Fuller, Alexandra. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood. New York: Random   House, 2001. Print.