The Power of the Question of the Day

     I'm in the ocean.  Just floating there- not even sure what I'm floating on or where I am geographically or how I got this far out or where the coast is.  I'm just floating.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, a siren sounds.  I sit up quickly, and my raft wobbles.  I cling frantically to the edges but too late...I am falling, I am drowning, I am...waking up.

     Crap. I roll over- the time on my clock reads 9:20.  9:20am.  9:20am as in I was supposed to be up an hour ago at least in order to shower, brush my teeth, get breakfast, and pack my backpack.  Crap.  For a moment, I lay there, still wrapped snugly in my blanket, sleep teasing me, fluttering close and making me want to shut my eyes and drift, back into the ocean, back into darkness, back into comfort.  I contemplate several things.  Would it be so bad if I were to just sleep through LA101H? Just this once, then never again?  What crucial pieces of information would be lost if I were to sink back into my blissful coma, what important things missed that a simple e-mail wouldn't repair?  What if I just did it...

     And then I remember.  The question of the day.  A fact about everyone in the room- one I could never obtain through e-mail.  And it's not that I'm some weird super creeper who stalks everyone in the class and wants to know their life story (okay maybe you, Gabo), it's just that I genuinely enjoy the question of the day.  I love thinking back to whatever it is- something about myself others don't know, my favorite movie, something I love to hate, the worst job I've ever had.  I love hearing people tell their stories- I love laughing at 9:45am at the nickname Cocoa Bear even though in an hour I have an exam I know absolutely nothing for and my roommate is bugging me and I miss my parents and I can't wait for summer and I'm stressed out like nobody's business.  I like getting up in front of the class to give a speech and looking out to a sea of faces that are no longer unfamiliar, but each face holds some weight: that person is from New York, that person is a child of divorce, that person works at Sesame Place (shout out Jaclyn ;P), that person's been to Italy and that person wants to become a lawyer.  I love feeling comfortable in the classroom- feeling like everyone is genuinely interested in what I have to say and who I am.  And even if they're not, for about thirty seconds every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, in spite of feeling stressed, upset, hungry, exhausted, hungover, wistful, resentful, anxious and a whole host of other unpleasant emotions, for just those thirty seconds during my time to share my answer to the question of the day, I get to feel...interesting.

Rhetoric At Work

     So after a grueling weekend of two 9 hour shifts at Chipotle, I found myself half-heartedly rolling burritos and beginning to do the unthinkable- relate my life to things I learn about in class.   I started to notice certain things in the way people talk to me- the frat guys with their Greek letter sweatshirts and bravado when they ask for "double meat", the sports teams who walk in like they own the place and all order the same thing, donning their Penn State Rugby team sweatshirts and sweatpants (seriously, do sports guys own any clothes that don't pay homage to their sports team?), the sorority girls who give me condescending looks and quietly order salads, sans the dressing of course, the geeky guys who are infallibly polite and make me want to throw myself over the counter and hug after a long day of scooping rice for ungrateful pricks, the people who barely speak English and frantically point to ingredients, the adults who walk in, lists in hand, attempting to order meals for an entire family, the young parents with their infants in tow, brandishing their baby proudly as though I'm going to give them free burritos just for having to change diapers.  All kinds of people come in there- some loud, some soft-spoken, some obnoxious and others polite, some with polite smiles and others with creepy winks that make me internally shudder.  Rhetoric is in everything- it's in the way my boss tells me I have to move faster, in the way the cooks communicate with each other, sometimes loudly but always respectfully, in the way the cashier requests politely that customers sign receipts and in the way boys try to charm their way into skipping the extra $1.80 guacamole charge.  Rhetoric shapes everything we do in the way of communication...funny how the things I learn in school sometimes, maybe apply to the real world :-P

Really Good Rhetoricians

#1- Stephen Colbert

This man is amazing.  Seriously.  I would do unspeakable things to see his show tape live.  Stephen Colbert is a talented public speaker, a fantastic comedian, a witty interviewer, and overall just dead sexy, if you ask me.  Why do I think Stephen Colbert is such a great rhetorician?  There are several elements that make his show excellent- he has immense appeal with his satirical take on current social issues and the vocabulary he uses gives him credibility as an educated person.  He doesn't take himself too seriously, which makes him enjoyable to watch.  

#2- Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien, despite leaving NBC seemingly awkwardly, has bounced back as a late night talk show host with his new show on TBS.  Conan has a similar appeal as Colbert- he keeps his demeanor light and humorous while making social commentary.  Conan also has a logos appeal- he too speaks in an educated way and is, in fact, a Harvard graduate.  Conan engages viewers by featuring segments that are humorous and actually asking relevant questions when he interviews guests, unlike other interviewers (David Letterman comes to mind, who seems to only want to make himself look funny in interviews, even if it involves blatantly taunting guests to their faces).  Conan has a self-deprecating sense of humor that is refreshing, and makes him a powerful rhetorician.

#3- Oprah Winfrew

You didn't really think I would get away with making this list without a shoutout to my homegirl Oprah, didja?  Oprah is a phenomenal rhetorician whose rhetorical skills have helped her make bank and be relevant and recognizable worldwide. Why is Oprah so successful? Because Oprah goes there.  Oprah delves into issues that would be deemed too heavy or serious for other daytime talk show hosts.  She interviews her guests with questions that are well-crafted: she is not an indulgent or egotistical interviewer, but a genuinely good listener.  Her advice is always sound, her passion for charity work unmatched, and she is relatable and honest with her audience.  And anyone who gives away free cars is fine by me.

Public Controversies: The Low-Down

     Fact.  Value.  Policy.  The three primary components that define a public controversy.  A public controversy has a factual foundation, is an issue of values, and has the desired result of a reformed, resisted, or reinstated policy.  The guidelines leave much more breadth than it sounds- there are many issues, on both a small and large scale, that could be considered public controversies.  For my entry today, I'm going to go over a few issues and weigh whether or not they could be considered public controversies.

     

Tuition Prices

Absolutely, yes.  Tuition prices is an issue that affects a large range of people and is undeniably relevant in modern society.  It is based on fact- the fact that tuition prices are at an all-time high, the fact that they have increased dramatically in recent years, the fact that U.S tuition prices are astronomical compared to that of other countries.  There is value involved- the value of receiving an education and then carving out a valuable career path that meets an individual's goals.  The policy is the issue at hand- how are these universities getting away with charging such high prices?  How is our society being hurt by these prices, how can this change to ensure that an education is increasingly accessible?  Tuition prices is definitely a public controversy.

Snooki's Poof

Well, let's weigh the issue.  The fact is, I've been seeing less and less of the poof this season on Jersey Shore as compared to the two seasons prior.  The policy- should Snooki be required to wear the poof a certain amount of times per season?  Should she have a poof quota?  I miss that thing- it had character.  The value lies in...okay, maybe this isn't a public controversy after all.

The Breaking up of The Beatles

Tentatively, yes.  The fact: John and Paul started arguing more and more about a wide range of issues- the presence of Yoko in the recording studio, John's drug usage, Paul's drug usage, John's evolving songwriting style versus Paul's evolving songwriting style, whose going to continue making Ringo feel included, etc.  (The last one was a joke),  The value: the existence of this band and their music's effectiveness- how they broke down cultural, gender, political, and societal barriers with their music.  The policy: The issue itself.  Many fans were heartbroken to hear the news the band was breaking up, and were in favor of them reuniting.  Other fans understood the band had begun to grow apart and was content with the new arrangement of each artist now working on solo projects.  So yes, the breaking up of The Beatles is a public controversy.

No Paper Towels in the Dorm Bathrooms

Fact: There are no paper towels or hand dryers in the dorm bathrooms.  Value: Umm, hello, after washing my hands the natural next step would be to DRY THEM.  Policy: Currently, no hand dryers or paper towels.  The policy I would appreciate: being able to DRY MY HANDS.  Maybe not a public controversy to the scale I wish it was, and not exactly a grave matter, but a relevant issue all the same.

Commercials That Just Don't Cut It

ORIGINALLY POSTED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH
***Sorry guys, I have no idea what happened.  I was wondering why I didn't get any comments on my entry...turns out it never posted.  I forgot to hit "Publish Post" and instead saved it.  Sorry everyone! My mistake.

State Farm Commercial

     I'm sure you've seen this commercial a million times.  I feel as though nearly every time I turn on the TV I see this ad...and it gets more and more annoying.  There is nothing in this ad that makes State Farm appeal to me.  There is no logos appeal- there are no statistics in the advertisement or featured celebrities that give State Farm credibility. There is no tangible pathos appeal- I do not sympathize with the situation or either of the characters.  In fact, I find them both irritating- the woman is hypocritical, asking for State Farm to grant her a new boyfriend after getting aggravated her boyfriend just did the same thing.  Neither character appeals to me or garners my sympathy, and overall I find the advertisement annoying, bland, and entirely forgettable.

Freaky IKEA Commercial

     What the heck is this?  First of all those girls are creepy- The Shining, anyone?  What's up with their braces and monotonous voices and weird outfits?  They look like that creepy girl from The Orphan who was actually like 40 or something.  I don't understand why they're sassing these ovens and frankly I don't care.  The ovens actually look pretty sweet.  And then the enthusiastic mother comes in and gets all excited about the ovens- overall, this commercial does nothing for me but freak me out.  There is no logos appeal- nothing that makes IKEA credible or the spokespeople.  There is also no pathos or ethos appeal- I feel no trust for the people selling the ad, or any kind of draw to the product being advertised.

Seriously Old Pringles Commercial...Oh Hey Brad Pitt?

     Wow.  Okay- there is a lot going on here.  I feel like I'm watching the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo + Juliet, except I can't really understand anybody.  Random parts of the commercial seem to be in some weird fast forward, the colors hurt my eyes, and is that girl British?  Also, on what highway is it okay to pull over because of lack of Pringles, cause some kind of major traffic jam, and exit your vehicles to go mingle with some scantily clad girls?  There is no logos, no detectable pathos, and no tangible ethos.  It's okay, Brad- we all make mistakes.