Governing of society does not come with an instruction manual. If it did, dispute over how to run its people would not exist. However, Niccolo Machiavelli comes closer than other philosophers to describe the procedure of controlling society. While Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau had valid theories, Machiavelli's work, The Prince, includes suggestions most valid to our society.
Machiavelli gave clear instructions to leaders of men, which not only apply to those of his time but also in our society. One of his suggestions was for a "prince" to say what was needed in order to get support of his people, but to betray his word if necessary. Our American politicians today are perfect examples of Machiavelli's idea. Even President Barack Obama has claimed to perform actions which he never pursued further. Machiavelli also argues that a government cannot be too generous nor stingy, which also proves true in American society. Taxes placed on citizens are constantly debated to be too high or low. Without these taxes, however, there would be no way to protect or maintain our country, such as funding the Iraq war and bailing out our economy. If these taxes were to get too high, American citizens would rebel as they have prior to the American Revolution. Therefore, the government has to maintain a balance between their being generous with lower taxation or stingy with higher taxes.
Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau had theories which I do not believe hold true in society today. Hobbes believed in an absolute monarchy government, which does not exist in our country because our democracy has proven more popular than a tyranny. American citizens have come to treasure rights such as voting for leaders and having checks and balances in the government so that no person or group has too much power. Locke believed in a very liberal society where there was no aristocracy. While this seems ideal, it will never be the case in our society as there are different economic classes and jobs. Rousseau also theorized that all men are equal, which is unrealistic in America. Without a need to advance in society, our country would not be as progressive as it currently is.
While Rousseau, Hobbs, and Locke all had valid theories about mankind and society, their ideas do not hold true today. Because Machiavelli's ideas are so prevalent in American government today, his opinion is much more justifiable than the other philosophers.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
AOW #12: Advertisement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBQQ8rYFcu4
This advertisement was for Kay Jewelers and features a woman who is both a mother and wife kissing her children and showing love for them. There is a narration in the background explaining how much mothers do and how they care for their families. The narrator attempts to convince the audience to show that they care for their mother by buying her diamonds from Kay Jewelers.
This advertisement was obviously made by Kay Jewelers in order to appeal to audiences who watched TV and were children or husbands. The context of this advertisement was mothers and showing all of the wonderful things they do in order to appeal emotionally to viewers with memory of their own mothers and their love. The exigence for this commercial was that it was around the time of Mother's Day, therefor families would need to get presents for their mothers.
The purpose of this advertisement was to convince families to buy Kay Jewelry for their mothers and wives for Mother's Day. As stated above, the commercial clearly appeals to viewers emotion and memory of mothers. It also seems logical because the majority of women in America love diamonds, therefore a mother should love diamonds and a viewer should then buy their mother diamonds (syllogism). Kay Jewelers achieved their purpose to attempt to get viewers to buy their products, because they reached out to a wide variety of people watching television whom would have then went to Kay Jewelers.
This advertisement was for Kay Jewelers and features a woman who is both a mother and wife kissing her children and showing love for them. There is a narration in the background explaining how much mothers do and how they care for their families. The narrator attempts to convince the audience to show that they care for their mother by buying her diamonds from Kay Jewelers.
This advertisement was obviously made by Kay Jewelers in order to appeal to audiences who watched TV and were children or husbands. The context of this advertisement was mothers and showing all of the wonderful things they do in order to appeal emotionally to viewers with memory of their own mothers and their love. The exigence for this commercial was that it was around the time of Mother's Day, therefor families would need to get presents for their mothers.
The purpose of this advertisement was to convince families to buy Kay Jewelry for their mothers and wives for Mother's Day. As stated above, the commercial clearly appeals to viewers emotion and memory of mothers. It also seems logical because the majority of women in America love diamonds, therefore a mother should love diamonds and a viewer should then buy their mother diamonds (syllogism). Kay Jewelers achieved their purpose to attempt to get viewers to buy their products, because they reached out to a wide variety of people watching television whom would have then went to Kay Jewelers.
Monday, November 21, 2011
AOW #11: Political Cartoon
Context: This cartoon portrays how widespread technology such as ipads and iphones have become, and also how social sites such as Twitter and Facebook are so popular. This cartoon is making fun of how dependent people have become on technology today and how literally everyone does it, using a baby to show how young use of technology and the internet starts.
Source/Author: Drawn by Mick Stevens, this cartoon is from The New Yorker. Stevens has appeared in many publications, such as The Harvard Business Review, Barons', The National Law Journal, and USA Weekend. He has also published a few books filled with his cartoons.
Purpose: Stevens's purpose was to exaggerate Americans' use of technology and social networking. By using a baby as a Apple user, Stevens sends a message that even babies are participating in the trend. I believe he accomplishes this purpose.
Audience: Readers of The New Yorker magazine.
Rhetorical Elements: This image is very ironic, considering that babies cannot speak let alone update a status on the internet. In order to understand this comic an audience also has to have previous knowledge about the situation like current computers and phones, knowing what an infirmary for babies would look like, and knowing that OMG is a term often used on the internet for statuses. Stevens is clearly using readers' memory as a rhetorical device.
Friday, November 18, 2011
2nd Marking Period IRB
Title: Decoded
Author: Jay-Z
I chose this book because it is very new and popular right now. Many people like it (including Oprah) so I expect it to not be a waste of time to read. It is also very appealing to me that it is written by a rapper, because although many public figures are currently writing books, most rappers do not. I am interested to find out Jay-Z's perspectives on life and what his lyrics are about. I am really excited to read this book because I hear his music on the radio almost every day.
This book is 305 pages, so I will divide it up to 100 pages for each response.
Author: Jay-Z
I chose this book because it is very new and popular right now. Many people like it (including Oprah) so I expect it to not be a waste of time to read. It is also very appealing to me that it is written by a rapper, because although many public figures are currently writing books, most rappers do not. I am interested to find out Jay-Z's perspectives on life and what his lyrics are about. I am really excited to read this book because I hear his music on the radio almost every day.
This book is 305 pages, so I will divide it up to 100 pages for each response.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
AOW #10: Article
Summary: This week I read an article about a current conspiracy theory of the illuminati and their goal to create a new world order. Many believe that members of the illuminati are the famous and rich of the world, such as public figures Jay-Z and Oprah. These members are so rich and powerful that they control the government and world affairs, theoretically. The article goes into depth about possible member Jay-Z, who is estimated to be worth billions of dollars. He has made many references in his music to the illuminati, Freemason society (a selective elite fraternity), and demonic figures. This makes listeners question if Jay-Z and other rappers are simply seeking attention, or actually in an organization seeking world domination.
Source/author: Brian McManus is an experienced writer of about 12 years who wrote about food and music for Houston Press for 5 years, before being a nightlife columnist. Since then he has written for Philadelphia Weekly, where I found this article. He has also recently written a book, Philadelphia's Best Dive Bars. Philadelphia Weekly, also know as PW, is an award winning alternative magazine published every Wednesday. It has featured coverage of local and national politics, arts, music, film, and theatre since 1971.
Context: This article is overall about the conspiracy about an elite group called the illuminati, who wants to establish new world order. The exigence for this article is that people have recently come to believe that current public figures, whom are rich and famous, are part of this group and intend to take over the world by spreading their ideas through media. Because our society has recently developed a very divided economic and social structure which has been made very public, people like to come up with ideas as to way the rich are so powerful.
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present how this conspiracy is and is not plausible. McManus presents viewpoints of different members of society and evidence of the existence of the Illuminati to argue either side. I believe that he does not favor either side in order to make the reader consider which they think is true. In this way he accomplishes his purpose to make a reader develop their own opinion.
Audience: Readers of PW magazine.
Rhetorical Elements: McManus tries to be very unbiased and logical when writing this article, using mostly quotations and ideas from others about the conspiracy. He does this in order to not take a side on the issue. In this way he also juxtaposes evidence for and against belief in the illuminati.
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/The-Illuminati-Conspiracy-or-New-World-Order.html
Source/author: Brian McManus is an experienced writer of about 12 years who wrote about food and music for Houston Press for 5 years, before being a nightlife columnist. Since then he has written for Philadelphia Weekly, where I found this article. He has also recently written a book, Philadelphia's Best Dive Bars. Philadelphia Weekly, also know as PW, is an award winning alternative magazine published every Wednesday. It has featured coverage of local and national politics, arts, music, film, and theatre since 1971.
Context: This article is overall about the conspiracy about an elite group called the illuminati, who wants to establish new world order. The exigence for this article is that people have recently come to believe that current public figures, whom are rich and famous, are part of this group and intend to take over the world by spreading their ideas through media. Because our society has recently developed a very divided economic and social structure which has been made very public, people like to come up with ideas as to way the rich are so powerful.
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present how this conspiracy is and is not plausible. McManus presents viewpoints of different members of society and evidence of the existence of the Illuminati to argue either side. I believe that he does not favor either side in order to make the reader consider which they think is true. In this way he accomplishes his purpose to make a reader develop their own opinion.
Audience: Readers of PW magazine.
Rhetorical Elements: McManus tries to be very unbiased and logical when writing this article, using mostly quotations and ideas from others about the conspiracy. He does this in order to not take a side on the issue. In this way he also juxtaposes evidence for and against belief in the illuminati.
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/The-Illuminati-Conspiracy-or-New-World-Order.html
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Independent Read
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
This entire story was written because of Henrietta Lacks' life. Lacks, who lived during the early 1900's, was diagnosed and later died of cervical cancer. While being treated at Johns Hopkins, doctors took cells of her cervix and gave them to Dr. Otto Gey. The cells continued to survive and multiply in labs (unlike previous cells) and scientists finally were able to perform experiments which were able to create vaccinations which saved lives. These became known as HeLa cells, and were used for years without Henrietta or her family's knowledge after she died. Skloot later interviews them after many difficult attempts to question the relatives of Henrietta, and they are extremely resentful because of how doctors have taken advantage of them with limited information on the cells. Skloot presents both the medical advances and the great strides that have been taken in medical fields because of HeLa cells and juxtaposes them with the emotional experience of Henrietta's family. The medical information is mostly logical, but a reader sees a very relatable and emotional side of the cells when they read about her family's pain. Skloot did this in order to not take a side on the issue of whether or not cells should be obtained without consent, but instead she presents both sides of the argument. Overall, I think that her purpose was to express how positive cell research can be for patients only if consent is given to obtain them. I believe this is her purpose because she states multiple times that it would have been very simple to ask Henrietta or another patient with her cancer for some of cells instead of taking them and then insulting her and her family.
This entire story was written because of Henrietta Lacks' life. Lacks, who lived during the early 1900's, was diagnosed and later died of cervical cancer. While being treated at Johns Hopkins, doctors took cells of her cervix and gave them to Dr. Otto Gey. The cells continued to survive and multiply in labs (unlike previous cells) and scientists finally were able to perform experiments which were able to create vaccinations which saved lives. These became known as HeLa cells, and were used for years without Henrietta or her family's knowledge after she died. Skloot later interviews them after many difficult attempts to question the relatives of Henrietta, and they are extremely resentful because of how doctors have taken advantage of them with limited information on the cells. Skloot presents both the medical advances and the great strides that have been taken in medical fields because of HeLa cells and juxtaposes them with the emotional experience of Henrietta's family. The medical information is mostly logical, but a reader sees a very relatable and emotional side of the cells when they read about her family's pain. Skloot did this in order to not take a side on the issue of whether or not cells should be obtained without consent, but instead she presents both sides of the argument. Overall, I think that her purpose was to express how positive cell research can be for patients only if consent is given to obtain them. I believe this is her purpose because she states multiple times that it would have been very simple to ask Henrietta or another patient with her cancer for some of cells instead of taking them and then insulting her and her family.
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