My E-Portfolio

I am currently a freshman and an aspiring Paterno Fellow at the Pennsylvania State University.  I am pursuing a double major in Psychology (B.S.) with a neuroscience option and Biobehavioral Health with a minor in Spanish (B.S.).  After college, I plan to further my education by attending medical school in order to study psychiatry.

When I first enrolled in LA 101H in the beginning of the semester, I was not sure what to expect. I understood that it would be a combination of public speaking and writing, however, it proved to be much more.  Through this course I was able to improve my communication skills daily. I have learned many techniques for communicating effectively and have had the opportunity to utilize them in class throughout the semester.  Whether it be blogging, writing a paper, or preparing a multimedia project, I was constantly being challenged.  Through the weekly readings, I have seen rhetoric in many different lights and understand the importance of good communication skills.  

Not only have I acquired skills in public speaking and writing, but also technological skills.  Through the multimedia presentation, I have learned several different ways of getting my voice heard.  Blogging has also taught me how to voice my opinions.  Writing weekly has helped me to explore my creativity and broaden my communication skills. 

The first day of class  my professor asked, "What is rhetoric?"  At the time, I didn't really know.  But after this semester, it's rewarding to know that I have learned exactly what rhetoric is through constant writing, reading, and communicating.  The skills achieved in this class can be applicable not just to academic communication, but also daily communication.  LA 101H pushed me to keep my eyes open for examples of rhetoric, and soon I realized that it's not very hard to find. 


Katelyn M. Dowling E-Portfolio

Today's the Day: Happiness for the Long Run

We tell ourselves, "I'll go to the gym tomorrow because_________."  We've become experts at creating an excuse well enough to hinder interest in our goal.  But the truth is... now is as good a time as any.  For some reason we believe the future is this place where we have all the free time and dedication in the world.  But, the truth is tomorrow you probably won't want to go to the gym as much as you don't want to go today.  So give up the excuses, because excuses only get you further from your goals.  This picture shows a runner, a perfect example of commitment.  If you're a good runner than you don't simply run sporadically because you would never improve without first whipping yourself into shape.  It involves hard work and a goal you know you want without question.


Commitment is a great feeling.  But it doesn't always feel good in the moment, for example, when you're passing a Mcdonalds to go to a Saladworks because you told yourself to start eating healthier.  Think of it as an investment by comparing it to the college experience.  When attending college, you commit yourself to four hard-working, expensive years that yield (hopefully) a long-lasting career that will provide happiness longer than those four years it took to achieve it.  But on graduation day, you feel accomplished and proud.  And suddenly those late studying nights, finals weeks that you thought weren't humanly possible to survive through, and boring textbooks readings have indirectly brought you more joy that you thought possible.  Then you experience that great feeling that it was all worth it.  Committing to anything, big or small, can be looked at in this way.  Each little moment that makes you want to give up on your goals, (like purposefully avoiding the street with a Mcdonalds on it) just suck it up and know that the future lying ahead will be more satisfying in the long run.


Last year I used to run every day, sometimes twice a day.  However, with the new stresses of college I have resorted to this new "excuse-making" strategy.  But thinking back, I remember how happy I was.  Not saying I'm not happy now, but I remember how running put me in a great mood because it was my thing.  It was the thing that made me a dedicated person, not only in running but throughout my daily life. You may have one goal that you set yourself on, but sometimes that goal opens up a bunch of new goals.  That was what running did for me.  It made me realize that I can push myself more than I thought I could.  With each day I'd challenge myself to run better than the day before, and I have to say I miss that challenge a lot.  That's why today I'm going to make a change.  Not just a sparked interest, but a full-on commitment.  A commitment not just to running again, but a commitment to bettering myself.


A commitment can't just be something you hope will happen, you have to know that it will happen with hard work.  Motivation is also a factor that assists in making your goals a reality.  So don't just pick a goal, understand why you want it.  And through this understanding, spark an interest that turns into a life changing commitment.  So stop making excuses because everyone has the potential to be better, the hard part is committing.

With Knowledge, Comes Responsibility

With the presidential election coming up, persuasive speaking is utilized widely.  Candidates work hard to present their ideas in a relevant, justifiable manner.  This idea of persuasion affect people through conviction.  Although I believe myself to be a democrat, after watching this ad on Ron Paul, I found myself being convinced that many of his ideas are valid.  They were presented in an organized and fluid way which held my attention and allowed me to understand his perception.

In this ad, the history of war in America is explained and discussed on a level that is understandable to the average person.  I never paid much attention to politics, but I realized that was because my preconception of politics is that they are above me.  I felt that there's nothing I can do and it's too complicated to read into.  But ads like these simplify it for people who were naive to it before.  The ad answers American's need for clarity about current events and foreign affairs.  It gives situations, presents a plan for action, combats possible consequences of the plan, an then supports the plan through historical examples pulled from America's timeline of war in order to show that this plan will work.


A quote from Daniel Hannan, a British member of Parliament, states, "On of the really appealing things about Ron Paul is that he understand the importance of history, he understands the importance of seeing where you're coming from."  This is the exact reason why Ron Paul is persuasive.  Ron Paul gives us credibility, trust, and evidence to support his claims.  Credibility is what America wants in a president; someone who backs up their claims with evidence so that we feel safe in our decision to make him president.


The video presents statistics and shows our military debt compared to other countries in order to show us that this is a problem, and that Ron Paul can fix it.  In the middle of the video Ron Paul's plan is presented through short statements: Defend this country, restore our economy, secure our borders, end foreign aid, lead by example and not by force, and consequently be a safer, stronger America.

"We as a group now have a greater moral responsibility to act than those who live in ignorance, once you become knowledgeable you have an obligation to do something about it."- Ron Paul


Ron Paul says this statement, which provides exigence to America.  Through this statement, he unifies his audience and appeals through pathos by providing the audience with the pride that they now have knowledge, which comes with responsibility.  Before the act I lived in ignorance of foreign affairs, but now I have a responsibility that I will keep by gaining more knowledge on the topic in order to make an informed, proactive vote so that I can say that I did my part in helping the future of our country.

Typography

Typography is the art or technique of arranging type in order to to make language visible.  In the example above, it is suggesting that letters can hug, which obviously is not true.  However, through typography this idea is conveyed with a deeper meaning; that letters are stronger than texts or emails.     

The picture conveys pathos in the face of the "letter man" and also with the idea that most people have received a loving letter and can relate.  Without even reading the text at the bottom, this picture shows that words represent a lot.  If you read the beginning of the letter it says "I know it's difficult not being able to see each other.."  This also adds to the pathos behind this picture.  This embrace shared between the letter and the woman is more than what it looks like.  This woman is collapsing into the letter's loving embrace, allowing it to comfort any sadness she feels due to the absence of her loved one.  Typographic pictures bring words to life, just like a letter can bring emotions to its reader more effectively. 

Advertisements always find ways to grab the attention of customers.  Whether it's an interesting picture or a catchy slogan; ads have a way of being clever.  Dyson, a vacuum cleaner company, took the clever approach of typography.  Certain arrangements and fonts of language capture our attention in different ways.  Companies seem to know the write fonts and arrangements to attract the eyes of customers.  Color, image, and font all play a big part in the effectiveness of this simple Dyson ad.


The subtle pun of the filled in letters in "others clog" playfully puts Dyson ahead of other vacuums.  Also, the grey font puts "others clog" in the background and pushes "ours doesn't" into the spotlight.  The font of this ad is simple and clean, focusing more on the color and clever pun.  By looking at this advertisement, a potential customer receives a glimpse into the Dyson experience: sleek, clean, and stylish.  The bold yellow color and sleek letters exemplify the modern cleanliness that a Dyson vacuum can bring to your home.  Dyson shows that font makes all the difference in grasping someone's attention.


Both of these pictures exemplify a brilliant way of writing stylistically.  Instead of just filling an ad with information about their product, Dyson gives the customer one of the main benefits to focus on.  The picture persuading people that letters convey more than texts or emails, is appealing and provokes emotion.  Typography gives words a new meaning while being fun to look at, easy to understand, and a great attention-grabber.

Obama Expands His Campaign

With the election coming up I've been paying more attention to the newspaper and current events in order to make an informed vote.  Today while reading the New York Times I noticed an article about Obama's campaign.  This article informs readers that Obama has taken a new approach to campaign advertisements.  Rather than a 30 second ad, Obama's campaign created a 17 minute ad which was released yesterday.  

Not everyone is updated on current issues in our world today.  Therefore, presidential campaigns must think of persuasive ads to grasp the voter's attention.  In this ad Obama uses pathos to come down to the level of the middle-class.  He tells them that he can relate to many of these middle-class issues.  For example, he says that he wants health care for everyone because he knows what it's like to watch a loved one pass away knowing that there could have been procedures to prevent it.  Obama talks about how his mother passed away of ovarian cancer, which could have been treated.  

While some people may feel that Obama hasn't done much, other's understand the amount of economic trouble that was handed off to him and his efforts to improve our country.  Obama explains his presidential stand point.  He wants to let America know that although it hasn't been easy, he has made a lot of productive change but that there's a lot more change to be done.  This video showed me everything Obama has done for our country in a 17 minute ad.  Through this ad Obama receives credibility so that people know that if elected again, more change is to come.  I think this is a great way to approach voters so that controversial issues don't seem so unsolvable.  Obama stresses that when our country comes together, we can do a lot.  

"It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today." -Barack Obama

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama

Get the Picture?

They say, "A picture is worth a thousand words."  Well how much is a video full of pictures worth? In this video, pictures are combined with music and narration in order to convey an inspirational message: "If you've never failed, you've never lived."  We all face times when we want to give up.  When things get too hard, or we've been rejected one too many times.  Well, this video suggests that that rejection is want makes success.


Lucille Ball, The Beatles, Ulysses S. Grant, Michael Jordan, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, and Abraham Lincoln- all different kinds of success, but one thing in common: they've all experienced moments of defeat that would've made other give up.  But not these renowned names, because they accepted the challenge.  Whether being fired, cut from a team, or given a discouraging note, these legends overcame the downfalls which came to fuel their success stories.


The images utilized by the video contribute to its pathos.  When talking about each legend, the appropriate pictures come up- a basketball for Michael Jordan, and a stage for Lucille Ball.  This reminds the viewer of what their success was which provides clarity.  The music in the background of the narration is thought-provoking and in sync with the narrator and images which makes the video seem more fluid.  Along with the images and music, certain words are displayed when talking about each legend: "turned down," "failed," "cut."  These words are words that average people experience throughout life.  This makes these legends seem relative to our own lives, and our own defeats.


Discretely, a bandage is shown on a child's knee as the narrator says, "If you never failed..."  Followed by a child riding a bike saying, "you've never lived."  The bandage represents failure, or being wounded from rejection.  The child on the bike represents the success of learning how to ride a bike.  After falling and getting back on the bike again, success eventually comes.  This metaphorically represents challenges that everyone faces throughout life.  When we fall, we must get back on the bike in order to fully experience the road ahead.


After losing your fiance, failing in business twice, and being defeated in 8 elections, you would not think you could ever appear on a penny.  Well, Abraham Lincoln probably didn't think so either.  With these examples, anything seems reachable.  Through the use of images in sync with music and narration, this video successfully conveys a powerful message of never giving up.  When being rejected, you may feel that you don't have what it takes to succeed, but this video shows that everyone has what it takes- the difference is if you believe that.

State Patty's Day

"State Patty's Day is an event created by students and designed with the intent to consume alcoholic beverages."  


I don't know if anyone else finds this statement a little funny.  It's almost ironic because the writer is writing very formally to reach an informal audience.  I found this annoying and thought that it'd be more productive if she attempted to relate to us, rather than basically saying "Don't do it."  Administrators should try and think of productive ways to appeal to the audience of the students in order to make them not want to participate.  Rather, than simply attempting to kill this tradition.  Most of the advertisements I have read about not participating in State Patty's Day are poorly written.  They have no meaning.  No motive to not participate in the holiday.  How do they think those advertisements are appealing to the students? 


Everywhere you go around campus there's something saying that Penn State does not support this holiday.  Whether they support it or not, rather than trying to stop it, they should make other fun events on that day for the people who don't want to participate.  I've seen events about doing volunteer work instead.  What audience is that appealing to? Certainly not the students who are excited for this day.  They should come up with fun activities rather than saying "Hey don't have fun, oh and do community service."

"No more than one guest on State Patty's Day."  Rather than making rash rules, administrators should take time to analyze the audience being affected  by these rules.  Careless things may happen on State Patty's Day but silly rules like "No more than one guest" aren't helping.  I found that the more productive route Penn State has chosen is by attempting to interest students in other events.  This is a more proactive way of attempting to get young people from being irresponsible, rather than implementing rules.

While these rules may be effective in keeping alcohol out of the buildings, it won’t keep it out of the hands of the students.  Therefore, administrators should try to understand the audience who they're trying to reach, and consequently make productive changes rather that making rules rashly.  

Resolving with Rhetoric

This week I was filling out an application for the Presidential Leadership Academy at Penn State and I was asked to write an essay about the "Arab Spring." Considering I have not updated myself on current events, I researched the topic. The severity of this revolutionary movement shocked me.  How could all this be going on and I haven't heard anything about it? But as I analyzed the disputable origin of the topic, I realized that rhetoric could be a step toward resolving this great turmoil.

Here's my summary in order to update yourself on the topic:

Sparked by the bold protest of one Tunisian man, the fire of the "Arab Spring" was fueled by inflation, unemployment, and lack of freedom of expression. Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, the President of Tunisia, promised to take action. But this action wasn't referring to ceasing the effects of inflation, unemployment, and lack of freedom. Rather, it was a reference to simply stop the protests, which ironically represents an effort to eliminate these great sufferings that fuel the despair facing the Arab world. Therefore, the dominant factor that resulted in this array of protests was not the spark felt by the fire of the first protestor, Mohamed Bouazizi; but rather, the impact of the government's absence of action.  Feeling pressure to take action themselves, protestors press on. The Tunisian people’s uprising protests led the rest of the Arab world to question their government’s authority. Ben Ali fled his own country from these horrible attacks. How can the people feel safe when even their own leader is hiding from what they have no choice but to face? "The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity," Obama said. But instead through the lack of government reassurance, great turmoil has been caused. Although there has been change sparked by these protests, peace will not come until democracy rings throughout the Arab world. If one country obtains democracy, another is going to press harder, with stronger protests, which will result in the Arab spring’s impact being long-lasting. This impact will consist of more violent attempts but it will eventually result in a sense of unity among the Arab world through the need for action and freedom.

The lack of communication between the government and the people prevent democracy from forming. People are becoming impatient with the government not acting or even speaking of a plan to form democracy and be at peace.

This image displays the revolution as a roller coaster- which is exactly what it is.  People are scared and consequently acting rashly over and over again.  The governments are attempting to solve the situation by simply stopping the protest and trying to quiet the dispute of their people.  But the protests will only become more frequent.  They must except that there is turmoil among their people in order to resolve the situation instead of avoiding the argumentative issue at hand.  Rather than assessing this issue head on, the governments try to simply prevent the protests by stopping them through military forces, instead of trying to understand their people.  Obviously the protests are a sign that this isn't a productive way of governing.  Avoiding arguments are common among everyday disputes, but I didn't realize that it could be the source of a long-lasting political issue.

Umm.. Ethos?

Fifty-two.  That's the number I reached until I lost track of the endless stream of "ums" flowing from my professor's mouth.  Psychology is a rather interesting subject, but when a professor chops it up with "ums," well it makes it much less appealing.


I have great respect for the credibility of a professor.  But that credible respect is only kept if the professor comes across as intelligent.  Sure, they're well educated and maybe they're an expert of their profession, but it makes them sound unsure of their own credibility when they soil a lecture with the "word" um.  It is important to convey your intelligence through appearance, but also through your word choices.

Once I dig myself out of the pile of "ums" my professor has thrown at me, I see that she knows a lot about her profession.  Therefore, I do believe she is credible and a good professor. If she could just find a way to avoid that horrible sentence-chopping word, then her class would be much more pleasant and I would gain more from her lectures.  Sadly, however, I've found myself losing the purpose of the lecture and focusing my attention on my professor's poor public speaking skills.

A good orator should execute pathos, ethos, and logos through their speeches.  However, without reaching a credible relationship with the audience, they'll be too far out of you're reach to even come close to achieving pathos and logos.  Trying to instill ethos into a speech doesn't have to be challenging.  Using commendable vocabulary, speaking clearly, and researching the topic can achieve ethos.  And of course, having a degree or some background in whatever your talking about helps too.


Commercials often misuse ethos.  Here is a great example.

Having a background of Ashton Kutcher's films, one may understand he might not be found diving around a fashion show just to get a picture of a woman's shoes.  However, he may attract viewers who are fans of his acting.  But Nikon should keep their audience in mind.  Are they looking for a bunch of teenage girls obsessed with Ashton to buy their product?  I don't believe so.  I would think that someone looking to buy an expensive camera would be more curious about the actor's picture-taking skills than his looks.  I presume that type of audience would be more engaged in a commercial that actually focuses (no pun intended) on the camera itself.  Or perhaps a well-known photographer who can vouch for the product would also be more appealing to the geared audience.  Misuse of ethos can result in a poor connection with an audience.  And without connecting with the audience you might not have great success in what you are attempting to achieve.


Last year, I was preparing to make a speech for one of my classes.  As I became more nervous my friend cheered me up with this clip.

My first piece of advice: Don't do what this guy did!  Watching a silly clip like this made me more relaxed.  Public speaking doesn't have to be as scary as everyone makes it.  Take control of ethos, pathos, and logos and you'll be surprised at the connection you'll make with your audience.

Kairos- Take a Risk

Kairos is "an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment."

For many people the word kairos may simply be a term to be used in rhetorical situations.  However, for people who have participated in The Kairos Retreat Experience, it is a lot more.  Being the retreat's leader, I explained to my peers the importance of the term Kairos.  Having been on the retreat before, I had experienced its true meaning first-hand.

In many situations today, we miss opportunities for various reasons.  Whether it be laziness or the simple fear of being embarrassed, these opportunities have passed without ever being taken advantage of. At retreat, we would reveal in our small groups some of the most intimate feelings that we had been holding in.  Consequently, we bonded like we never imagined.  These bonds would have never occurred if we didn't take the risk of being vulnerable to our peers.  I explained to everyone that if they had things that they wanted to discuss then this was their time, their kairos.  With that mindset, 30 completely different people learned to confide in each other as if they were a family.  Whether you were a jock or a nerd, it didn't matter, because at Kairos everyone had an equal opportunity to open up.  We learned that we're all people, and that we can get through even the toughest times with the support of one another.  This was the most beneficial application of "kairos" that I could have experienced.

Letting go of insecurities opened up a window for new friends, new memories, and an overall life-changing experience.  Seizing a simple kairotic moment brought a group of people together and made them a family.

However, being on two retreats I have seen people who let the kairotic experience slip by.  They were too afraid to reveal such intimate thoughts.  But even when you feel unsure about an open door, sometimes its worth the risky walk through, because you never know when that door will open again.

After the retreat I realized that Kairos is everywhere.  Doors open and close in our lives constantly, and whether we walk through them or let them pass by is up to us.  Seizing kairotic moments help us to live without regrets.  Maybe you'll regret never telling your friend how much you care about them before you both go your separate ways to college.  Maybe they'll question the friendship you had and this may consequently lead to losing touch with each other.  Perhaps it's awkward to say how much someone means to you, but when that final opportunity arises, take hold and don't lose your grip for the simple fear of being misunderstood.

 

I Believe In To Do Lists

                                                       I Believe in To Do Lists

There’s nothing like waking up to a blank piece of paper in the morning.  My mind races with possibilities.  And in my mind, none of them are any more out of my reach than this piece of paper next to me.  I grab the paper, and quickly jot down anything and everything I want to do today. 

Growing up as the youngest child and the only girl in my family, everything seemed so big and out of my reach.  My mom would tell me “Your time will come” as I watched my brothers make one accomplishment after the other.  This excited me and I couldn’t wait to have a million things to do like my brothers.  I entered high school and finally, it was my time: my time to express what I had been holding in, my time to do everything I watched my brothers do, and more, my time to do anything that I had ever desired.  The possibilities were endless and I couldn’t have been happier.

My teacher handed me a book the first day of class- my first planner.  I wrote down assignments, aspirations, club activities, birthdays, and anything that I felt was important.  Looking at my planner materialized my goals.  It showed me that they weren’t just in my head, but that they were in my reach. 

Discovering new goals each day was inspiring.  I wanted to achieve more and more.  Captain of the lacrosse team, diocesan scholar, leader of my high school retreat, a part-time job; nothing made me happier than being involved.  My dad told me that I couldn’t handle it all.  He said, “Remember, just because someone says you can’t do something, doesn’t mean you have to prove them wrong.”  I didn’t believe in that statement at all.  In my mind, it wasn’t about proving him wrong. It was about proving to myself that I could do anything I wanted if I gave it my all. 

Constantly having something to do makes each day worthwhile.  Not one day seems meaningless when there is a goal to be reached.  I believe that I owe my determination to my “to do lists.”  They taught me to treat each day as an empty slate.  They taught me to believe in endless opportunities and second chances.  They taught me to appreciate each day.  But most importantly, they taught me to never say can’t.  My “to do lists” give me the foundation in which all of my beliefs are based.

I finish jotting down my ideas and I look at my messy paper.  Even if it is something far-fetched, I’ll write it down because once it’s on paper, it’s no longer just a thought… its real.

Touché

In the heat of an ugly argument beliefs clash, fallacies fly, and contradictions arise.  But if the argument is effective, mindsets may change for the better.  The question is, how do you know when to change your mindset and agree that your opponent has justly proven themself correct?

"After an argument, silence may mean acceptance or the continuation of resistance by other means."-Mason Cooley.  This acceptance can be show through the simple word, "touché." It is defined as "the acknowledgement of the striking home of a remark or the capping of a witticism."  Don't be afraid of this word.  It can be your tool to having a better understanding of disputable topics.  Acknowledging another's wit is a mature way of understanding a new approach on the topic. 

The usual thought process before arguing may be similar to, "My understanding is correct and I am going to prove it by winning."  But what does it truly mean to win an argument? Maybe winning is proving that your beliefs are correct or maybe it is having a better understanding on the topic.  Both are advantages of arguing, but I believe the only way you can lose an argument is if you are too stubborn to admit the opponent is right.  

Being stubborn is a horrible trait.  It creates a resistance to learning new ideas and appreciating other's beliefs.  Yes, sometimes people's beliefs are very different and it is okay to stick up for what you believe in, but you must be perceptive.  People need to understand that an opinion doesn't make up a person's identity.  We must agree to disagree sometimes but still be willing to see the world through someone else's perception.

Entering an argument without an open mind is like entering a bet without anything to bet, you're not going to gain anything from the experience.  One must step into the shoes of their opponent in order to have a productive debate.

The method that this video discusses is the true objective of rhetorical dispute.  Take your opponent's mindset and do more than just disagree with it, pretend to believe it in order to understand perspective.  I believe the proper steps to an argument would be the following: (1) enter with an open mind, (2) understand both your own argument and your opponents', (3) and don't be afraid to change your understanding of the topic by simply saying "touché" when it is justly deserved.

PUNishment by comPUNies?

Persuasion is a beautiful thing.  Being able to take someone's ideas and change them simply through your own dialect can be a very powerful skill.  Rhetorical dispute raises new ideas that an individual may have never considered before.  Especially if your in the business field.  Maybe you never considered buying a Snuggie before, but an advertisement has never made a piece of cloth look so appealing.  They make your life before the product seem so dull and boring. 

They use a black and white setting with an overly-frustrated actress to make it seem like your life without this product is just too unbearable.  "This poor actress can't even cover her feet with her boring, old blanket!  Well, it is kind of hard to change the channel in a blanket.  Now I just have to have one!"  Are these the mental processes that we go through?  Or is it just so ridiculous that we simply have to participate in the Snuggie phenomenon. 

We fall into appealing advertisements that feed our need for a good laugh all the time.  When a commercial makes us laugh, we tell our friends about it.  This makes their company's name spread by word of mouth.  "Did you see that new commercial?"  Then they go on to explain the humor of the advertisement, but also the company.

What could be a better example of this blind persuasion than the Geico commercials.  They are known for being far-fetched but that is what makes them so appealing.  Without even explaining how they are better than other car insurance companies, their memorable commercials make their name seem more credible.  Geico is a prominent car insurance company, and their influential factor is due in part to their appealing advertisements.

Renowned companies aren't the only ones getting in on the PUNtential of new clients.  A subtle, yet witty, form of this humorous business persuasion is puns. 

Smaller businesses can make more of an impact on their small town simply through an appealing sign.  Similar to the reaction of the Geico commercials, "Hey did you see that sign at the new shoe repair down the street?"  "No, I never noticed that place."  This person now has a motive to look for the business.  While I don't believe that the first thing they are going to do is drive there and immediately find out about that business, I do believe that next time they need their shoes repaired they'll think of their new friend Jimmy. 

So is this a PUNishment?  I believe not.  The company and us are both benefiting from the advertising.  If we can't differientiate between being persuaded into buying something truely useful, as opposed to something that will be in our next garage sale, then what power do we have as customers?

Rhetoric can be used through persuasion in important issues such as political debates, but it can even be used in more subtle settings such as the family-run shoe repair around the corner.  The dynamics, universal meanings, and unique opinions of rhetoric are what make it so interesting to explore. 

Welcome

Welcome to my Rhetoric and Civic Life blog for my LA 101 H class for the Spring 2012 semester.