I honestly have no idea what I want to write my first paper about. I know that I want it to be an advertisement that I disagree with; therefore, I can have more to write about. At this point I am thinking that I want to do a poster advertisement rather than an advertisement that is a film clip or a commercial. I feel that, for me, I can do more work that way. I find it easier to use a single shot advertisement because I can break down what the advertisement means to me and more clearly display my reasoning. An example of this would be when we, as a class, analyzed the advertisement for Bud Light Beer. We could easily go through each aspect of the advertisement and discuss what we first saw, why we saw it first, how the advertisement was persuasive, and what would make us go out and buy this product. Although I am still unsure of what specific advertisement I would like to analyze I am sure that I will disagree with it and it will be a single shot.
Some things that I disagree with, that could be useful for this paper are peta2 advertisements, McDonalds, and advertisements that are degrading to women. Although I do disagree with these things, I really do not have much to say on some of the advertisements that I have seen thus far. I probably will not pick an advertisement that degrades women because, to be honest, when I see a girl doing promiscuous things in an advertisement or wearing little clothing, I automatically think of her as a trashy person. I know that that may not be the case at all but to me if you choose to do things like that for money then that’s your own problem and you already know the way that you are perceived. I also know that not all these women pose as their own decision, but I feel like that is more of an intense topic. I feel like I just need to continue searching for something that I think I could continue to debate about, not just something that I disagree with. Finding something that I could debate about, or against, means that I could go on and on about the subject no matter what the argument for it may be, which I know is a large part of writing about anything that is controversial; I have to know both sides in order to know my place and where I stand so that I can make good arguments.
Obviously, the biggest road block for me, between now and actually writing this paper, will be finding the perfect advertisement for me to write about. I think that if I apply myself and look deeper into the issues in the world today and into the things I do not agree with I can find something of strong meaning to me. Hopefully I can find one soon so that I can began to outline what I want to write about in my paper.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sex, Gender, and Toilets
Normally, gender construction is based on whether the fact a person is either male or female. This is not because anyone looks down upon transgender people or does not want to include them, it is simply because that is how society is taught to view gender. One key example of this is when a person is asked to fill out a general information form or, maybe, some sort of job application. There is usually, if not always, a section that will ask you for your gender and give you the choice of either male or female. What is one supposed to do if they consider themselves neither at the moment? This controversy is one that is currently not being dealt with as it should be; however, in my own opinion, I believe that a person only has one body part in their pants, so I do not understand how it is so hard to choose a bathroom.
Personally, I do not take offense in bathroom signs; as long as I know where to go, I do not see an issue with what the sign portrays my sexuality to be; however, I can see how a person could find it offensive. Always assuming that a woman is one with large, or in some of the examples, disembodied breasts makes women feel like they have to have a specific image. In contrast, this could also be defined as sexist towards women because it is putting a label of extreme sex appeal on an image of a woman. These arguments could also be taken towards men’s bathroom signs as well. In personal observations, I have noted that not all men are shaped like rectangles, just as not all women are shaped like triangles.
The assumptions of who might be using the bathrooms with the signs upon them of masculine men or “sexy” women is that these labels limit and may confuse different types of people as to where they are supposed to do the simple and normal task of using the bathroom. Not all women wear dresses; therefore, if I am coming from another country and have never seen a bathroom sign as one labeled with a woman in a dress, how would I know what toilet I am supposed to use? I might think that I am not wearing a dress so maybe I need to go to the room with the figure of a person wearing pants because that more matches my attire. In most cases that would not be acceptable. This leaves many questions to men and women of other cultures. The stereotypical view of a man and a woman may be very different depending on the part of the world that a person is coming from. I know that if I were to go to a restroom and find a sign with two different colored apples or fire and a wave, I would have no clue as to where I should go.
I have never come across a confusing bathroom sign; however, I have also never left the country to experience the extremities of the issue. I honestly have no idea what I would do if I was confused as to where to go. I think that the ultimate solution to this is that all bathrooms should be universal sex bathrooms. This would have to eliminate multiple stall bathrooms, but it could solve many cultural differences when trying to decide where to use the bathroom. I do not understand why it should be such a confusing matter. If I have to go, I have to go, and I better have a place to do it.
Personally, I do not take offense in bathroom signs; as long as I know where to go, I do not see an issue with what the sign portrays my sexuality to be; however, I can see how a person could find it offensive. Always assuming that a woman is one with large, or in some of the examples, disembodied breasts makes women feel like they have to have a specific image. In contrast, this could also be defined as sexist towards women because it is putting a label of extreme sex appeal on an image of a woman. These arguments could also be taken towards men’s bathroom signs as well. In personal observations, I have noted that not all men are shaped like rectangles, just as not all women are shaped like triangles.
The assumptions of who might be using the bathrooms with the signs upon them of masculine men or “sexy” women is that these labels limit and may confuse different types of people as to where they are supposed to do the simple and normal task of using the bathroom. Not all women wear dresses; therefore, if I am coming from another country and have never seen a bathroom sign as one labeled with a woman in a dress, how would I know what toilet I am supposed to use? I might think that I am not wearing a dress so maybe I need to go to the room with the figure of a person wearing pants because that more matches my attire. In most cases that would not be acceptable. This leaves many questions to men and women of other cultures. The stereotypical view of a man and a woman may be very different depending on the part of the world that a person is coming from. I know that if I were to go to a restroom and find a sign with two different colored apples or fire and a wave, I would have no clue as to where I should go.
I have never come across a confusing bathroom sign; however, I have also never left the country to experience the extremities of the issue. I honestly have no idea what I would do if I was confused as to where to go. I think that the ultimate solution to this is that all bathrooms should be universal sex bathrooms. This would have to eliminate multiple stall bathrooms, but it could solve many cultural differences when trying to decide where to use the bathroom. I do not understand why it should be such a confusing matter. If I have to go, I have to go, and I better have a place to do it.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos - PALL MALL Smoking Advertisement
In Pall Mall’s old time Christmas smoking advertisement, the company uses the public figure of Santa Claus to promote smoking their product. Also within the advertisement, factual figures, or logos, are used to demonstrate how Pall Malls are better than any other of the cigarette brands. When this advertisement was made, companies could say nearly anything that would make their product sell. Actual facts were not necessary because then it would not be as persuasive or profitable to use any other type of truthful ad. Pathos, connecting to the emotions of the advertisements audience, is used by displaying the feeling that Santa Claus is having when he smokes a Pall Mall, which is joy and happiness; in addition, ethos is used by the literal use of the figure of Santa Claus himself. Using a figure such as Santa during the holidays creates an ad that can appeal to everyone, especially young children.
The, so called “facts” in the advertisement are that Pall Malls are the smoothest and most enjoyable cigarettes around. The ad displays that they last longer and, thus, are better; in addition, the fact that Santa Claus is smoking the product it makes the ad more appealing to the younger generation, as well as everyone else. The largest logo in the ad, however, is the headline of, “guard against throat-scratch.” This is the products biggest selling point. The pathos used within this ad is the feeling that is advertised by smoking a Pall Mall. Santa Claus, being a national figure for joy, demonstrates that his jolliness is defiantly not diminished by smoking a Pall Mall; therefore, who would it be a bad thing for anyone else to smoke?
I believe that the ethos is the strongest because Santa Claus ties in all of the other elements together to create the persuasive Christmas as for smoking Pall Mall Cigarettes. He is the largest figure on the ad and, especially during the holiday time, he is the biggest icon for young children; however, I do not believe that this ad is necessarily only targeted at children because when talking about the elements of the product the ad is more centered towards adults. Santa Claus, as the figure of Pall Mall, creates a strong message in this ad by basically saying that if a person is to smoke a Pall Mall that he or she will have no throat scratch, a longer cigarette and enjoy every moment of it. I think that the message may have been more effective when it was originally used, however, I do not believe that if an ad as such as this one was displayed for the public in present time that it would have the same impact; this is because now we have more anti-smoking ads rather than ads that promote smoking tobacco, also because ads have to be truthful that are made in the present. Most smoking ads that one would see currently would have a pretty girl or a handsome man on it smoking and the logo of the company. Therefore, this message, during the time of its display, could have had a very persuasive effect on its viewers.
The, so called “facts” in the advertisement are that Pall Malls are the smoothest and most enjoyable cigarettes around. The ad displays that they last longer and, thus, are better; in addition, the fact that Santa Claus is smoking the product it makes the ad more appealing to the younger generation, as well as everyone else. The largest logo in the ad, however, is the headline of, “guard against throat-scratch.” This is the products biggest selling point. The pathos used within this ad is the feeling that is advertised by smoking a Pall Mall. Santa Claus, being a national figure for joy, demonstrates that his jolliness is defiantly not diminished by smoking a Pall Mall; therefore, who would it be a bad thing for anyone else to smoke?
I believe that the ethos is the strongest because Santa Claus ties in all of the other elements together to create the persuasive Christmas as for smoking Pall Mall Cigarettes. He is the largest figure on the ad and, especially during the holiday time, he is the biggest icon for young children; however, I do not believe that this ad is necessarily only targeted at children because when talking about the elements of the product the ad is more centered towards adults. Santa Claus, as the figure of Pall Mall, creates a strong message in this ad by basically saying that if a person is to smoke a Pall Mall that he or she will have no throat scratch, a longer cigarette and enjoy every moment of it. I think that the message may have been more effective when it was originally used, however, I do not believe that if an ad as such as this one was displayed for the public in present time that it would have the same impact; this is because now we have more anti-smoking ads rather than ads that promote smoking tobacco, also because ads have to be truthful that are made in the present. Most smoking ads that one would see currently would have a pretty girl or a handsome man on it smoking and the logo of the company. Therefore, this message, during the time of its display, could have had a very persuasive effect on its viewers.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
How to Say Nothing in 500 Words
Based on Roberts’ article, How to Say Nothing in 500 Words, I noticed that in my own writing I have a tendency to go writing about usual topics and, sometimes, I use the obvious padding; although, I feel that I do not use the padding on the same extreme levels given in the examples in the article. I may use a few extra words here and there but I can usually catch myself using the padding too much. I learned this skill of catching my own padding mistakes in writing from my junior year, high school, English teacher. I had written a ten page research paper and when I got my first draft back there was nearly a page a half marked off my paper because of unneeded “fluff,” as she would call it.
In addition to the padding and fluff, I did not realize that taking the usual route of a prompt was such a bad thing to do; as long as a person felt passionate about the subject, I did not think that it made a difference, which Roberts states as well by saying, “Go to the heart of the matter.” This means that as long as you feel strongly about the subject then, by all means, go and write about it because you know that you have plenty to say that could easily fill 500 words. Before reading this article, I figured that choosing the prompt was probably the least important part of writing a paper; however, after seeing that particular step through a professor’s eyes, I now have a better understanding on how picking a subject that is unlike what the rest of the students have chosen would be more beneficial to the professor and my grade; I can understand how reading the same thing over and over again would become rather boring after a long amount of time.
The most interesting part of this article to me was where Roberts talked about avoiding the obvious content. Before I read the section, to me, this meant that one should not simply continue to restate the beginning statement or argument; however, after reading it I realized how easy it is to just take the easy way out without even really knowing it. I do not think that I am one who only discusses the obvious content that is expected, but I do believe that I could go deeper within my writing. I think that by planning out a paper before writing it could be a big help in this area; I could plan by paragraph or idea to make sure that I am asking myself deeper questions in order to fill my paper with more interesting content. Therefore, the thoughts that are within the paper are closer to what I am really thinking rather than just filler text to get to the end of the assigned amount of work.
Roberts’ article really opened my eyes to many common mistakes in writing, some mistakes that I make and some that I do not make. As for the ones that I do not make he has now made me more aware of things to watch out for and habits that do not need to develop.
In addition to the padding and fluff, I did not realize that taking the usual route of a prompt was such a bad thing to do; as long as a person felt passionate about the subject, I did not think that it made a difference, which Roberts states as well by saying, “Go to the heart of the matter.” This means that as long as you feel strongly about the subject then, by all means, go and write about it because you know that you have plenty to say that could easily fill 500 words. Before reading this article, I figured that choosing the prompt was probably the least important part of writing a paper; however, after seeing that particular step through a professor’s eyes, I now have a better understanding on how picking a subject that is unlike what the rest of the students have chosen would be more beneficial to the professor and my grade; I can understand how reading the same thing over and over again would become rather boring after a long amount of time.
The most interesting part of this article to me was where Roberts talked about avoiding the obvious content. Before I read the section, to me, this meant that one should not simply continue to restate the beginning statement or argument; however, after reading it I realized how easy it is to just take the easy way out without even really knowing it. I do not think that I am one who only discusses the obvious content that is expected, but I do believe that I could go deeper within my writing. I think that by planning out a paper before writing it could be a big help in this area; I could plan by paragraph or idea to make sure that I am asking myself deeper questions in order to fill my paper with more interesting content. Therefore, the thoughts that are within the paper are closer to what I am really thinking rather than just filler text to get to the end of the assigned amount of work.
Roberts’ article really opened my eyes to many common mistakes in writing, some mistakes that I make and some that I do not make. As for the ones that I do not make he has now made me more aware of things to watch out for and habits that do not need to develop.
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