Blogs
1. Rhetoric
Posted by JOSE ESTRADA at Tuesday, July 5, 2011 7:01:58 PM EDT
Rhetoric is a critical factor in my work environment. I am a firefighter and there is a fine line between the fragile image we uphold as public servants and the policies and procedures we must adhere too. Just recently, in California there was an incident were a man was drowning and two firefighters just stood and watched alongside bystanders. A civilian jumped in and dragged him out. Due to budget restraints, their water rescue program had been recently shut down and their policies precluded them from jumping in. As firefighters, we swear an oath to serve and protect above all. Unfortunately, budget constraints go hand in hand with our ability to serve. We are in an economic recession and these type of incidents only further diminish our ability to persuade public support. The reality of the incident is inconsequential when compared to the perception of the event. Now a strategy for damage control is needed to erase the image of firefighters doing nothing.
Comments
RACHAEL LANIA said…
That’s terrible. It’s like you are there to save and protect but you are unable to. It’s like your heart is saying yes but the mind says no. It definitely puts a bad rep on you guys. Good thing the civilian jumped in to help or the situation probably would have been a lot worse.
BENJAMIN LAUREN said…
And that damage control strategy will be highly rhetorical. Has to be so that people, programs, institutions, can save face. That is part of rhetoric, indeed. Same time, is it for the greater good? Murky waters, those.
I wonder about the difference between perception of reality versus reality. Rhetoricians (those who theorize about rhetorical theory) talk about perception a lot. In fact, it goes all the way back to the Sophists. Can reality be attained through rhetorical inquiry? Plato said no, but that it can be attained through dialectic. Aristotle said reality is approximate and negotiated. Interesting debate.
GRISELDA STANZIOLA said…
I agree with Rachel! Not for nothing, but in Spanish Countries that doesn’t happen. If there is someone drowning, someone would definitely extend their hand to help. If it’s a firefighter, civilian, or even a dog would help. It’s really sad that in the United States, money always seems to be an issue for everything. Stories like this really break my heart. I hope everything gets resolved for your Local team soon. The best of Luck 🙂
2. Woman’s Nike Ad Intro
Posted by JOSE ESTRADA at Wednesday, July 13, 2011 11:50:47 PM EDT
This ad depicts a female with a big butt; the primary message conveyed here is acceptance for your body. Behind that message their are many secondary messages dealing with race, gender, confidence, and sensuality. Usually their typical campaign ads and slogans depict a super athlete wearing one of their products, but in this ad they have made a powerful shift change by empowering the natural physical attributes of a woman’s body. They are using the reputation of their brand as a vehicle of persuasion and that’s appealing to the average woman.
Comments
BENJAMIN LAUREN said…
Highly rhetorical picture, Jose. What is your thesis? Make sure to use evidence from the ad itself? That means describing certain aspects of the ad. The use of color is interesting, for instance. What support will you use for the paper?
GRISELDA STANZIOLA said…
Hi Jose, I agree with Professor Lauren! This is a great rhetorical picture! This reminds me of the SKETCHERS commercial that use to advertise “shape-ups”, the sneakers that suppose to make my body slim. No a days, advertisers use anything to sell. Good luck 🙂
HAYLEY MILKS said…
Jose,
It seems as though we chose the same topic, and even narrowed it down to the same ad. 🙂 I am confused what your stance is though? Are you in agreement with these ads? As a distance runner and someone who rarely uses Nike gear/products, I highly disagree with their new approach. I think they should leave the “appeal to the masses” to other companies OR change their verbiage to something a little less “thick girls are better than thin ones” nonsense. I feel that if Nike is trying to sell bigger butts, they should start selling Snickers bars and Whoppers as well. They have become famous because of guys like Prefontaine, Galen Rupp, and Dathan Ritzenheim; women like Kara Goucher and Amy Yoder Begley. None of these athletes pride themselves on having big butts, and quite frankly, that has nothing to do with their performances as the most elite athletes out there, all of whom are a part of Nike’s training team. Yes, the ad catches the attention of your typical male and female, but the typical male and female do not log several hours a day training for marathons. I wasn’t aware that a corporation like Nike, who has always prided itself on being the “proud sponsor of Olympic Games” would now sink so low as to appeal to size of a woman’s bottom, especially when said woman is NOT their average consumer.
DANISA ALVAREZ said…
This is an awesome ad to write a rhetorical paper on! I read your essay and I think it needs a thesis (agree, disagree, or what rhetorical techniques/strategies are used in the picture). I like how you parallel with the Air Jordans, but maybe you digressed a little too much and didn’t focus much on the actual ad. I like the message you wrote along with this picture (sensuality, race, gender) and are ideas you could incorporate into your paper
3. 3am Grove…Out of Buiness
Posted by JOSE ESTRADA at Sunday, July 17, 2011 12:43:16 AM EDT
Coconut Grove council meeting held a debate roughly 2 years ago about whether the current liquor license of 5am should be moved to 3am. There was a lot of debate about this issue, during the meeting. Business owners stood to lose the most financially and conservative residents stood to gain the most. Residents argued that the grove was not safe at night and that as a result of the 5am curfew; it created too many drunk drivers. The grove was not safe and it even attracted more gang members like patrons to the community. Business owners argued that they were already losing revenue having to compete with neighboring communities that were open until 5am. That there would be collateral damage as a result of the earlier closings because other shops and restaurants that stays open late will be affected. Businesses will eventually close and that will be less revenue in the form of taxation for the city. They warned that if businesses go down so will the grove.
There were many flaws during the process of this legislation, because the agenda was never published in advance and many council members had a personal stake in the manner.
The question in the matter should be to answer what is in the best interest of the community. Are the council members and the citizens well informed about the actual facts alleged? Do they have the ability to vote from their own free will and represent their constituents accordingly?
4. The Voice of the Internet
Posted by JOSE ESTRADA at Sunday, July 24, 2011 7:08:15 PM EDT
I lived in North East Africa and throughout Central and South America and the one thing I have always noticed is that no matter how imporverished the community, they always had acces to technology. Back in the early nineties I remember entering homes with dirt floors and hammocks for beds and chickens for pets (and dinner) but they always had a TV. As of late, I lived throughout Africa and the place that struck me most was the island of Lamu, Kenya, fairly impoverished but they had access to the internet and no matter where I’ve been cell phones are more common place than food or clothing.
I think the internet is a medium providing a balance of power back to the proletariats. The internet is definetly giving them a voice with the ability to reach the masses and appeal to international communities and media that may not normally have direct access in those countries.
In some cases though, governments like China try to censor and neutralize online opinions that do not support their views. In other cases governments like Morrocco used the internet to counter the pro-reform movements and succesfully gained popular support in pushing their own agendas, giving a false sense of empowerement to its people, without really ever losing power of the country. They used the internet to create that illusion.
Cell phones will eventually be the most powerful medium of the proletariats. Government entities will continue to employ psyops and derive methodologies that counteract the voice of the people. The motive will always be power, power demands control, nothing’s equal in any hierarchial system.
Comments
GRISELDA STANZIOLA said…
Hi Joe, great BLOG! WOW, I just learned something new, I had no idea internet or technology (cell phones) in general are more abundant than food and clothing. So sad, but I guess so true!
RACHAEL LANIA said…
It’s so true, technology is definitely a priority everywhere. It’s crazy to think that internet, television, and technological devices are more important than clothes or food to people. Even young kids nowadays, like 8 or 9 years old, have cell phones or ipods, they even have free access to the internet. Technology has become such a big deal, we kind of depend on it for life. And with the more access to the net, more information is aquired and like they say it’s not a good thing.
BENJAMIN LAUREN said…
Access is still an issue in the US, Jose. Something to consider. Why? What sort of power structures does access to technology reverse? Who would most be impacted?
5. Equality for Child Parenting Rights
Posted by JOSE ESTRADA at Sunday, July 31, 2011 1:12:13 AM EDT
I will use the feminist perspective to rhetorically analyze the current child parenting rights system. The main topic will be to consider both gender equality and children equality. The current system has carried over as a result of generations of unfair responsibilities for single parents. There is also the sentiment that the Mother automatically has more rights to a child during a divorce or separation. The new law that gives fathers more paternal rights still does not guarantee equal parenting sharing rights between them and the child. These laws are so gender biased evident, that a female can give up her child for adoption and has zero financial obligations, whereas a father has to pay child support obligations without question. By this example I am not advocating Fathers should not have to pay but rather that females must be accountable in any situation, just as males are.
Our current judiciary system it is set up under the auspices of “what is in the best interest of the child.” The problem with the system is that it is vague, opened to interpretation and subjectively biased. Not only is it not a perfect system, but it does not seek “what is in the best interest of the child.” The system is nothing more than a standardized financial formula that only takes an initial financial consideration into the child. There is no real accountability and worse it is gender biased at all levels, there are no winners.
Comments
CARMEN ENGRACIO said…
I think this is a great topic for your final paper! I am on your side that women tend to get the parental rights. I have always been a believer that the parent that has the best interest for the child(ren) deserve to have custody. Case and point my brother. He and his ex-wife split when my nephews were about 4 and 7 years old. At first, the court had to decide who gets custody and of course they chose the mother, who I must say was not fit to be a mother at the time (she has definitely changed since them). Mind you she was only 17 when she had her first child so she wasn’t prepared. Now my brother and his ex-wife work together and share custody, equally without the court. Should they have to one day, I could only hope that my brother gets the children because although they have been equally sharing custody for the past 6 months to a years, the previous 7 years have been all my brother. He has been the sole provider and care taker for the children and he has all the proof, not to mention the children are old enough to speak for themselves. Our system definitely has major flaws and it very unfair to me, who I have noticed nowadays are much involved in their childrens lives and each good parent who wants to be in the childs life, deserves that right.
RACHAEL LANIA said…
I like this topic and think that you will be able to really go into depth with this. It is true that a lot of times, it seems, that the father is more suitable to raise the child, but the mom gets them. I mean yes children love their moms, but they need the best person that is going to do right by them. With the couple on sixteen and pregnant, they gave up their child, they were young, they regret it, and I’m sure they don’t have to pay anything, but the emotional side of it. But I like what you said in your blog. If the father is the better option, it should be taken into account. Like Carmen said, if the kids are old enough let them choose. And the system has to come up with some kind of expense the mom must pay too, like child support.
GABRIEL LAMAS said…
I think your paper topic is extremely interesting and very relevant to our contemporary society. There is an extreme gender bias in regards to male/female parenting where the female counterpart is constantly seen as a victim in all scenarios and the male is seen as a perpetrator. This happens in divorce, adoption, separation, etc. I think a lot of the financial help that women are given in these scenarios goes back to the outdated belief that women should not work and their role is that of a caretaker.
BENJAMIN LAUREN said…
Great example of a good idea. This could be a Marxist analysis as well. What is more central? Gender or power?
KATIR BULLOCK said…
one other aspect you could use to provide context for the necessity of child support is the feminist theory of the feminization of poverty.
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