This might be one of the most inspirational pieces I've read in awhile. This piece goes along with my blog post from last tuesday. Essentially, it goes more in depth about the argumentative process, and how to address rhetorical situations. My favorite part about all of this is how open and "free" the format base for these arguments can be. For one thing, the creative and brainstorming processes described are pretty rad, and I can think of more ways I could have utilized these in the past two years of college than just for this upcoming project.
The second thing I liked is how your main purpose can find sub purposes that all can support your argument. It makes me feel like I have more room to stretch my ideas out. All of it is kind of like a complex physics question: you have to answer certain parts of the question in order to gather more information to come up with a final answer. As I was reading, I was reflecting on my purpose statement for Plug Mittens. I feel like even though I have a good basis, I should definitely try one of these brainstorming ideas, possibly with Brittany, to really explore all of the options I could use to create an argument for the website/Tumblr. I think this will also help me address the "layers of purpose" in my argument.
Phew. Looks like I really have my work cut out for me this week...
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Plug Mittens Tumblr: Purpose
After exploring a little bit about building an argument, I feel like I'm ready to construct my own. A friend (Brittany) from high school has been making "Plug Mittens" which are knitted "mittens" to go over gauged earlobes (the Facebook page is here, there are also photos of the product there too).
Wysocki and Lynch (the authors of the reading from class) posed a question that has really driven my thought process for an argument: Why are we communicating? What do we want to achieve here? First of all, even though I do not have gauged ears myself, Plug Mittens look really cool, and there isn't anything else like it out there. People with stretched earlobes have found that their ears get really cold, and these mittens keep their ears warm in a stylish way. The business has had local success, but Brittany has told me that they are just breaking even. I think if they marketed the Plug Mittens, and got the word out to other people that they could grow the business, and probably even make a profit. I know that she also has some great social views (I believe she was a vegetarian in highschool, and I remember her passing out pamphlets about animal abuse), and if her business were to gain more followers, she could also promote some of her social views and make an actual change in the world. To sum this up: If Plug Mittens was better marketed, Brittany could profit off of something she loves, and also make a positive difference in her community.
Our target audience will be primarily those with larger plugs, or those who have friends/family with larger plugs. I believe this is generally a younger audience as well, which is why I believe Tumblr is the best digital medium to use. Tumblr not only is used by a younger audience, but you also do not need to be a member of Tumblr to view other Tumblr sites. Brittany was also concerned about usability, and Tumblr is incredibly easy to use compared to creating our own website and finding a script that would act as a blog for the site. Tumblr also allows the user to create more pages than just the main blog, so we could still have pages with contact information, about us, etc. I just would like to see more people find out about Plug Mittens so they could expand their business if they wanted to.
Wysocki and Lynch (the authors of the reading from class) posed a question that has really driven my thought process for an argument: Why are we communicating? What do we want to achieve here? First of all, even though I do not have gauged ears myself, Plug Mittens look really cool, and there isn't anything else like it out there. People with stretched earlobes have found that their ears get really cold, and these mittens keep their ears warm in a stylish way. The business has had local success, but Brittany has told me that they are just breaking even. I think if they marketed the Plug Mittens, and got the word out to other people that they could grow the business, and probably even make a profit. I know that she also has some great social views (I believe she was a vegetarian in highschool, and I remember her passing out pamphlets about animal abuse), and if her business were to gain more followers, she could also promote some of her social views and make an actual change in the world. To sum this up: If Plug Mittens was better marketed, Brittany could profit off of something she loves, and also make a positive difference in her community.
Our target audience will be primarily those with larger plugs, or those who have friends/family with larger plugs. I believe this is generally a younger audience as well, which is why I believe Tumblr is the best digital medium to use. Tumblr not only is used by a younger audience, but you also do not need to be a member of Tumblr to view other Tumblr sites. Brittany was also concerned about usability, and Tumblr is incredibly easy to use compared to creating our own website and finding a script that would act as a blog for the site. Tumblr also allows the user to create more pages than just the main blog, so we could still have pages with contact information, about us, etc. I just would like to see more people find out about Plug Mittens so they could expand their business if they wanted to.
Forming an Argument
The Wysocki and Lynch piece about arguments was extremely helpful for me to read. It made my ideas of an argument for my upcoming digital media project seem more...arguable? I guess it just made me feel more confident in my project idea because though I feel my rhetorical situation is important, it didn't seem as important as some of the other topics that people were broaching.
Something important I learned about is how to structure my argument. By concentrating on a target audience, I'm going to make my argument more valid by presenting it to the right people. Shaping it towards a target audience will also help me find more evidence to support my argument. It's much easier to get specific with an argument in a rhetorical situation when I'm also focusing on a specific group. Generalization will blur my main points.
Another thing that I need to keep in mind is sincerity, which also goes along with the "health of the community". I want to have a healthy relationship with my audience, therefore I'm going to make sure that I take other points of view into consideration, and that I'm careful with my wording. Since I think I want to help a budding business, this is especially important because in business the customer is everything. The video "Give 'em the Pickle" (Video) is a great example of this. Part of the argument of a website for a business is that if something is wrong with the product, then you will be able to contact someone to get it fixed in a timely manner. Just like the story of the group of men who tried to get the women to join their project, we need to make sure that we are communicating in the right way to get our message, or "argument" across.
Something important I learned about is how to structure my argument. By concentrating on a target audience, I'm going to make my argument more valid by presenting it to the right people. Shaping it towards a target audience will also help me find more evidence to support my argument. It's much easier to get specific with an argument in a rhetorical situation when I'm also focusing on a specific group. Generalization will blur my main points.
Another thing that I need to keep in mind is sincerity, which also goes along with the "health of the community". I want to have a healthy relationship with my audience, therefore I'm going to make sure that I take other points of view into consideration, and that I'm careful with my wording. Since I think I want to help a budding business, this is especially important because in business the customer is everything. The video "Give 'em the Pickle" (Video) is a great example of this. Part of the argument of a website for a business is that if something is wrong with the product, then you will be able to contact someone to get it fixed in a timely manner. Just like the story of the group of men who tried to get the women to join their project, we need to make sure that we are communicating in the right way to get our message, or "argument" across.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
The Rhetorical Situation
So, this one contained some pretty tricky words, so to start I'm going to define some things (using dictionary.com)
Rhetorical
Rhetorical
1. used for, belonging to, or concerned with mere style or effect.
2. marked by or tending to use bombast.
When relating this to digital media, we could describe many factors as "rhetorical discourse". What are the characteristics of digital media? And how is it described? What kinds of situations are created by digital media? My biggest confusion when first reading this through was "What on earth does the author mean that rhetoric is situational?".
Rhetoric, meaning a language style, is incredibly situational. Culturally, language styles vary, and depending on the situation can mean different things. For example, the other day I learned that when british people use the word "quite" they mean "okay" or average. So if they said a girl was quite attractive, it would mean she is rather mediocre instead of what we view as very attractive. Interesting concept, but how can you tie this to digital media?
The best way I can think this relates is because it is very easy to misconstrue messages via digital transfer as compared to actually talking to someone. You can't hear their tone of voice, only see the words they type. The persons use of sarcasm, or true view point might not come across as they wish. I know I've misread texts before and thought that people were extremely upset when they clearly were not.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Social Media - affecting style choices?
Article: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/12/living/millennials-shopping/index.html
We all know that the younger generation of digital natives are almost constantly connected to our phones and social network sites, but what is interesting is how the fashion industry is trying to monopolize on that. Online shopping has been a thing for awhile, and I'm guilty of this activity too, especially since I live in a town where there is almost no shopping options other than a walmart, a maurice's, and a JC Penny's. It is convenient, and most online stores offer you the option to share items via facebook and twitter.
Not all people are comfortable with buying items online though, and some stores are installing smart mirrors that can take your picture in certain items and share them through your social networking sites to get other peoples opinions, as well as give you more style advice from the "experts". Kind of neat stuff, if you don't mind being preyed on the fashion industry.
Smart thinking though. I know I base a lot of my style choices off of what I see on the internet. Once again, I'm constantly talking about how tumblr is my best friend, and it is because of the variety of things I see on there, one of them being fashion.
We all know that the younger generation of digital natives are almost constantly connected to our phones and social network sites, but what is interesting is how the fashion industry is trying to monopolize on that. Online shopping has been a thing for awhile, and I'm guilty of this activity too, especially since I live in a town where there is almost no shopping options other than a walmart, a maurice's, and a JC Penny's. It is convenient, and most online stores offer you the option to share items via facebook and twitter.
Not all people are comfortable with buying items online though, and some stores are installing smart mirrors that can take your picture in certain items and share them through your social networking sites to get other peoples opinions, as well as give you more style advice from the "experts". Kind of neat stuff, if you don't mind being preyed on the fashion industry.
Smart thinking though. I know I base a lot of my style choices off of what I see on the internet. Once again, I'm constantly talking about how tumblr is my best friend, and it is because of the variety of things I see on there, one of them being fashion.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Activity 3
My group created a facebook account for a 73 year old woman. We felt like not many older people are comfortable with having facebook accounts, and don't realize much about social networks. Either way, most people 70 and over are not comfortable using the internet at all.
The first thing that facebook asks for when creating an account is an email address, your name, and date of birth. That is all that is required to sign up. The next page asks you for more networking information, like what high school, college, or technical schools you might have gone to. And then it asks you if you would like to search for friends, by name or by email address.
Overall, the experience was interesting because although it isn't difficult to create a facebook profile, it is difficult to create one for someone who doesn't have a school, or real friends. I also feel like it is difficult, because of how many of their friends might be alive, etc.
However, when it comes to searching for our fictional 73 year old woman, "Betty Smith" is too generic and you can't find much about her. There is also an author name "Betty Smith" who popped up quite frequently.
Group Partners: James Stapleton and Hannah O'Connor
The first thing that facebook asks for when creating an account is an email address, your name, and date of birth. That is all that is required to sign up. The next page asks you for more networking information, like what high school, college, or technical schools you might have gone to. And then it asks you if you would like to search for friends, by name or by email address.
Overall, the experience was interesting because although it isn't difficult to create a facebook profile, it is difficult to create one for someone who doesn't have a school, or real friends. I also feel like it is difficult, because of how many of their friends might be alive, etc.
However, when it comes to searching for our fictional 73 year old woman, "Betty Smith" is too generic and you can't find much about her. There is also an author name "Betty Smith" who popped up quite frequently.
Group Partners: James Stapleton and Hannah O'Connor
Blackmon Reading
Although he may be backed up with many sources, I feel as if this reading is completely false, if not outdated. When it comes to technology, it is expensive to keep up with all the new stuff that is coming out. However, I don't think that minorities are the only people who weren't able to afford it, and just because many couldn't afford doesn't mean that the internet is run by white people. I knew plenty of white children when I lived in North Carolina who couldn't afford cell phones or high speed internet. I feel like it is often overlooked that there are "white people" who are also poor, and that have probably raised children who did not grow up with technology. They are almost a minority within themselves because of their social class.
I also disagree with the idea of a "cyberhuman". Someone faceless, sexless, and cultureless? On the internet? In the last reading about digital natives, we learned about how strong the younger generation's online identity is. What they want people to know about them, people see. Any kid who goes to a public school has been exposed to this technology, and if they haven't then that is clearly the school districts fault. I feel like the internet has only made communities more powerful. I hate to pull the Tumblr example out, but here it is: people share posts of their every day lives. What they do, what they like, what they see, and what they feel all relate directly back to their own culture.
I just don't believe that accessing the internet could erase your culture. People are going to be who they want to be, regardless of what you tell them. I feel like this article was more upset with the paths that people are choosing. It mentioned that an african-american student had said that he wished more of african-americans made websites about things besides rap music. Personally, I'm a huge fan of rap music, and I don't see what is so terrible about peoples love of rhymes in comparison with peoples love of pop music. Not every rap song has violent subject matter. And our generation is creating a new culture. It's hard not to when you see how much we've been through, and how everyone is pulling us in a different direction. We were always told when we were young to be ourselves, and then when you get older you're told to cover that up? It's a rough life for anyone in my generation, black or white. And were all in this together.
I also disagree with the idea of a "cyberhuman". Someone faceless, sexless, and cultureless? On the internet? In the last reading about digital natives, we learned about how strong the younger generation's online identity is. What they want people to know about them, people see. Any kid who goes to a public school has been exposed to this technology, and if they haven't then that is clearly the school districts fault. I feel like the internet has only made communities more powerful. I hate to pull the Tumblr example out, but here it is: people share posts of their every day lives. What they do, what they like, what they see, and what they feel all relate directly back to their own culture.
I just don't believe that accessing the internet could erase your culture. People are going to be who they want to be, regardless of what you tell them. I feel like this article was more upset with the paths that people are choosing. It mentioned that an african-american student had said that he wished more of african-americans made websites about things besides rap music. Personally, I'm a huge fan of rap music, and I don't see what is so terrible about peoples love of rhymes in comparison with peoples love of pop music. Not every rap song has violent subject matter. And our generation is creating a new culture. It's hard not to when you see how much we've been through, and how everyone is pulling us in a different direction. We were always told when we were young to be ourselves, and then when you get older you're told to cover that up? It's a rough life for anyone in my generation, black or white. And were all in this together.
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