Labors of the Multitude

In the 2^nd chapter in his book Rhetoric for Radicals, Jason Del Gandio wrote about how technology creates a separation in the way that we communicate and about the rhetorical approaches used in media. Technology today (especially social media) creates a separation between the way we express ourselves through writing, public speaking, and conversations with each other by allowing us to communicate in so many ways. For example, the way we converse in text messaging differs from the way we converse with one another. We communicate in different ways based off of whom we are communicating with and how we are communicating with them.

The four rhetorical approaches are persuasion, argumentation, storytelling, and invitation. Persuasion can change, shape, or sustain someone’s views and it occurs all the time. The four basic approaches to persuasion are logic, emotion, values, and credibility. Logic can take on many forms. It can be an argument, story, or basic description. Emotion can be manipulated and it can be used for socially just purposes.  “Emotions can be used for love, honor, encouragement, excitement, humor, and respect,” (Gandio 72). It can easily manipulate our choices. Values guide our daily decisions and actions. “Values are often used as persuasive tools, and this is usually done by using values to either unite or divide people,” (Gandio 72). Credibility has three characteristics: likeability, trustworthiness, and knowledgeableness.

Argumentation consists of three things: making a claim, providing evidence, and using reason. Argumentation allows you to “[take] a stand on an issue and [assert] your opinion...,” (Gandio 76). A claim that you make is your own opinion. Providing evidence allows you to support what your claim is. Reasoning allows you to further explain your claim and evidence.

Storytelling allows you to give meaning to whatever you are talking about. “We tell stories in order to evoke the meaning and importance of events, issues, struggles, and experiences. Good stories are based on human identification: we identify with the story, allowing us to see the world through that narrative frame. We then envision ourselves as the characters living out that story,” (Gandio 81). Stories are composed of five basic parts: characters, action, scene, conflict and resolution, and plot.

Invitation allows others to state their opinions and positions on a specific issue rather than persuading them to take on a particular position. There is more than one way to do an invitational rhetoric. Invitational rhetoric can be used in all forms of communication. Invitational rhetoric should be used honestly, should clarify intentions, and much more. It allows you and your audience to state their opinions on a particular issue. Each person can state his or her positions on a particular issue.

The Media uses the four rhetorical approaches to spread the news. The media allows everyone to have his or her own opinions. They use these tactics so that they can allow everyone to have a particular opinion on a certain issue. 

A Call to Rhetorical Action

Technology today might help us build a new, inclusive social norm by providing new ways of communication. Technology allows us to communicate in ways that we never thought was possible. In the book Rhetoric for Radicals, Jason Del Gandio states that, “Every human being is born into a world of interaction and we must all learn how to interact or die. Interaction is foundational to our existence,” (18). There are so many forms of interaction today such as communicating in person or communicating online.

The five contemporary challenges activists face are “…creating decentered movements, developing new forms of leadership, learning to communicate across contexts, building transnational alliances and dealing with the media juggernaut,” (29). Technology can help us overcome the five contemporary challenges by allowing us to share out any new solutions or doing some research on the challenges. By finding information about the challenges, it will allow activists to learn how to overcome the difficulties they face.

The media ignores or falsifies our movements and actions by “…[forcing] us to work against the media juggernaut,” (33). The media is everywhere at any time. Media has changed the way we communicate. “…Activists and organizers have utilized different forms of mass communication long before the Internet age,” (34). As time goes on, activists and organizers would have to learn how to communicate with newer forms of media.

The Terminator Film Report

After watching The Terminator, I thought that it had a good portrayal of what artificial intelligence would look like in the future. The Terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is an indestructible Cyborg who goes back in time from the year 2029 to the year 1984 to kill a woman named Sarah Connor before she fulfills her destiny to save mankind.  While the Terminator is out to get Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese, who is a soldier, comes with a mission to save her.

If Artificial Intelligence becomes smarter than humans, they could easily turn back and terminate all mankind. Just like in the Terminator in the movie went back to try to kill Sarah Connor before she fulfills her destiny, any type of artificial intelligence that becomes so advanced could do the same exact thing. The movie portrayed what artificial intelligence could possibly lead to as time progresses.