Many believe that cleanliness is the
correct choice over messiness, and this is undeniably true for some aspects of
life. Basic hygiene, for example, has become widely accepted as a way to ensure
wellness and the ability to function in modern society. Being around messiness,
however, is another story, and tests conducted by Kathleen D. Vohs and her
associates confirmed that a messy environment fosters creativity as opposed to
a neat one.
The purpose
of this article seems to be in part a report of her lab’s findings. Vohs, who
is an associate professor at the Carson school of Management at the University
of Minnesota, mainly studies the psychological effects of making choices,
thinking of money, and self-regulation. In her article, she gives the
experiment credibility by referencing a similar study performed at Northwestern
University, and asserts, “Our findings have practical implications.” The
majority of the article is a description of the individual tests, and
therefore, Vohs’ use of style and rhetorical devices was not very evident, with
the only notable ones being the rhetorical questions as an introduction.
However, I feel Vohs effectively conveys the significance of her results, and
does manage to achieve her intended purpose. Though I can’t speak for every
reader of this article, I can speak for myself, and I found it to be
interesting and informative.
Her audience, many of whom are
probably regular readers of the New York Times, are sure to derive some sort of
knowledge from this article. In today’s world, innovation and creativity is the
key to overcoming many obstacles. In addition, readers of the Op-Ed section of
the New York Times might be searching for some form of inspiration for work,
art, etc., so this article is especially suited for them.
Above all, this article gave me an
excuse for having a messy room. Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/opinion/sunday/its-not-mess-its-creativity.html
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