TOW #19: Political cartoon from The New Yorker by James Stevenson

Politicians have long been infamous for using sly and dishonest tactics to further their agendas. James Stevenson, a cartoonist and writer for The New Yorker, illustrates this in a political cartoon on the magazine’s website in a simple and humorous way. His illustration depicts three men in an office, presumably one that is a part of a governmental building. Two men congratulate another man on his “beautifully evasive and subtly misleading public statement”.

Stevenson uses irony in this cartoon to illustrate the misleading rhetoric that some politicians employ when addressing the public. It is accepted by most that effective writing should be clear and concise; therefore, being evasive and misleading are the last things a writer would want to do. By showing these two adjectives used in a positive manner, Stevenson creates an unexpected, and consequently humorous, situation. Furthermore, he shows the reader the other side of politics, the side that some of the public may be oblivious to.

The light-heartedness of this cartoon serves another purpose besides simply making the audience laugh- it disarms them. If Stevenson were to write an article about the strategies used by politicians to mislead their audience, some of his politically involved readers might be angered by his negative portrayal of their careers. Using a cartoon, on the other hand, he avoids the appearance of a threat, and rather builds up his image as someone who wants to show the lighter side of politics. Because of The New Yorker’s reputation for its cartoons, many of its readers would most likely be prepared to read about someone poking fun at a theme that they might hold dear.

Overall, Stevenson wrote an effective political cartoon by using humor to draw in and disarm his audience, and make light of a dishonest practice that is still relevant in the modern world of politics. Because of these reasons, I believe Stevenson achieved his purpose.

TOW #18: Two Gaming Consoles Battle for a Dubious Prize by Molly Wood

The time has come yet again for gamers, and maybe others as well, to make a decision between the Xbox and the PlayStation, and Molly Wood offers her stance in her article, “Two Consoles Battle for a Dubious Prize”. Last year (though not too long ago), Sony and Microsoft unveiled their latest consoles in an attempt to beat out the other. While the Xbox One is primarily marketed as a universal system that allows users to not only play games, but also surf the internet, stream TV, and play music, the Sony’s model is more traditional, focusing mainly on the gaming aspect, and offering some non-gaming features like Netflix. Wood determines through an brief summary and analysis of both systems that the PS4 is the best choice, given its simple interface, easy setup, and cheaper price.

It seems her purpose in writing this is to offer an unbiased view of both consoles. She strengthens her credibility by mentioning the fact that she tried out both for a significant period, and supports her conclusions using her own experiences with each console.

Though this article was published on The New York Times’ website, a news source whose most prominent articles seem to deal with political, economical, and social conflicts in all parts of the world, and cater towards a more mature audience, this article appears to be written with potential consumers of gaming consoles, which would therefore entail a generally younger audience.

By offering a sufficient amount of information about each console, Wood leaves the final choice up to the reader. She even broadens the focus towards the end, making a brief argument about the cheaper and more portable mobile gaming industry, an alternative that, in her eyes, likens the Xbox and PS4 to two sparring dinosaurs. This conclusion allows the reader to consider the gaming industry as a whole, and therefore make a more informed choice. This strategy makes it clear that Wood achieved her purpose.

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/technology/personaltech/review-the-xbox-one-versus-the-playstation-4.html?action=click&contentCollection=Technology&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=Blogs

IRB Intro Post #3: The Art of Memory by Frances Yates

The Art of Memory by Frances Yates explores the evolution of memory and its uses throughout history. I found the topic to be interesting because of the mystery behind how the brain functions, and how it may have evolved over time. I hope that by the end of this book, I will have gained a better understanding of how memory works, and a better understanding of ancient cultures, and their views and perceptions towards memory.

TOW #17: The architecture meltdown by Scott Timberg

The recession has brought a lot of talk over the house market crash, but its effect on the field of architecture has seemed to go unnoticed by the public. Scott Timberg, an arts reporter in Los Angeles, explained the difficulties of being an architect in this day in his article titled “The architecture meltdown”. Throughout this piece, Timberg uses a series of testimonies from both struggling and surviving architects to illustrate the problems that have arisen, including a decline in construction costs that is directly related to an architect’s fees. These quotes help to connect the reader to the dark realities of what was once a glamorous and exiting profession. Many firms have experienced drastic layoffs, in some cases cutting a third or even half the staff. Timberg explains that many architects have had to find new job opportunities, taking up teaching, Hollywood production design, and even completely switching careers. The combination of these factors is “reflective of the shifting paradigms of the middle class”, Timberg writes.

            It seems that his purpose, given the previous quote, is to expose the dangers of entering a field like architecture, in order to make a statement about the entire economy. This article was published in 2012, so its topic would be relevant to the many facing the effects of the recession. Because anyone involved in the profession is most likely aware of the challenges architecture faces, this report is probably meant to be read by those unfamiliar with the current state of architecture, and more specifically, middle class workers, who have a good chance of relating to the architects featured in this article. Because of Timberg’s effective use of quotes and statistics to support his claims, and his reasonable and powerful conclusion, I believe his purpose in illustrating the current state of architecture was achieved.

Article: http://www.salon.com/2012/02/04/the_architecture_meltdown/