Rhetoric and Civic Life | Kaitlyn Harries

Photo Credits: Number 10 Have you ever had a conversation with someone where you go in set in your ways, but when you walk away you find yourself questioning all of your opinions? It's not like you agree with the person, but suddenly their thoughts don't seem as wrong. This eloquent use of language in order to persuade someone is known as rhetoric, and after reading about it, rhetoric shows up everyday. I had never fully understood the extensiveness of rhetoric or its actual meaning before reading the Crowley and Hawhee article, "Ancient Rhetoric". During ancient times, rhetoric was used to figure out the best possible solution for a given issue. Whether it was policy making or solving a dispute between two people, rhetoric was seen as a tool. Through the centuries, it seems that rhetoric has taken on a whole new meaning. Today, rhetoric is usually associated with lying and deceit. Think about politicians. They tend to make many promises, convincing people t...

This past Monday was the anniversary of the 9/11 attack, a heart-breaking emotional event for so many families. Thinking back to 2002 during the Super Bowl, there was an ad, only ever aired once to bring about a sense of nationalism to help heal the hurting city. This ad was the Budweiser 9/11 tribute and that is what I am going to use for my civic artifact. The tribute depicts the iconic Budweiser clydesdales making their way to New York City and at the end, showing their respect by bowing towards the city skyline. It has no voice over, only music, sending a powerful message to the viewers. As far as my speech goes, I am thinking about developing a hook in which I begin by describing in detail the horses leaving, similar to that of a narrative playing into the audience's senses. Then I will pan out to the tribute and transition into how it is considered civic. In my speech I am going to focus on the overall theme of nationalism and unity that the tribute draws on. For my main ...

What is it that drives you? What motivates you? What is it that you are passionate about? This is what I have been to consider with regards to writing a blog dedicated to my passion. After careful thought and consideration, I narrowed my categories down to two potential topics. However, this process continues until only one topic remains. Throughout the week, I evaluated what my passions are, if there was enough material to write about, would these topics interest the readers (my classmates) and most importantly, did the topic interest me. After much debate and narrowing my choices, I concluded, the two topics I am passionate about are tennis and baking. While both topics may appear broad, they can easily be made specific. This is where I would like your advice and input. Should I decide to make my blog about tennis, the blog will focus on the various aspects of the game, evaluate and consider effective playing strategies, include personal stories from the campus t...