Wednesday, February 11, 2009

What I Learned In Class Today

Today in my comm arts 262 class we were talking about how visuals are used rhetorically to provide for arguments. We discussed, among other things, two of these such visuals. One, we were told stands for "eternal American optimism and hope" and gives a sense of happiness to all who see it; "everyone knows that's what it means" we were told. Here's what that visual looks like:

The next visual we were lectured on we were told "alone stands for nothing" and that's it only holds any meaning because it mimics a posed photograph from WWII. That visual looks like this:


Please tell me I'm not the only one who senses something wrong with that.

To be told that the Obama "O" signifies the hope and eternal optimism of the American people but that seeing firefighters raising our nation's pride and glory unharmed out of the rubble that resulted from the worst attack on our country's soil is meaningless is, in my humble opinion, a boldfaced lie.

To me, the Obama "O" symbolizes a narcissist who is really good at saying what you want to hear but not following through on his promises to "reach across the aisle". The second photograph symbolizes hope and eternal optimism. Thoughts?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ur prof needs a reality check

Jerad said...

Damn straight. I am in J-201, and I was in one of Professor Downey's classes last semester as well. Just like your professor, Professor Downey goes on and on about Barack Obama and the media. Mention like you wouldn't believe about the internet campaigning. He only in passing mentions that John McCain was the first to do podcasting and online donations back during his 2000 bid for president. Now, I know that media was one thing that really gave Obama the presidency, but to act as if Obama invented the practice, to never once talk about McCain's failed attempts of 2000 that left the foundation for Obama's media use is totally one-sided. McCain had the knowledge of modern media outlets but unlike a certain politician, he didn't lie about taking public financing. It wasn't old man McCain still scratching his head at the invention of the boob tube that gave Obama an edge; it was Obama's money and his friends in high faces including the Facebook founders.