TOW #21 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass is considered to be one of the greatest civil-rights champions, along with one of the most powerful orators in American history.  In terms of his published work, he is perhaps best known for his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.  In it, he describes the horrors of slavery through his own firsthand experience.

One of the most striking aspects of the text is the matter-of-fact manner with which Douglass describes the injustices committed against him.  For example, he writes that he was separated from his mother at birth.  Because of this he “received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger.”  In a way, this method of describing slavery highlights the fact that evils of the practice were so obvious that they needed no exaggeration.  Douglass style contrasts with the inflammatory style of the preface, written by William Lloyd Garrison.  For instance, Garrison writes at the end of the preface, “Come what may—cost what it may—inscribe on the banner which you unfurl to the breeze, as your religious and political motto—‘NO COMPROMISE WITH SLAVERY!  NO UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS!’”  The fact that Garrison introduces his fellow civil-rights advocate further emphasizes the coolness of Douglass’ own writing.  By revealing the true nature of slavery, the impact of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is similar to that of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in that it galvanized the American public against slavery.

TOW #20 Kid President

Originally created as a part of a marketing stunt by Freed-Hardeman University, Kid President, as portrayed by nine-year-old Robbie Novak, has now become a global sensation.  Novak’s videos have been viewed millions of times on sites like YouTube and TED in which he encourages viewers to “make the world awesome.”  In his most recent video, titled “I Think We All Need A Pep Talk,” Novak asks viewers to “treat everyone like it’s their birthday.”

Despite the fact that the tone of the video is obviously light-hearted, Kid President still manages to make a rather compelling argument for the kinder treatment of others.  For example, he claims that we “are all on the same team” and the video features Novak on a football field to reinforce this message.  Furthermore, Novak instantly plays on the emotions of the audience as a speaker simply because as a small nine-year-old boy, people generally regard him as cute and are encouraged by the fact that someone so young is able to communicate such a powerful message.  In fact, Novak may have a slight advantage over older inspirational speakers because the audience is instantly attracted to him as a child.

Kid President also utilizes humor in an effort to inspire viewers.  For example he quotes Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and after describing how the road less travelled might be painful he shouts, “Come on Robert Frost!”  This phrase, along with “What is your Space Jam?” are featured throughout almost all of Kid President’s videos.  Finally, the bright lighting and uplifting music of the video also help to inspire viewers. Kid President has worked to spread his message of hope through not only these videos, but also through appearances on major networks like CNN.  Ultimately, his goal is to encourage viewers to live their lives as fully as possible and to help those in need, such as the young cancer patient Caddie to whom the video was dedicated.  Although he is only nine years old, Novak displays a surprising ability to communicate with his audience and his message of kindness and hope has been well-received.      

TOW #19 Outsourcing Yourself

            Outsourcing has been the source of great controversy in recent years because of its effects on the global economy.  Yet In a recent article in The New Yorker, Patricia Marx addresses a much more personalized form of outsourcing—outsourcing yourself.  Marx, who is a staff writer for The New Yorker and a professor at Princeton University, describes how she enlisted the service of strangers to perform her daily chores. 

As a humorist, Marx writes in a stream-of-consciousness form that makes the article both entertaining and informative.  For example, she writes, “I’m so inept at delegating that I’d need an assistant to train my assistant.  And who would train that assistant?  Would I have to eat lunch with them everyday?”  Not only does this style of writing entertain the reader, but it also provides a certain rhythm to the text as a whole.  Next, she also uses hyperbole to a humorous extent.  For instance she writes that “If you dispatch someone to Costco with instructions to bring home an assortment of crackers, you will end up with a lifetime supply.”

Despite the fact that the article is obviously written in a light-hearted manner, Marx is still able to question the effectiveness of errand-runner sites like Task Rabbit and Zaarly that provide strangers willing to perform chores.  In the end, she asserts that the process of outsourcing yourself can be just as difficult as doing the chores yourself so the process is rather ineffective. 

                        

TOW #18 Drone Home

            The Obama Administration has been known for its use of drones in combatting terrorism abroad.  With recent advancements in drone technology, these unmanned machines are becoming more affordable and easy to use, and this raises a variety of legal and ethical questions regarding the status of drones used for both military and domestic purposes.  In an article for TIME Magazine, Lev Grossman tries to predict the future of these machines and how they might affect civilian life if used as frequently within the United States as they are abroad.

            Most people are unable to understand the consequences of drones due to their distinctly nonhuman characteristics.  Many see them as an efficient and risk-free way to fight the war in Afghanistan, yet they do not recognize the human implications of drones in our own society.  Therefore, Lev Grossman utilizes personification and analogies to make the topic more accessible to readers.  For example, he writes that flying a drone is, “roughly analogous to interacting with an anonymous commenter on a blog: you’re dealing with someone who is both present and absent, who has decided what they say or do will have consequences for you but not for them.”  Furthermore, he tries to connect the idea of drones to more consumer-friendly robots by stating that, “If drones like the Parrot are related to Predators on one side, on the other side they’re related to toys: plastic radio-controlled planes and helicopters.”

            Next, Grossman employs logos throughout the article by predicting the future of drones based on the precedents set by past court cases and congressional reports.  For instance, he writes that a recent report by Congress declared that “the sheer sophistication of drone technology and the sensors they can carry may remove drones from the traditional Fourth Amendment framework.”  Ultimately, Grossman’s explanation of the current drone situation serves to not only educate the public on the idea of drone-use, but also to make citizens more wary of drones within the borders of the United States.  While drones may represent an effective technological tool that could be helpful in a variety of occupations from farming to law enforcement, they also represent a possible threat to individual privacy.