I'm Black, You're White

I found Shelby Steele's, "I'm Black, You're White, Who's Innocent?," a hard read. Hard, meaning it didn't hold my attention. I didn't like the spin he put on racial issue, his theory of innocence vs guilt did not hold true for me. I didn't agree how he says that the "racial struggle in America has always been primarily a struggle for innocence." Obviously I experience the world a lot different than someone who is of a different race, however I don't agree with Steele. I thought that his example of when he was twelve years old watching the "racist" is a prime example that a person sees what they want to see, and that goes with anything in life: hatred, stereotypes, self criticism, goodness, and etc.
I would also disagree with his perception of why The Cosby Show was such a great hit. I don't think that Bill Cosby is a great "bargainer." I don't think that the show's "white" audience liked the show because they knew that "Cosby will never assault their innocence with racial guilt." The show was popular because it was a great show. It was well written, it had a great cast, it was funny, and Bill Cosby was and is a funny, great guy who we all enjoy watching. My family and I always watched The Cosby Show every Thursday night while I was growing up, granted I was a little girl, but I can promise that we never watched it because Cosby was telling us that we are ok and this black man was not going to challenge us.

Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt

I don't understand what this world is coming to. Why is it ok for companies, like Calvin Klein, to have advertisements with children in their underwear jumping around? Than, there is the ads where little girls are dressed to look like a seductive woman. One thing that Kilbourne did not bring up in her essay, "Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt," is the parents of these children in these ads. We, as the American society, should not be allowing companies to advertise in a way that degrades men, women, and especially children. Our society has a certain level of responsibility, however the sole responsibility lies with indidivual families and parents. I cannot imagine watching my child being photographed in such away that is obviousily suppose to give a seductive feel. Why are these kids parents allowing them to be a part of these ads?
Why is it that Calvin Klein produces an ad that exploits and the sales go through the roof? Shouldn't it be the other way around? When a company produces an ad that has a gun pointing to a symbol of a woman with the b***** on it, shouldn't we all boycott that company so heavily that it may cause it to go bankrupt? I agree with Kilbourne that some of these ads exploits women and children, but the bottom line is that the fault mostly falls to the American society. These huge companies spend millions of dollars to sale us their product, and if we were to never put up with ads like these there would be no way that these type of ads would ever be used. It is because America accepts it and allows them to advertise it that way that these even exist.

Grammar #4

As I have been doing my rhetorical essay I was unsure if I should put quotation marks or italicize the title of the essay I writing about. This is the answer I found out on Yahoo Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090423012200AAhZVGf)

You use quotation marks to set off certain titles, usually those of minor or short works -- essays, short stories, short poems, songs, articles in periodicals, etc. For titles of longer works and separate publications, you should use italics (or underlined, if italics are not available).

Use italics for titles of books, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, films, plays, long poems, long musical works, and television and radio programs.

Killer Culture

There are a lot of valid points that Kupelian brings up in "Killer Culture." For example, MTV. I like how he described MTV as a commercial. I had never thought of it that way, however I see and agree with his point. Everything all works together to perform its main goal, to sale. The music, the little that is left on MTV, obviously works to sale itself, the artist, and etc. I have no doubt that everything in the music videos is manipulated to sale as well. Just like Kupelian said, from the clothes, the set, the products seen throught it, it's all set up to influence youth one way or another.
I was completely taken back when Kupelian described suspension, tongue splitting, and "Bug Chasers." To be honest I had a hard time reading the description of these, especially when he describes suspension. I will not even try to pretend that I understand this. Ironically, my rhetorical essay deals with whether or not we should torture detainees, and just like Kuplelian pointed out this would be described as torture. Why on earth would someone want to do that to themselves? It feels painful just to read about it.
One limitation that I felt Kupelian's essay had was the lack of citation. I was often left wondering where and how he obtained his information.

Grammar #3

What is the difference between affect and effect? I don't have any idea how to differentiate between the two! According to the website Writers Block (http://www.writersblock.ca/tips/monthtip/tipsep99a.htm) here's the difference:

Affect Vs. Effect

Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused.

"Affect" is usually a verb meaning "to influence".

The drug did not affect the disease.

"Effect" is usually a noun meaning "result".

The drug has many adverse side effects.

"Effect" can also be used as a verb meaning "to bring about".

The present government effected many positive changes.

Framing Class

I found Diana Kendall's "Framing Class'' to be very creditable. The last couple essays there has been many comments, in class and on blogs, questioning the creditability of those essays due to the fact of no resources. However, Diana's essay continually used a variety of resources. I see Diana's point on one side of the issue, but I also disagree with her. She mentions several different TV shows, movies, and other forms of media that have a humorous unrealistic view on social classes, that "the mass media plays class differences for laughs", and how this is one of our down falls. I agree that there needs to be outlets and different revenues that are available that gives our society an accurate view of reality, however that doesn't mean there isn't a place for just plain entertainment. When I take a time out of reality, and spend money to be entertained by going to a movie I absolutely hate going to a movie that is full of reality. I want to go to a movie that is fun, makes me laugh, and takes me out of reality for ninety minutes. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves. The opposite side of that is as we laugh at each other we need to be aware that it is just purely entertainment.
Diana talks about civic journalism; meaning that there needs to be a responsibility from the media/journalists that give the public the truth. She poses that there are journalists out there who need to follow a civic journalism approach. I was left wondering what outlet of media that this type of journalism would actually be able to make it in front of the public, if what she says is accurate; referring to the monopoly of companies that control the media, and the news. How is a lone journalist who is going against the grain going to be heard when these huge companies portray the information the mass public sees in the way they want us to see it?

Serving In Florida

"Serving in Florida," by Barbara Ehrenreich was an intriguing read. So far I have really enjoyed the essays we have read that are written in a narrative style. I found this read to be a page turner, I was surprised how quickly I was done. Through the entire essay I was amazed how much Barbara had to go through. I felt so sorry for her, and all of those who she worked with. As I read I pictured myself working, what would feel like endless shifts, I could picture how it would make my body and muscles ache just liked she described. The way she wrote made everything easy to visualize. I imagined how working in those draining conditions would lower your spirits and your leash on life; constantly working like that day in and day out. How would you have any hope that your life could get better when you're working so long and hard and still are barely able to survive? After reading the essay I reread the information about Barbara, at the beginning, to understand better where she was at at this time in her life. Understanding that Barbara took herself out of her own world in order to get a better feel for the working class made the essay feel even more impressive. I would think it would be that much harder to go through daily life of constant work when in reality your much better life was just waiting for you. I also came away from this essay feeling a lot of gratitude that I am able to go to school and get an education in order for the lives of my children and myself not to be like that.