The textual side of this piece would constitute the use of commonplace, as well as the appeals to emotion, logic and the author’s own character. Cell phone usage may be the most standard topic of this generation, as technology in general has been a controversy. Undoubtedly, technology has allowed for major development, but can too much of a good thing be a bad thing? This is directly reflected in the text. Although, cell phones were created and continue to be innovated to help a more connected global community, they seem to be the very thing disconnecting us from our surroundings. Not only are we missing the very precious moments of life because of a screen, we are also becoming more depressed as individuals. This depression stems from the idea that instead of actually connecting us with the world, we as humans feel we are missing out on what we watch on our screens. Perhaps we should focus more on the life happening directly around us instead of the one displayed through our phone screens.
Similarly, the context that can be brought in while reading this article is also particularly useful. I’m sure everyone in class has their own personal stories of cellular devices taking over. Personally, I remember waiting about five hours in an Apple Store with my mom, holding up my family vacation, because a few days before I dropped my phone in a pool. I literally couldn't see myself going a week without my phone, so I made my family wait! Looking back on it, I wish I would have left it broken, so I could thoroughly enjoy the precious moments and memories of a vacation with my family. That’s what I think is most important to take away from this article. Analyzing it, means self reflecting and analyzing your own personal life with technology.
The context of this article was certainly important to the argument it made. The argument's success relied on its audience having experience, like yours, of cell phones disproportionately consuming time, money, or attention. If someone reading this article had never had experience of this, or did not view it as a bad thing, the article, despite all of its rhetorical merits, would fall flat.
ReplyDeleteTo be in a commonplace of the millennials, I know somehow I'm involved in this article as well. That goes back to the classical strategies for thinking about audiences, where I am in this public sphere and implied with the indirect effects.
ReplyDeleteI love that you incorporated an example of your own experience with the need to always have your phone or some sort of technology. It definitely makes this more relatable. Like you said, I'm sure we all have stories and I definitely too have had moments where I also wished I would've spent less time on my phone and more time being actively engaged in my environment.
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