Pictured below is an image that defines the topic of a research paper I am currently writing. The purpose of my research is to determine whether social networking sites such as Facebook do more harm than good for children. Cyber bullying is a growing problem in American schools today as more and more children are given free access to the Internet and social networking sites. As more and more children become more familiar, and more comfortable with these online tools, malicious and careless use of these tools becomes more and more commonplace.

The picture depicts a status update, presumably of a high school student, from the popular site "Facebook", that appears to target another student in an attempt to make them feel bad. Rhetorically, the image is a powerful one. Anyone who is familiar with Facebook understands that when this post is published, it is available for all too see. It is, therefore, implied that the purpose of the post was not simply to inform everyone that there would be a party, but to publicly humiliate and exclude a certain individual. It is in this way that the image invokes pathos in the viewer. Appalled at the insidious attempt to humiliate another student creates strong negative feeling towards the author of the post. The image also displays a sense of ethos, because this post is one that is very likely to be written frequently by many children across the country. The credibility, and likelihood of this post's existence, is compounded by the fact that the image appears to be a snapshot of an actual post on an actual computer screen. This implies a level of reality that viewers may have been previously unaware of.

 

This image is an excellent example of static visual rhetoric pertaining to cyber-bullying using social networking sites because it invokes a strong aversion, and because it is banal enough to seem very real.

Journal of Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Mass Communication

Hyper-linked above is a scholarly article concerning a study done on college age students about the implications and effects of social networking sites (such as Facebook and Twitter) on their daily lives. Specifically, the study looks at the effect on academic performance and communication skills.

I determined that the article is scholarly by reviewing the content an the layout of the piece. The layout of the article is easy to read and scientifically laid out. It begins with an abstract about the content of the study it is about to discuss, and it ends with a conclusion of the results. By examining the content of the article, you can tel it is scholarly by noting that it is objective in its claims. The article states an objective for a study by asking several thought provoking research questions, then goes on to discuss the method for carrying out the study, and finally ends by summing up the results in a concise and objective manner. A less scholarly article would have been polluted by the personal opinion of the author. By remaining objective, the article is rhetorically academic.

The article begins by designing an experiment to shed light on the impact of social networkiong sites on the daily lives of college age students. This was done by taking a survey of a large sample of college age students at a university and polling their opinion of the effect of social networking on their lives. Questions included things such as whether or not social networking has an effect on academic performance or communication skills. Once the set up is complete, the article displays and summarizes the results of the test.

The study concluded that there were correlations between the usage rates of social networking sites and young person factors such as academic performance, communication skills, and ability to search for a date.

Overall, this article rhetorically provides a detailed analysis of the effects of social networking and allows the reader to understand more thoroughly the trends that are occurring due to increased social networking use among young people.

While attending a university, it is hard not to identify one's self with the major that one is studying, and the career that they wish to pursue when out of college. I am currently an electrical engineering major at Texas A&M University, and all I do every day is math, science, and design. So, naturally, a dominant part of my personality is involved with the numbers I happen to be crunching and the physics behind our everyday lives. But there is certainly much more that defines me, and everyone else, than the job that I wish to acquire out of school.

This is an effect that, I believe, comes from the American culture. Our whole lives we are asked what "we want to be when we grow up?" As if our growth, as people, suddenly comes to a halt when we evolve into our final form and choose a career. When John Doe is introduced to some new friends at a barbecue two things come out first and foremost: Name and Rank (meaning career). This is almost equivalent to being assigned a binary identification number in lieu of a name. Whoever has a bigger number is more successful in life. Never mind that John is an excellent cook. Never mind that he enjoys sailing, or that he has a beautiful wife and a cat named Bubbles.

Americans place too much value on career and wealth. Success should not be defined based on income, but should vary from person to person. The "Protestant Work Ethic" is a relic from an old world. Things are different now.

What is your opinion on the identity crisis that currently grips the nation? Love to hear your side!