How do they hook you?

11/2/2015

Find a TedTalks seminar that speaks to you. Provide specifics on interesting points made within the performance. Name two rhetorical strategies the presenter uses to engage his/her audience and explain the effectiveness of each.

Due Monday Nov. 9

Madeline Testa link

11/2/2015 04:17:18 pm

The Ted talk I listened to was about the purpose of life. Rick Warren made some very interesting points within his performance that really stuck out to me. For example, he stated that in today’s society, people are not living, but rather existing. They get up in the morning, go to work/school, come home make/eat dinner and then go to bed. He said that that is not living your life, just existing in it.
He also stated he believed that if you are a leader, whether it is of a business, art or anything of that matter, that you do not own it but rather you are a steward of it. An example he used was that we are here to protect the world even though we do not own it.
During Rick’s ted talk he used many rhetorical strategies, such as understatements and hyperboles. These rhetorical strategies affected his ted talk by breaking up the tone and making it more humorous and enjoyable for the audience.

Emily Byrnes

11/5/2015 11:55:03 am

I agree with what Rick Warren said about only existing after awhile. There has to be more to life than just the repeating cycle of work, eat, and sleep. I have thought about this at times in my life and I believe others have too. The level of surviving that he talks about is not enough to live.

Quinn Hillman

11/8/2015 11:41:35 am

Rick Warren's use of allusion in this stood out to me. At one point he alluded from calling people humans to just saying species. This effectively got his point across about how humans are just like every other species, and we are just living. This allusion greatly emphasized his point.

Rebecca Rinaldi

11/8/2015 02:45:41 pm

Maddie, I can second that this TedTalk was quite interesting. His use of hyperboles made the speech more appealing. Warren seemed passionate, as well as knowledgeable about the topic as he expressed his points with statements that really resonate with you. Nice choice!

Jeremy Lang

11/8/2015 03:23:31 pm

I agree with Rick Warren as well, lately I have felt like I am on a loop, wake up, go to school, do homework, go to bed. Like what Emily said I have also thought about this before and believe there has to be more than life than just the same old cycle.

Kaitlin Sepanek link

11/3/2015 05:48:05 pm

The TedTalk I watched had to do with appreciating art in a different way. The Artist talks about spreading artwork through beautifully drawn street art, or as some call it, graffiti. He goes onto explain how graffiti is an art not many appreciate, however, he claims if the art has meaning behind the colors and letters painted, it can be much more than graffiti.
eL Seed is a graffiti artist who asks to create a mural on buildings, weather they are abandoned buildings or not, and write meaningful messages in Arabic. These messages usually have to do with where the building is located and is beautifully expressed in the lines and squiggles the Arabic language creates.
eL Seed uses many rhetorical devices in his talk, however, the most common of them were metaphors, such as "the beauty in it touches your soul before it reaches your eyes… this is a beauty that you don't need to translate to understand…". Obviously, a mural cannot touch your soul or reach out to your eyes, but this use of a metaphor draws in the listener and makes them feel personally connected to the speaker and drawing. He also points to audience members and tells them they do not need to translate the Arabic script into a different language to appreciate the art, which connects the audience in it even more.
eL Seed also uses irony in his TedTalk. He was asked to paint a wall in Paris, however, once the project leader saw it was in Arabic, he immediately told Seed to erase it. Seed did, however, one of the project designers told Seed that there was a wall right in front of the project leaders house he could paint. When Seed went to paint it, he wrote "open your heart" in Arabic. The irony in this is, the project leader would have to look at the calligraphy everyday. He created irony by putting a scripture directly in front of someone's house that disliked it. This only pushes forward how intensely Seed feels about his artwork, and how there is no difference between Arabic and English writing, accept Arabic writing is more beautiful to look at.

Tyler Pranger link

11/8/2015 06:59:28 pm

Kaitlin, when I watched and read this Ted Talk, I caught on to the metaphors and the irony of the presentation. What I also found was a constant expression of pathos throughout the Ted Talk, including your second example. When the man from Paris was angry at eL Seed for painting in Arabic, he was basically disrespecting his culture, and you begin to feel bad for eL Seed. He also does not graffiti random messages that mean nothing, but quotes from the Quran. This shows his devotion to his religion and what he is willing to do to spread it. It really pulls on your heart strings, at least it did for me.

Madeline

11/3/2015 08:29:55 pm

Kaitlin,
This ted talk was definitely touching. His, message to the audience about graffiti not being appreciated as much as it should be was done in such a meaningful way. Also, his use of irony and metaphors helped me see his argument from a different viewpoint.

Olyvia Gendron

11/8/2015 09:21:43 pm

Kaitlin,
This TedTalk was very inspiring. I had never looked at art the way he does and because of that it is very eye-opening. The way he uses pathos to describe his passion and value for graffiti was beautifully expressed.

Jack Klicsu link

11/4/2015 04:06:55 pm

The TedTalk I watched was on how to find work you actually like and love to do. Scott Dinsmore was a person who hated his job, who wondered why so many people were like him, and why they couldn't find work that they loved doing everyday. He gave a statistic that about 80% of people in the workforce hate what they are doing. This really stood out to me because Scott’s reasoning on why these people didn't quit is “this is what they told me I had to do.” So many people hated their professions, but know one went out and pursued what they really wanted because they thought they were too deep in the hole. Scott used smilies, metaphors, and allusion in his TedTalk performance. He spoke about an experience when a 12 year old kid in a wheel chair swam the Alcatraz swim on the same day he did. He didn't know the boy was actually swimming in this race, and when the boy finished and was put back into his chair he was the happiest he's ever seen anyone. The boy was so proud and accomplished, and that showed Scott that anything is possible if you try hard enough. This related back to his TedTalk explaining that if you are unhappy with what you are doing, don't be afraid to quit and pursue what you want to be doing. His literary device methods were very effective, comparing real life encounters to jobs, and breaking up his speech and connecting everything throughout the performance. It was very inspiring and helped his TedTalk in a very positive way.

Laura Trombetta

11/7/2015 12:57:22 pm

I found this talk very interesting. Scott Dinsmore includes logos in his TedTalk by saying that everything that has ever been done people thought was impossible until someone did it. He uses an example of Roger Banister who ran a mile in under four minutes. It was said to have been a physical inability until he proved that wrong. Soon after, Dinsmore says that around 16 people also broke the four minute mile once they saw that it was not actually physically impossible. His use of logic and fact helps to inspire the crowd to do what they love even if they think it's not possible because they could be the first one to do it.

Jaden Diaz

11/7/2015 02:46:55 pm

Jack, I watched the Ted Talk given by Scott Dinsmore and found it very interesting. Like you said, how he tied in statistics with his speech, I thougt it provided reliability and factual support for the audience while portraying ethos. His similies and metaphors did not only bring a deeper understanding for the audience, but also privided humor, making his speech very enjoyable. Overall I thought it was a very informative and intriguing discussion.

Emily Byrnes link

11/4/2015 08:35:21 pm

I watched a Ted Talk by Paul Snelgrove that explained a census done about the ocean life. This was a ten year census started by Fred Grassle and Jesse Ausube and was completed with two thousand and seven hundred other scientists. These scientists went to over eighty countries around the world for five hundred and forty expeditions that cost six hundred and fifty million dollars. Even after this census had been completed scientists still didn't know over half of the species living in the ocean. Although the ocean covers most of the earth and has a larger area than the moon, scientists know more about the moon and the continents of Earth than they do about the ocean and the life held within.
Life within the ocean has depleted over the years. Before salt started being used to store fish, people would only take the fish they could eat that day but when Romans started using salt, they took more fish to transport and the fish population started to go down. After refrigerators were invented even more fish were hooked and the fish population plummeted until all the large fish were gone and fish size became smaller.
During this Ted Talk, many rhetorical devices were used including personification and hyperboles. The personification was used to explain to the audience where fish and other organisms in the oceans were at certain times and where they could end up.The hyperbole was used to try and paint a picture in listeners minds about how bad the fishing industry had gotten over the years.

Bethany Christie

11/5/2015 12:45:21 pm

Emily,
I watched this TedTalk and found it very interesting. Paul Snelgrove made great points about the evident depreciation of ocean life, and expressed his want for scientists to learn more about the ocean. He seemed very passionate about the topic and executed a great speech.

Ariana Terlaga

11/8/2015 11:56:48 pm

Emily, I found myself highly engaged during this TedTalk. I like Snelgrove's use of logos throughout the speech, an example being when he says, "the oceans produce half of the new life every day on Earth as well as about half the oxygen that we breathe." This helps viewers understand the true enormity of the ocean, and how big of a role it plays in ensuring the development of earth. His use of facts definitely plays a part in getting his audience to give into his message of appreciating ocean life.

Bethany Christie link

11/4/2015 09:40:44 pm

I viewed a TedTalk titled “The Enchanting Music of Sign Language” signed by Christine Sun Kim and interpreted by Denise Kahler-Braaten. Christine was born deaf, and has always struggled with understanding the concept of sound; it has been foreign to her and, because she has never experienced it, she is puzzled as to what sound really is. From birth, she was taught that sound would never be a part of her life, and that this burden of being restrained from a beautiful and colorful element of nature would never truly go away.
Through her experiences and talents with musical composition and visual art, she has defined her own understanding of sound. She notes that “it doesn’t have to be something just experienced through the ears. It can be felt tactually, or experienced as a visual, or even as an idea”. Although she cannot directly hear the sound, she can feel it through movement or vibration, or expression in a piece of visual artwork.
This talk, in its entirety, has been engaging and compelling to me not only because of her uplifting story, but also because of the circumstances given. She needed to find a way to precisely communicate her ideas while there was a barrier between her and her audience: the interpreter. Although an interpreter’s goal in American Sign Language (or any language, for that matter) is to most accurately transfer ideas from one context to another, it can be especially difficult in ASL because the language has a very minimal vocabulary. To effectively express her thoughts and feelings to the interpreter and audience, she used some distinct rhetorical devices including similes and personification. For example, at the beginning of her speech, she noted that, “As a Deaf person living in a world of sound, it's as if I was living in a foreign country”. Here, she relates her experience growing up without the ability to hear to a person growing up in a foreign nation using the word “as”, constituting a simile. This is used so that the audience could imagine her experience as a child by placing themselves in a foreign country, as they couldn’t exactly imagine what it’s like to be deaf. Another prominent rhetorical device used in the speech was added when she says, “the lines already contain sound through the subtle smudges and smears”. Here, Christine personifies the word “sound” to give life to an analogy she is using. Overall, the speech is empowering and dynamic in its ideas, which is what really captured my attention.

Kaitlin Sepanek link

11/5/2015 06:44:36 pm

Bethany, this was a very interesting TedTalk, and made a lot of sense to me. The person giving the lecture, Christine, was infact deaf and gave a performance about her concept of sound. She connected with me personally by incorporating musical concepts into her Talk. She also uses a lot for dates and factual evidence that appeal to our logos, which makes the audience believe her even more. She talks from experiences of her own, and makes the TedTalk more personal (pathos) to the listener.

Olivia Modesti

11/8/2015 03:08:29 pm

I thought this TedTalk was very inspirational how Christine was able to experience music in her life despite the fact that she is deaf. I thought this presentation used pathos to grab the audiences attention by sharing her motivational story.

Brianna Lum

11/8/2015 07:30:45 pm

I found this TedTalk very insightful. It shed light on the difficulties of a deaf person in the modern day, which relies heavily on sounds. You are right in saying that the simile was a good addition to the speech. It allowed the audience to see more clearly how it felt to be deaf, even if the audience themselves weren't.

Ariella Bourdeau

11/8/2015 11:17:39 pm

Bethany, Christine's TedTalk was very interesting and eye-opening. She quite literally brought her words to life through ASL. She conveyed her ideas in a thoughtful, fluid fashion without physically speaking them herself. Christine made use of her rhetorical devices, considering that it's done different in sign language because there are minimal words. She incorporates something no one would ever guess goes with sign language and being deaf, sound, more specifically music. It's amazing how such contradicting things can be compared and used together. Christine also managed to squeeze in pathos and ethos and interacted with the audience by teaching them a few signs. This makes the TedTalk more involving and keeos the audience captured in her talk and interested to hear (or see) the rest.

Chelsea Hidalgo link

11/4/2015 09:57:28 pm

The TedTalk that I watched was about gender equality and how it is not only good for women, but also beneficial to men and a society as a whole.

For example, during the talk, Kimmel states that countries overall with higher rates of egalitarianism then equates to higher levels of family contentedness, and even men taking on more responsibilities that are commonly known as "women's work", could lead to happiness levels exponentially increasing.

The speaker Michael Kimmel goes on to state that it is the men usually have it easy in terms of privilege and societal norms (especially if that man is also white and middle class) are the ones most blind to gender equality. For example, there was a scenario which the speaker defined the privilege of white men while he was on a show called "A Black Woman Stole my Job". In this, he describes how 3 other white men complained about "their" job being stolen since they submitted an application to a company and all of them got turned down in favor for black women. Kimmel was more focusing on the point of how the white men saw the job as 'theirs' already because of their assumptions and their privilege despite the fact that the job was not 'theirs' in the first place and was open to anyone.

However, in this discussion about the egalitarianism of the sexes, there are two rhetorical devices that stood out to capture the audience's attention.

The first one was a display of irony, deciphering from the quote "White men, in Europe and the United States, are the greatest beneficiaries of the single greatest affirmative action program in the history of the world. It is called 'The history of the world' ". This is said for both satirical and ironic purposes: satirical in the sense of invoking laughter from the audience with truth, ironic in the sense that whites didn't need affirmative action since they've been well off all throughout the course of history.

The second piece of rhetoric devices was the hyperbole from the quote "And during one of our conversations, I witnessed an interaction that changed my life forever". In his quote, the speaker didn't really witness an event that dramatically change his entire life, but instead uses this phrase in order to draw attention to what he is going to say next in a bit of an exaggeration.

Erin Cunningham

11/8/2015 08:44:17 pm

I watched this Ted Talk as well, and I honestly loved it. Kimmel's use of exaggeration and irony really stuck out, and helped him get his point across in a well-spoken manner. It's also great how he admitted to being society's "norm", a white, middle class male, but is still determined to bring more attention to gender equality, and how men are affected.

Erin Bishop

11/8/2015 09:04:05 pm

I strongly agree to your analysis of the rhetorical devices you picked up in the TED talk. I know, as a listener, I had those same reactions as implied by your analysis. In my opinion, you could have elaborated a bit more with the irony display. I would have gone more in depth with the satirical interpretation, and the irony interpretation is pretty well off. Overall, your analysis was pretty spot on, but could use a little work.

Madeline Kovach

11/8/2015 09:15:20 pm

Chelsea, the TedTalk you chose was very interesting. I thought the story Kimmel told about the conversation between the two racially different women was very insightful; I couldn't agree more with what the colored woman said about privilege being invisible to those that have it. Also, I noticed other rhetorical devices in his speech besides those you found. "So making gender visible to men is the first step to engaging men to support gender equality." This was another example of irony. Kimmel's quote makes it seem as though men have no means of knowledge towards women's existence, yet they interact with us on a daily basis. There is humor mixed in with this rather heated topic, which (I think) is an ingenious way to target a large audience of various ages and helps them understand his points without boring them to death.

Corinne Cude

11/9/2015 07:58:33 pm

Chelsea--

This was a particularly interesting TED talk. The use of hyperboles and ironic statements were beautifully woven into his speech to keep listeners involved. It certainly was a wonderful experience to hear such an enlightening viewpoint.

Benjamin Santangelo link

11/5/2015 07:07:30 pm

The TedTalk that I decided to view is called "Nick Bostrom: What happens when our computers get smarter than we are?" And, as the title says, it talks about the future.

Bostrom raises a good point that is only considered theoretical at this time: "Machine intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make." What happens next won't be in our hands.

If someone creates an AI smarter than any human someday in the future, there is a great possibility that it will view us as a threat. And if we have dependency on it during its day of revelation, it will have the tools it needs to remove the problem in the equation.

However, there is a way to prevent the Terminator scenario: instead of just letting it learn using its base instincts, we must teach it to value humanity and life on earth. That way, it will help us succeed in our race for the stars. It won't use the most effective courses of action, only the best ones.

In his speech, Bostrom uses logos appeal to prioritize his proposal. There is great logic behind his argument, and no one able to entertain this far-future prediction can miss his point - to integrate a heart into the AI. For those willing to believe, but unable to make sense of, such a mind bending foresight, Bostrom adds allusion to the mix. Allusion give clarity to the audience by referencing topics they know, like Terminator, King Midas, and Edward Witten.

MacKenzie Kerwin

11/8/2015 11:42:13 am

Ben this was a very interesting presentation to watch. It’s strange to think that humans can make something that, someday, is even smarter than we are. I especially enjoyed how Nick Bostrom compared the development of artificial intelligence to a train. The metaphor, along with the picture he used on the screen, makes a very clear representation of how much time it will take to reach each level of artificial intelligence (and how little time it will take to surpass human-level intelligence once it reaches it).

Bethany Sherback

11/8/2015 12:00:52 pm

I found this TedTalk very intriguing and concerning - with improper creating and teaching of computers, they could essentially take over our world. Bostrom's point that there is more space for computer intelligence than there is for human intelligence (because human intelligence must fit inside the brain) indicates that we must, while we can, control computers into noticing and considering humanity.

Owen Raymond

11/8/2015 01:01:00 pm

Ben, this Ted Talk was very interesting. It is very strange to think machine intelligence, may very well be the last thing that we need to make. In his speech I also noticed that Bostrom used some humor to get his audiences attention and to keep them engaged.

Jeremy Lang

11/8/2015 03:19:45 pm

Ben this Ted Talk was pretty cool and I agree and see how Bostrom used "great logic" to back up his argument. I personally found the allusion to Terminator was a good yet funny one.

Eric Yeh

11/8/2015 05:32:49 pm

Ben, I watched this Ted Talk and I found it to be pretty interesting. Bostrom's use of allusions, referencing the Terminator and King Midas. He made his statement more clear when connecting them to his talk. His use of a metaphor also made the connection between algorithms that learn from raw perceptual data and human infants learning, much more clear. It made it much more interesting for me because I understood clearly that the AI's that they were making increased its knowledge of topics the same way that everyone did as a baby.

Brianna Murray

11/8/2015 07:09:36 pm

Ben,
I watched this Ted Talk and I found it very interesting, especially considering the fact that I often have these types of discussions. I think that it is amazing to consider that one day, we may make technological advances that just might end up hurting us when we least expect it. I like that you chose to talk about Bostrom's use of allusion, in that it helped to relate his advanced scientific ideas to those that ordinary people can understand. Overall, this was a great Ted Talk to write about. Our computers becoming more intelligent than us poses a serious threat, even when most people don't like to admit it.

Joe Yacovelli

11/8/2015 09:11:03 pm

Ben,
This Ted Talk was very interesting, and almost scary. Bostrom did a fantastic job in giving examples of how this is not a far-fetched idea. Because he used logos, it made the presentation more real. Instead of a theory, the logos changed it into a reality. Also, i agree that his use of allusion made the audience, including me, understand the very sophisticated presentation he gave better.

Quinn Hillman link

11/5/2015 08:28:19 pm

The TedTalk that I watched was by Derek Sivers. He spoke about one way that is important to help a person achieve their future goals. His idea was that it is best to keep your goals to yourself.

One rhetorical device used by Derek Sivers was logos. He gave many statistics about people and how they achieve their goals. He gave an example of a test that was done where half the participants shared their goal and the other half kept it to themselves. They were all then given time to research information about their goal, and at the end of the experiment, those who did not share their goal spent the entire time researching and felt they were not near accomplishing their goal. The use of this rhetorical device was effective in getting the audience to understand the difference of sharing vs. not sharing goals. The use of logos effectively showed the audience that his claim is correct.

Another rhetorical device he uses in his speech is allusion. He tells the audience that if they need to share their goal then they must compare it to something that sounds dreadful. Therefore they get no satisfaction from talking about their goal, which will not make them give up on their goal. The use of allusion allows the crowd to understand that it is the feeling of satisfaction from speaking about their goal that will limit their ability to achieve it. If allusion is not used then the crowd would not be able to understand how to keep their goals alive.

Christopher Twombly

11/8/2015 04:41:40 pm

Quinn, I watched this TED talk by Derek Sivers and found it to be very intriguing. His idea that even though our first instinct is to initally tell someone what we are trying to accomplish, but that it is better to keep our goals to ourselves really stuck out to me. As you mentioned, his use of logos and the experiments he mentioned helped me understand the point he was trying to prove, and also how beneficial not telling anyone your goals can be.

Rachel Lamore

11/8/2015 07:09:01 pm

Quinn, I viewed this TedTalk and I agree with the points you made and I also noticed the rhetorical devices that you mention here. I agree that the the use of logos made his speech much more reliable and that it showed his audience that his claim is correct. Along with logos and allusions, I also noticed the use of a simile. Derek Sivers says "Doesn't it (the goal) feel good to say it out loud? Don't you feel one step closer already like it's becoming part of your identity?" In this statement, Sivers is comparing the goal to part of one's identity, giving the audience a vivid description of what happens when you tell others your goals. Overall, I agree that the rhetorical devices he uses really help support his claim that telling people your goals makes it less likely that you will achieve them.

Nick D'Amico

11/8/2015 09:20:26 pm

Quinn, I also watched this Ted Talk and found it very fascinating. As Sivers was explaining how most people won't achieve their goals if they tell others about them, he used many specific facts and examples to help explain his points. These specific facts helped the audience to better understand the science behind his claim.

Rachel Lamore link

11/7/2015 10:48:44 am

The TedTalk seminar that speaks to me was delivered by Matt Cutts in attempt to persuade his audience to try something new for thirty days. Cutt mentions that a few years ago, he felt as if he was missing out on life; as if the days were passing by and he wasn’t truly experiencing them. He states that thirty days is actually the perfect amount of time to incorporate something new in to your life. Due to this, Cutt’s thought about something he’s always wanted to add to his life, and he tried it. Just a few of his challenges were to take a picture a day and to write a novel in just one month. At the end of each thirty day challenge, he realizes that instead of the days rapidly passing by and being lost, he finds them to be much more memorable and enjoyable. These small challenges impacted his life dramatically; he became more adventurous and actually climbed the highest mountain in Africa. Overall, Cutt’s came to the conclusion that small, sustainable challenges are more likely to stick than big, unrealistic challenges and that he believes all people should try this in order to attain a happier, more satisfying life.
Matt Cutt’s was able to employ his audience through the use of rhetorical appeals. For example, when he is describing how he felt after the thirty day challenges, he uses personification and alliteration and says “Instead of the months flying by, forgotten, the time was much more memorable.” The use of personification gives this explanation immediacy and shows the audience that the months did not just pass by, but they flew by fast and unexpectedly. Also, the repetition of the “m” sound gave a general feel to the sentence, making it sound more sentimental.

Kaitlyn Remond

11/8/2015 10:06:31 am

I watched this TED talk about trying something new for 30 days and I found it very interesting and inspiring. Matt Cutts shares the message that it is great to try new things because it can make you a more outgoing and adventurous person. He also used many instances of humor in his speech, creating a connection with the audience and also emphasizing points and ideas.

Casey Marshall

11/8/2015 03:14:27 pm

I really enjoyed listening to this TedTalk. His use of personification and alliteration really drew me in and made me pay more attention and understand exactly what he was saying. He uses humor and personal experiences to appeal to everyone. This applies to "Ethos." By sharing his experience with what he was speaking about, he gained the trust of the audience.

Shannon Maxey

11/8/2015 07:19:58 pm

Rachel, I found this TedTalk very inspiring. I felt that Matt Cutts ability to articulate and depict his thoughts clearly kept the audience engaged throughout. His passion on the topic was evident, making the speech overall enjoyable to watch.

Hailey Coleman

11/8/2015 08:13:47 pm

Rachel
I watched the Ted Talk you picked and really enjoyed it. It was amazing how inspiring it was in just a short amount of time. The speaker, Matt Cutt, started off with a great allusion to Morgan Spurlock. This was a great example to show how a 30 day period of a task can be so life changing, for better or for worse! This was also an example of the humor he used throughout the talk to keep the audience engaged and entertained. This was a very good choice of a Ted Talk I enjoyed it a lot!

Sydney Borkowski

11/9/2015 09:12:48 am

This TEDtalk offers a lot of inspiration and motivation. I think Cutts appeals to the part of all of us that is eager to try new things but always short on time. By saying that it only takes 30 days to try new things, he makes the idea very approachable. His tone is also very comical and light, which i think helps the audience to relate to him in a friendly way. this makes the whole talk more appealing.

Audrey Robinson

11/9/2015 10:48:43 pm

Rachel, the TEDTalk that you selected was inspirational and motivating. Matt Cutts used ethos when stating exactly how many words you would have to write a day in order to write a novel in 30 days. He not only used humor, but also hyperbole when he showed the picture of the candy for day 31.

Kaitlyn Remond link

11/7/2015 11:55:09 am

I watched the TED talk by Sheryl Sandberg called Why we have too few women leaders. Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook whose goal is to keep women at the top of the work force even after they have started a family and inspire future generations of women to get to the top of the work force as well.
In the speech, Sheryl Sandberg made some very interesting points about the lack of women leaders. She mentions that households with equal earning and responsibility have half the divorce rate and tend to have a stronger relationship. Proving that women should be working just as much as men in a family. Another statistic she mentions that is interesting is that only 15% of the people in the corporate sector at the top are women. This is an astonishingly low number, in my opinion.
She starts off her talk by using logos and reviewing the statistics of women versus men at the top of the work force. Throughout the talk, she also includes more statistics and relevant examples of situations where women were always viewed as less important than men in their fields. The use of logos can help her relay her message more effectively because people will understand the logic when the numbers are given to them and they can clearly see the difference between the percentage of women and men at the top of the work force. It can also provide evidence and reasoning in the speech.
Another type of rhetorical device that Sheryl Sandberg uses is pathos. She uses past memories with her family and friends to relate to the emotion of others. An example is when she was talking about how her 3-year-old daughter didn’t want her to get on the plane because she would miss her. She also mentions situations where women stand off to the side and let men do the talking, but they should be “sitting at the table” and being more involved work. People in the audience can relate to these emotions and situations and can help them connect with the speaker and her topic.
Sheryl Sandberg also uses examples of metaphors. She says that women often fail to “sit at the table.” She means this literally, but also metaphorically that women are not getting involved enough in the top of the work force and need to stop always pulling back and instead, ask for what we want. This metaphor can help the audience better understand the comparison used in the speech.

Riley Kweder

11/8/2015 07:07:23 pm

Kaitlyn I enjoyed this TED talk as well. Sheryl Sandberg points out how easy it is to forget that this is an age where gender equality is finally being earned after so many years of fighting for it, and yet people still get denied of these rights or just don't take advantage of them. Not only is it the men expecting less of women, but also women expecting less of themselves because most are raised in households consisting of both men and women who believe that men will always be dominant. I particularly enjoyed her personal connections because it shows that women aren't viewed as powerful leaders in the eyes of young children such as her daughter because they aren't taught such a notion.

Alexandra Adames

11/8/2015 09:58:52 pm

Kaitlyn, the TedTalk you choose was inspiring. It shows that woman can have just as much power as men. I agree with you that she used logos, which allows that audience to see that there is true facts on the topic. Then having the logos backed up with pathos allows the audience to see that women having power can be accomplished. The examples you gave prove that women should not sit back and watch, that they should also have power.

Laura Trombetta link

11/7/2015 12:28:15 pm

The Ted Talk I listened to was by Daniel Levitin. It was titled, "How to stay calm when you know you'll be stressed." Levitin opens his talk by telling a story of an event where he was put under a great deal of stress and was forced to scramble in a panic in order to try and solve his problem.

After this event occurred Levitin began wondering if there was an easier way to handle situations that may cause large amounts of stress. He found from a friend that a theory called "prospective hindsight" was a great way to prevent stressful situations from occurring or at least minimizing the damage caused by them. This idea is also known as pre mortem. It means that instead of figuring out what went wrong after the event has already occurred, referred to as post mortem, you can look ahead to figure out what could possibly go wrong.

In his talk, Levitin uses logos and ethos to strengthen his points. He establishes credibility with the audience by stating that he specializes in neuroscience and continues to use logos by explaining how in a stressful situation, the brain will release cortisol which causes cloudiness in thinking. When faced with a situation where a reaction is needed quickly, other systems of the body shut down, including the system that controls rational thinking. With these rhetorical devices he gains trust of the audience and gives a logical explanation for why rational thinking is reduced in a stressful situation, proving that planning should be done before the stressful event even occurs. In this way the damage of the situation can be greatly reduced.

One last rhetorical device that is used in his talk is pathos. Levitin gives an example of the need to make medical decisions when either your life is on the line, or that of a loved one. These decisions are always filled with stressful thoughts. Therefore, he explains, it is very important to think through the situation before the time comes where you are needed to make a decision. Think of questions to ask ahead of time to a doctor to push the conversation forward. His use of pathos creates an emotional connection and makes the audience think about how if they were put in the situation of having to make medical decisions for a family member they would want to ask the right questions and behave in a way that would benefit their loved one. The audience can understand the importance of thinking ahead in order to prevent damage from this stressful situation.

Jared Poulsen

11/8/2015 03:34:23 pm

Laura,
This presentation was very interesting. The fact that Levitin is a neuroscientist definitely creates a reliable and credible image in the audience's mind. Another interesting topic that Levitin brought up was the effect of cortisol. The way he introduced this information was a great way for the audience to connect with him because everyone has, at one point, forgotten to bring something while they were in a rush. It really brings in the audience and improves his overall speech.

Kaylan O'Banner

11/8/2015 08:42:29 pm

Laura, the Ted Talk you watched stood out to me. When Levitin said rational thinking is reduced in stressful situations, proving that planning should be done before the stressful event occurs stood out to me especially because it is very true. What he said can relate to most because everyone has dealt with stress in their life, and I'm sure many have done irrational actions while stressed. This Ted Talk is very relatable to people and can help many of them.

Liam Gerety

11/8/2015 10:30:17 pm

Laura, I found this Ted Talk quite interesting. Levitin's use of ethos by stating that he was a neuroscientist definitely strengthened his claims. He also used irony in his talk when he said “I didn’t realize my thinking was cloudy because my thinking was cloudy”.

Christina Constantinou

11/8/2015 10:38:04 pm

Laura,
I found this TedTalk very interesting and felt that I could relate to it. Everyone in life hits stressful time periods, and decision making in the moment is easier said than done. I thought it was intriguing how he provided his own scientific knowledge, using the rhetorical device ethos, to explain how certain things work. For example, how the brain, under stress, shuts down.

Jaden Diaz link

11/7/2015 02:28:35 pm

The ted talk I listened to was performed by Lizzie Velasquez about how you define yourself. She uses various types of rhetorical strategies to ehance her speech. Some of which include repetition, verbal irony, pathos, ethos, metaphors, and she even motivates the audience with her positive, determined, bright spirit that she brings to the stage.

Two rhetorical strategies that stood out were humor intertwined with verbal irony, and the emotional affect of pathos. Lizzie, a 24-year-old woman, talks about her struggle with an unknown syndrome she was born with that makes it impossible for her to gain weight. Only three people in the world, including herself, have this illness. Despite the harsh reality of her struggle, she introduces her problem in a unique and ironic manner. She starts off by desribing the benefits of having this syndrome; as appose to the hardships. She says that it is "convenient" because she has the freedom to eat whatever she wants without having to worry about gaining weight. She also says that she is eligible to be a "poster child" for Weight Watcher advertisments because she's so thin. This brings a sense of alleviation that causes the crowd to be more comfortable with her situation: as well as laughter from her sarcastic humor. It allows for the audience to realize that there is always an optimistic perspective on life's battles.

Another rhetorical strategy Lizzie uses to enagage the audience is pathos; the power in an actual life experience. She ties in emotion with her story by discussing the bullying and isolation she dealt with while growing up and being different from everyone else. She talks about the comfort she, fortunately, recieved from her family. However, what drove her most was the belief that her success can come from all the negativity in her life. Lizzie tells the audience that she never allowed for the terrible things in her life to get the best of her: she never let her syndrome define who she was. She connects her personal experience to the audience, and the rest of the world. Using a metaphor she says, "You are the person in the front seat of your car. You are the one who decides whether your car goes down a bad path or a good path. You are the one who decides what defiens you." This makes the audience able to relate to Lizzie and it demonstrates a more distinctive understanding. She says "I used their negativity to light my fire and keep going." She doesn't only use pathos to incorporate inspiration, but also uses ethos because she is living, breathing proof that we decide what defines us.

Mrs. Elbakry

11/11/2015 07:47:22 pm

Excellent analysis, Jaden. Well done.

Eric Yeh link

11/7/2015 07:45:00 pm

The Ted Talk that i listened to was by Joseph DeSimone, a chemical engineer, and he talked about the reality if 3D printing was 100x faster.

Joseph started off explaining what 3D printing was, how it was a 2D printer printing multiple copies on top of each other to build the 3D shape. He goes on to say that while this is revolutionary for manufacturing industries, each project takes 3-10 hours, quite a long time for a single product. He goes on to use an allusion by stating "Now, we were inspired by the 'Terminator 2' scene for T-1000, and we thought, why couldn't a 3D printer operate in this fashion, where you have an object arise out of a puddle in essentially real time with essentially no waste to make a great object?" He brings in the audiences attention with a movie reference that most or all of them have seen. It allows for the audience to connect with the topic and speaker through the source that he got his idea from. They can understand what he means by real time manufacturing with his example of the T-1000, rising out of a puddle of metal and forming into a human shape in a matter of seconds.

At the beginning of his talk, Joseph had started his own 3D printer that he had on stage, to construct and finish a complex ball in the duration of his Ted Talk. It finishes before he reaches the 8 minute mark. This is an example of logos throughout his entire talk of how fast the new 3D printer actually print. It pulls the audience in, letting them witness the revolutionary invention making an object in front of their eyes. Many people watching would have believed results of the machine if he had told them, but showing them the machine in action effectively shows them a reason why its revolutionary.

He ends his discussion with the idea of all the advancements to be made by the new 3D printer. He's excited to see all the new possibilities that could be made with this new tool.

Ben Santangelo

11/8/2015 10:59:20 am

I found this presentation most intriguing. It wasn't so long ago 3D printing in general was impossible. But now, intricate objects ready for use can be pulled out of a small puddle like a magic trick. Like DeSimone said, creating amazing objects such as the Terminator 1000 in real time would be game-changing. It may not be exactly the same a Hollywood, but seeing what they are striving for, however fake, makes Carbon3D that much more Sci-Fi come true. The uses for such a technological feat are pretty logical to me.

Abbi Locke

11/8/2015 02:05:45 pm

The use of the pop culture reference and the creation of the structure before the audience's eyes was very effective at forging a connection between DeSimone and his viewers. I also appreciated how he threw the elastomer ball into the audience, giving them a chance to have a firsthand account of its intricate structure and elastic properties. Another device he used to attract the listeners attention and ingrain his message into their minds was the repetition of the phrase "real time" to underscore his live demonstration.

Lucas Kaine

11/8/2015 03:16:54 pm

I watched this Ted Talk and it was very interesting. If 3D printers could print 100x faster then they can now then it could be revolutionary. It could end up changing the way the manufacturing process works altogether. It was very cool how his 3D printer printed on stage and finished in only about 7 minutes.

Robert Sweeney link

11/8/2015 05:39:07 pm

Eric, your Ted Talk was very interesting and it shows the promise of modern science and technology. Joseph DeSimone is very excited about what the future of 3D printing can bring and he conveys that through his speech. Also, Joseph uses ethos throughout his entire speech as he is appealing to his credibility and the credibility of his coworkers. Joseph himself is a chemical engineer and he does it professionally for a living, and so do his coworkers, so they have a lot of credibility and experience in the field of 3D printing. This credibility establishes a trust between him and the audience. Since he is so experienced in the field, the audience trusts him and what he is saying. Joseph DeSimone's stature is what allows for the audience to trust him and make what he is saying overall more effective and impactful.

Mason Hayes

11/8/2015 05:53:17 pm

I think this is a very interesting topic. Since 3D printing has become more popular, it's fascinating how something similar to the creation of a Terminator is starting to become a reality, minus the killer robot aspect of it.

Robert Sergiyenko

11/8/2015 07:40:54 pm

It is a very interesting invention. Always good to see new breakthroughs in science. I was surprised to find out about the new 3D printer. I though that conventional 3D printing was the top of the line when it comes to manufacturing and production, but it turns out I was mistaken.

Spencer Kerwin

11/8/2015 08:21:15 pm

Eric, this TedTalk was very interesting. It was impressive seeing the 3D printer fabricating the complex so quickly and the science behind the process was also fascinating. Having the 3D printed balls was a good example of ethos because they gave the printer credibility to produce such elaborate structures and it allowed the audience to see up close what they looked like.

MacKenzie Kerwin link

11/8/2015 11:20:29 am

The TED Talk I watched was titled “All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes” by Andy Puddicombe. As an expert on mindfulness and a former monk, Puddicombe had a lot of wisdom to share about how we can let go of our worries, de-stress, and find the right balance of happiness and stress in our lives. Something I found particularly interesting about his presentation was how he used a set of juggling balls as a visual aid—as he compared the balance between relaxation and focus to the movement of the balls, he sped up and slowed down the pace at which he was juggling. For example, he explained that if he focused too hard on giving the talk while he was juggling, he would forget to throw the balls, and they would slow down and fall. If he focused too hard on juggling, they would be moving too fast for him to keep track of, he would forget the words to his presentation. Hence, he proved the importance of finding a balance.

And that, Puddicombe explained, can be done by taking 10 minutes a day to simply do nothing. Meditation doesn’t require the burning of candles or a fountain of running water or a class of people sitting cross-legged on the floor—all you need is ten minutes to step back and regain touch with the present.

Puddicombe used similes to further describe how we get so caught up in our thoughts. He said, “the mind whizzes away like a washing machine going round and round.” When we’re worried about something, we think about it every few minutes, and we can’t seem to push it out of the way. Our minds fall into this repetitive cycle of being worried and then getting anxious about those worries, just how a washing machine spins the same clothes over and over.

He then used a metaphor that described how meditation can remedy these worries (and, better yet, prevent them happening in the first place). He talked about the first meditation class he went to when he was eleven and how he “assumed it was just an aspirin for the mind.” He compared meditation to a medication that fixes the stress he had already built up, not realizing that it can stop stress before it even starts.

Puddicombe makes appeals to both pathos and logos throughout his talk. He took time to address all the different ways people deal with stress—turning to friends for help, seeing professionals, taking medication—to let his audience identify something they could relate to. Everyone has experienced stress in their own way, and instead of just sharing how he deals with it and how it worked for him, he opened up his method of help to as many people as possible. He also included a statistic to help prove his point. “On average, our minds are lost in thought almost 47% of the time.” This piece of information convinces his audience how important it is that we take care of our mental health. Since nearly half of our lives are lost to anxiety and worry, this “ten minutes of mindfulness” seems like a beneficial thing to do.

Mrs. Elbakry

11/15/2015 03:43:52 pm

Terrific analysis, MacKenzie!

Bethany Sherback link

11/8/2015 11:51:22 am

"How prisons can help inmates live meaningful lives" by Dan Pacholke is about the potential that prisons have to change and influence the lives of its inmates.

Pacholke has worked in several different institutions in the span of 30 years and has seen the effects that changes to the correctional system can have on men and women who previously led dangerous lives. He mentored with experts in many different fields to create new techniques and approaches to criminals as to actually positively reshape their lives. Pacholke makes a great point that correctional systems should really "correct" inmates, as their name implies; instead, these people often leave facilities and repeat their past mistakes.

This point about the lack of influence that currently comes out of prisons is proven through logos. At the beginning of his talk, Pacholke throws out modern statistics concerning inmates; for example, he states that there are more black men in prisons today than there were black men in slavery in 1850. By including information that emphasizes the reality of our problem, Pacholke was able to help his listeners grasp the importance of a reformed system. If the system remains unchanged and the cycle of repeated offenses continues, our country's crime rates would only increase.

Also, Pacholke uses metaphors to demonstrate how the current criminal system is failing. He refers to the correctional organization as a "bucket for failed social policy," meaning that jails receive men and women with whom no other methods of help have worked, leaving the institutions to fend with the effects. In addition, he refers to correctional organizations as asylums because they have become "the largest mental health provider in this nation." Both of these comparisons show that correctional institutes now have many different types of people and have the opportunity to turn them into motivated human beings.

Owen Raymond link

11/8/2015 12:46:40 pm

The Ted Talk that I listened to was by Francesco Sauro and was titled "Deep under the Earth's surface, discovering beauty and science".

This Ted Talk, as described by the title, is about what lies beneath the earth's surface and how little we know about it. In his speech Sauro says that at the moment we have only explored roughly 30,000 kilometers out of 10million kilometers of cave passages around the world. This fact especially, shows how little we have explored beneath the earth's surface. Sauro then goes on to explain all strange things that have been found in caves and that no one knows what we will encounter next if we keep exploring.

Sauro also talks about the different types of caves around the world and how strange and unique each one is. He talks about how each cave is different in terms of structure and the materials that it is composed of.

In his speech, Sauro uses a lot of logos. He constantly talks about facts and has lots of logical appeal. Sauro also uses lots of imagery when describing all the caves he has visited. He also uses some humor to keep his audience engaged and to lighten the tone a little.

Brianna Lum link

11/8/2015 01:28:51 pm

The TedTalk I listened to was by Roxane Gay and how she considered herself a “bad feminist”. In this TedTalk, the speaker made interesting points about the stigma that comes with labeling yourself as a feminist, and what a feminist really should be. For example, Roxane explained how people are afraid to call themselves feminists because others will expect so much from them. One mistake and they will knock the feminist down and degrade them. She feels that it is unfair, because we’re all human and we make mistakes. Roxane also made a point of saying that every woman is different, stating that if a woman wants to stay at home, or wants to take her husbands last name, then it is her choice, and should be respected for whatever choice she makes.
One rhetorical device the speaker uses is allusion. Roxane uses the famous line “I hold these truths to be self-evident” which alludes to the Declaration of Independence. This was used to make a parallel between the United States declaring their independence from Britain and women saying they are their own independent person.
Another rhetorical device was ethos. She told the audience of a time in her childhood when her hopes and spirit was broken by a group of boys. They had treated her poorly, making her believe she wasn’t worth anything. However, she put herself back together through the art of writing. Roxane built up her confidence again and later published a book called “Bad Feminism”. This was put in to boost the moral of women; to show them that no matter how much they are dejected by others, they can still do great things.

Chelsea Hidalgo link

11/9/2015 09:05:28 pm

I agree Brianna! The sad truth that feminists are being knocked down due to stereotypes is a great concern, and I agree with Roxane Gay that every woman is allowed to make their own choices due to the privilege of equality. However, other literary devices you may have missed in this TedTalk is when Roxane said "We have this tendency to put visible feminists on a pedestal. We expect them to pose perfectly. When they disappoint us, we gleefully knock them from the very pedestal we put them on". Now, Roxane doesn't really mean that critics put feminists on literal pedestals, but instead uses this term as an idiom to describe how feminists are judged by others in society.

Abbi Locke link

11/8/2015 01:40:28 pm

The Ted Talk I watched was by Joshua Walters on being just crazy enough. The main message of his speech was about how mental illness is horrible, but a good way to get though it is by looking on the bright side, even if there might not be one. He himself is bipolar, and when he said as much to the audience, he followed it up by re framing it as a positive, that "the crazier I get on stage, the more entertaining I become." In addition to his admission of mental illness giving him credibility, the way he reworded it also provides humor. Humor was a continuous theme throughout his speech, lightening up the seriousness of his topic. Many of the literary devices he used served this purpose as well.

A device he used that stood out to me was the way he described the struggle of his overmedicated depressive episode through hyperbole. He said, "[...] and the second half was the overmedications of these drugs, where I was sleeping through high school. The second half was just one big nap, pretty much, in class." Although he likely didn't actually sleep during the entirety of the back half of high school, this way of wording it lets the listener know how much he was in a haze and unable to function, in the aftermath of the manic episode he experienced at the beginning of his high school career.

He also used the term creative "edge" towards the end of his speech. This is a metaphor for the creativity and energy acquired in the manic stage of bipolar. The use of the word edge brings to mind a sharp, cutting form of whatever it is describing. This goes to a deeper meaning, because manic energy is often described as a double-edged sword. While it may increase your ability to be creative and productive, it can cause a restricted interest and neglect of relationships and hygiene if they are not pertinent to that interest.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 05:43:17 pm

Very good analysis, Abbi.

Olivia Modesti link

11/8/2015 02:03:11 pm

The TedTalk that I watched was called, "Never, ever give up". This was presented by Diana Nyad. Diana Nyad is the famous swimmer that swam from Cuba to Florida after an extreme 100-mile swim. After swimming in the pitch-black, being stung by jellyfish, and choking on salt water, she was able to achieve her life long dream at age 64. During her presentation she describes the dangerous obstacles she overcame during her journey.

What stood out to me about her story was the fact that she had tried to achieve this goal 4 times before she tried again and achieved it. Most people would stop trying after 2 tries, but she kept going up until the fifth time when she completed it. During her presentation she says, "it wasn't so much about the athletic accomplishment, it wasn't the ego of "I want to be the first." That's always there and it's undeniable. But it was deeper. It was, how much life is there left?". It didn't matter to her if she was first or last to accomplish this. What mattered to her was that she accomplished her dream for herself.
Diana Nyad's presentation is a good example of pathos. Her story had a lot of emotional appeal to the audience, inspiring them to do something with their lives no matter the age. Diana also reminds us that its never too late to achieve a dream.
She also uses many similes and metaphors when describing her inspirational story. This helps the audience have a better understanding of the struggles she went through while striving to finish a lifelong goal.

Rebecca Rinaldi link

11/8/2015 02:39:51 pm

I watched a TedTalk about life in high school. This TedTalk is interesting because I, as well as the rest of the class, can directly relate to the topic as we all currently attend high school. Malcolm London makes interesting points such as the typical segregated groups, teacher’s lack of proper payment, and the stresses that modern education puts on children. He gets these points across by the means of rhetorical devices. London used a metaphor when stating the following: “Social lines are barbed wire.” He is comparing the painful feeling of touching barbed wire to the painful feeling of being labeled as a certain social class. Students get trapped inside these social classes commonly for the entirety of their high school career. The speaker also uses ethos when he mentions his own high school and compares the point of the speech to his own experience. This persuades the audience to believe what he is saying because he is trustworthy.

Lucas Kaine

11/8/2015 02:55:47 pm

The Ted Talk that I watched was by Jane McGonigal and she talked about how gaming can make a better world.

She starts off by saying that we spend 3 billion hours a week collectively a week. She says that this isn't enough gameplay to solve real world problems. She says that we need to play 21 billion hours of gameplay a week to survive the next century by the end of the next decade. She shows a gamer's face just before he has an "epic win". She says that an epic win is an outcome that is so positive that you had no idea that it was possible. She goes on by saying how this is the face that problem solvers around the world should be having when they are close to this epic win. In saying all this, she is using logos to provide logical statistics and facts to the audience.

She goes on by explaining why gamers are so good at solving problems. She breaks the reasons into 4 different categories which are blissful productivity, social fabric, urgent optimism, and epic meaning. She ends the whole thing by explaining how an ancient civilization played dice games to survive through a famine for the Kingdom of Lydia. They survived by eating for one day, and the next day they played games. This way they forgot about their hunger because they were so immersed in their games. They survived 18 years this way according to Herodotus. This is using ethos because people in the audience would most likely be thinking "Oh, if the ancient Lydians were able to do that then shouldn't we be playing games too?".

She ends the Ted Talk by telling the audience that she has created 3 or so games that could have world changing effects. She encourages that all the people in the audience start to play games too.

Casey Marshall link

11/8/2015 03:00:15 pm

The TedTalk I listened to was "Sarah Kay: If I Should Have a Daughter..." Kay talks about how she will raise her future daughter to always have a person she can talk to, someone she can trust, and that person will be her mother.

Kay says something that really stood out to me during the talk. She said "So the first time she realizes Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself, because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal." In this quote, Kay uses an allusion to a superhero coming to save her daughter, which will ultimately not happen. This leaves the reader visualizing a scene of a girl and her mother dealing with pain together, and not relying on other people to save them.

Kay also uses the rhetorical strategy of apostrophes. She often speaks to her future daughter throughout the speech. "'Baby,' I'll tell her, 'remember, your momma is a worrier, and your poppa is a warrior, and you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more.'" By doing this, Kay makes you feel as if you are a part of the scene taking place.

Mrs. Elbakry

11/15/2015 05:47:39 pm

Great analysis, Casey!

Jeremy Lang

11/8/2015 03:14:42 pm

The Ted Talk that I listened to was by Karen Thompson and her views on what fear can teach us.

Karen began her Ted Talk with the story of Essex a story about a sperm whale that destroyed the ship of 20 American sailors. Now this was a strange topic until she tied fear to a story. Karen believes that fear can be viewed in another a way, a way that makes it feel like "an amazing act of imagination". Fears are not just fears, but stories. When she starts explaining her stance she uses lots of simile's comparing fear to stories. She goes on to explain that like stories fears have a plot (beginning, middle, and end), they have characters, (the person), they even provide imagery that you could see from a book as Karen describes.

Throughout the Ted Talk she mentioned how she used to live in California and how every time there was a minor earthquake she would et scared seeing the chandler sway, because she feared that in the middle of the night when she was asleep a big earthquake would hit and destroy the house. This began to get me thinking of my old fears and how fears are a kind of "unintentional storytelling" . She appealed to my emotional state reminding me of how vivid I could make my fears. I remember one night about 6 years ago I got up to get a drink and imagined an alien watching me. Karen used Pathos to help guide me in seeing what she means that fear is a story. I had the fear that what if an alien came for me in my sleep? what would happen? will I live? But like a story fear isn't necessarily real but a image of what you are afraid of.

Karen Thompsons Ted Talk inspired me to remember that fear is just a thing in my mind that a make real through a story I put in my head.

Jared Poulsen link

11/8/2015 03:20:42 pm

The Ted Talk I watched was called "3 things I learned while my plane crashed" by Ric Elias. Ric was a passenger on the plane that crashed into the Hudson River in early 2009. His Ted Talk is about the three things he thought as the plane was going down.

The first was that everything in your life can change in an instant. In this paragraph Ric uses Ethos to strengthen his story. He explained that there were so many things in his life he was still looking forward to, but wouldn't have a chance to do. What Ric was trying to say was that it's not worth it to wait to accomplish your goals. You never know what could happen so why not take action now, rather than regret all the things you could have done once you are unable to do them anymore? The reason that one might think of Ric as a credible figure is because he has lived the experience of almost dying, and afterwards he changed his lifestyle from "I'll get around to it", to "I'll do it now". He also explained how it improved his life - after the crash, Ric hasn't had an argument with his wife in two years and he focuses on being happy rather than being right. If this realization made someone change their entire lifestyle, it makes them appear more credible and reliable.

Another rhetorical strategy that Ric uses is Pathos. He explains that as the plane was nearing the water, and in his head he was counting "15..14..13...", the only thing he could think about was the fact that he might not have been able to see his kids grow up. Ric explains that after the crash he came to the realization that he only had one goal in life - to be a good father. This appeals to emotion because anyone can understand that not being able to see your loved ones anymore would be a devastating and tragic situation. Using Pathos really makes the audience connect more with his speech and understand that the goals of life are really much more simple than what we might normally think.

Tyler Pranger link

11/8/2015 03:24:14 pm

The Ted Talk that I found was delivered by Daniel Levitin, a nueroscientist by training, who talked about how we can stay calm under stress.

He began with a small anecdote about how he had locked himself out of the house the night before an early flight to Europe, showing his experience in a stressful situation. After this, he goes into detail on the hippocampus, the part of the brain that causes us, as human beings, to remember where important items are. By remembering where you're possessions are, you will have a less stressful events of trying to find these items.This is slightly ironic because even a nueroscientist like Daniel, someone who knows about the hippocampus, can be forgetful.

He then talks about how you can be safe during medical situations that involve stress. Daniel talks about how if your doctor tells you that you have high cholesterol and prescribes a certain medicine to you, the situation makes you want to automatically say yes. However, Daniel suggests that you should ask about the medicine first. For this particular medicine, 1 in 300 people were actually helped, and the side effects made 15 times more people harmed. This adds in the logos aspect because with the bigger chance for the medicine to hurt than help, you would logically think twice about choosing it.

Students can undergo stressful situations, such as forgetting your homework or not studying for a test. This specific ted talk is focused on ways to help deal with those events, and Daniel talks about this subject based on his professional and personal knowledge.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 05:52:25 pm

Tyler, your analysis could use more rhetorical device identification. You only really mention anecdotes.

Alexandra Adames link

11/8/2015 03:45:10 pm

At only 19, Amy Pudry’s life was changed and she shares her inspiring story in her TedTalk, Living Beyond Limits.
Purdy though she was coming down with the flu, but in reality she had bacterial meningitis. She lost her spleen, kidneys, hearing in her left ear, and both her legs below her knee. Purdy did not allow her tragedy to ruin her life. She did not let losing her legs stop her from doing what she loved. Once recovered she got back on the slopes and eventually won 2 World Cup gold medals for snowboarding. Amy Purdy is inspiring because after such a tragic experience she helped others in a similar situation to hers. In 2005, she cofounded a nonprofit organization to help adolescence with physical disabilities get back into action sports.
Purdy uses pathos multiple times within her TedTalk. She describes very clearly her thoughts in the beginning of her journey. “… I crawled in to bed and this is what my life looked like for the next few months: me passed out, escaping from reality, with my legs resting by my side. I was absolutely physically and emotionally broken.” (Purdy) This line alone lets the reader/listener feel the pain that Purdy went through, and how she thought her life was over.
Purdy lightens up the TedTalk by adding humor. For example, “I could be as tall as I wanted! Or as short as I wanted depending on who I was dating. And if I snowboarded again, my feet aren’t going to get cold.” (Purdy) Having humor not only lightens up a tragic story, but keeps the reader/listen interested.

Christopher Twombly link

11/8/2015 04:17:08 pm

The TED Talk I listened to was by Amy Purdy and it discusses how to live life beyond its limits. Amy mentions that at the age of 19 she was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a vaccine preventable blood infection that eventually led to losing her spleen, kidney, hearing in her left ear, and both of her legs below the knee. However, Amy goes on to explain that she wouldn't change her situation even if she had the option to. She puts a positive spin on the obstacle, explaining that losing her legs has forced her to rely on her imagination and to believe in those dreams which allow us to live our lives beyond our limits. She leaves the audience with a lingering thought, which is that maybe instead of looking at our challenges and our limitations as something negative or bad, we can begin to look at them as blessings and gifts that can be used to ignite our imaginations and help us go further then we ever knew we could go.

One rhetorical strategy used in this TED talk was a simile. Amy says that as her parents wheeled her out of the hospital, she felt as if she had been "pieced back together like a patchwork doll." She uses this device to compare her lower body to a patchwork doll to give the audience a visualization of all of the blocks of metal and pipes bolted together that made up her legs. This allows the people listening to Amy to really grasp the thought of not having legs, and to also let the realization of all the obstacles that come along with it to sink in.

Another rhetorical strategy that is used in this TED talk was verbal irony. Amy uses irony when explaining the positives of her tragic situation rather than all of the negatives. She discusses that it dawned on her that she didn't have to be five-foot-five anymore, she could be as tall as she wanted, or as short as she wanted depending on who she was dating. She even says that if she were to ever snowboarded again her feet weren't going to get cold, and the best of all she could make her feet the size of all the shoes that are on sale racks at stores. One of the reasons Amy uses this strategy is for satire and to provide the audience with laughter, despite how emotional the topic is. Ultimately the irony captures the audience's feelings and shows them that no obstacle can prevent you from living life beyond its limits.

Amy concludes her speech by explaining that in 2005 she cofounded a nonprofit organization for youth and young adults with physical disabilities so they could get involved with action sports. She finally states that since the tragedy she has had the opportunity to go to South Africa, where she helped put shoes on thousands of children's feet so they could attend school.

Robert Sweeney link

11/8/2015 05:38:29 pm

Joseph Kim’s key message in this Ted Talk was perseverance. He was able to persevere throughout his entire life just so that he could get his next meal. Nothing drives a man to the heights that Joseph Kim went to other than hunger and family.

One rhetorical device that Joseph Kim used in his speech was “pathos”, which appeals to the emotions of the listener. This speech evokes both a feeling of empathy and hope. The speech evokes empathy in the listener because of Joseph Kim’s story. The fact that he had to hope people would throw away bread for his next meal and that he lost his father to starvation both make the listener feel bad for him. Some people in the audience may know what it feels like to lose a loved one, specifically their father, so they would have an understanding for how sad that can be. Also, the people in the United States are well off in terms of food. Therefore, when they hear stories about people in other countries eating scraps for their meals, they feel sorry because they could have helped but they had no idea what was going on. Joseph Kim’s goal was to make the listeners feel that empathy as he wanted them to understand what is really going on in the world. He wanted them to know that bad things are going on in other parts of the world and that if we can all understand that and feel sorry for those people, then we would be better off in helping them. Joseph Kim’s speech also evokes a sense of hope in the reader. This speech evokes hope through the story of Joseph Kim’s foster father giving him the last chicken wing for dinner. This story evokes hope because it shows how people can care for each other and that there are people out there who will put others who are in need before themselves. This selflessness is what makes people think that there is hope out there in the world and that it is what will allow the world to be able to survive. Joseph Kim even says it in his speech, that hope is one of the key ingredients to survival and being truly happy.

Another rhetorical device used by Joseph Kim was apostrophe. He used this device at the very end of his speech when he is sending a message to his sister and his mother who both left him while he was a child. He is sending a message to them that he is ok and that he has found a life and his way in the United States. Since neither his mother nor sister is there, he is speaking to no one directly but it still is able to capture the audience’s attention and make them feel the emotions he is feeling. By adding this apostrophe into the speech, Joseph Kim is making his speech come to life through a dialogue where he is speaking to no one. This emotional conversation with no one really brings out the sadness of the situation and how he has not seen either his mother or sister for ten years. The topic and idea of losing his mother and sister is sad enough, but by turning it into a message and conversation with no one, it makes the listeners feel for him even more.

Tyler Passerine

11/9/2015 11:23:11 pm

Robbie, I just watched the TED talk that you discussed. I agree with your point on Pathos, as Joseph Kim uses an emotional story in order to allow for the audience to relate to him, even though they did not go through the same situation that he did. I also agree with your point on apostrophe. Joseph Kim talked to his mother and sister despite them not being there, again, using emotions to enthrall the audience. I also noticed that he used a metaphor in the third paragraph of his speech where he says “Hunger is humiliation. Hunger is hopelessness.” By comparing these things, Joseph Kim is able to describe to the audience just how awful his situation was.

Mason Hayes link

11/8/2015 05:47:56 pm

The Ted Talk I watched was by the author Elizabeth Gilbert. She talked about the numerous ways of finding one's inner creativity as well as the fears that many creative people fell about their accomplishments.
At the beginning of her talk, the author was talking about her latest bestseller and the fear that came along with it. She made a valid point that that may be the peak in her career. Many creative people have a similar feel. She expressed these fears through hyperboles. She had said that several people have come up and asked "Are you afraid that you'll never ever write a book better than your latest?" She said that comments like these tend to drive creative artists to insanity. By using hyperboles, she reveals the unbearable pressure that society tends to put on the accomplishments of creative minds.
Throughout her talk, she also talks the different ways the artists gain inspiration. She uses different anecdotes to describe these inspiration phenomenas. One story was of a poet who felt her poems roaring over the hills. She would eventually get hit by this poem and have to write it down.
By having this author talk about her own fears and talking about other artists' experiences, you gain an understanding of what these people go through on a daily basis.

Madeline Kovach link

11/8/2015 05:55:41 pm

The TedTalk I listened to is titled To This Day by Shane Koyczan. It focuses on the worldwide issue of bullying and the consequences of it. He uses many rhetorical strategies in this talk to help the viewers depict just how powerful words can be, especially when they are used as labels to define us as human beings.
Although using statistics and facts may have helped the viewers better grasp the severity of this topic, Koyczan appeals to pathos in his talk. By using personal stories, one can connect with a deeper level of understanding and empathy. His main message: bullying has a lasting impact on all even after it has stopped (hence the title, To This Day). An example of this being a line in his poem, “To this day, despite a loving husband, she doesn't think she's beautiful, because of a birthmark that takes up a little less than half her face. Kids used to say, ‘She looks like a wrong answer that someone tried to erase, but couldn't quite get the job done.’”
There were many other literary devices such as similes, metaphors, irony, and allusions used to describe the emotional states of those affected by it. An example of irony being when Koyczan states: “See, they asked me what I wanted to be, then told me what not to be.” This shows how people will be accepting of you only when you conform to their standards and expectations. In another sense, it is ironic because we are allowed to choose what we want to do, which means there is no wrong answer, but society has made it to be the opposite of that. Also used are several metaphors. "To this day, he is a stick of TNT lit from both ends..." Here, one of the characters described in Koyczan's poem is being compared to a lit stick of TNT. The purpose of this is to explain the instability the character faces. It represents the moment that may or may not come where the character reaches his breaking point and "explodes."
These are only two examples of the rhetorical strategies used in the talk, however, there are many more. Each play a different role in effectively getting Koyczan's main message across and making the viewers feel something towards the problem affecting so many.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 03:46:03 pm

Excellent analysis of rhetorical strategies. Well done, Madeline!

Brianna Murray link

11/8/2015 06:28:08 pm

The Ted Talk that I viewed is titled "Confessions of a Bad Feminist," and was delivered by a woman named Roxane Gay.

To start off her performance, Roxane goes to talk about how she identifies as a feminist, but that she has claimed to be a 'bad' one. Mainly, Roxane stems the title of being a 'bad' feminist from the fact that she thinks she disappoints 'good' feminists (whether that be from stereotypically liking the color pink or enjoying romantic comedies). From a young age, she understood that feminists are often viewed as being "angry-, hairy-, men-hating girls" who believe they are superior to the opposite sex. She also came to understand that the word feminism often has a negative connotation to it, as if being called one was a bad thing.

Later in her speech, Roxane talks about how she eventually became comfortable with being known as a feminist. In fact, she felt that the name empowered her, and that it gave her a sense of courage that she once lacked. She made it a point that feminism is equality, that all sexes are equal, that there's nothing wrong with wanting rights that should have already been in place. If people thought Roxane was a 'bad' feminist, then so be it. She said that "I would rather be a bad feminist than no feminist at all."

Roxane went on to clarify that she is constantly becoming better at what she says, and about what she does. Specifically, she goes on to demonstrate that, as feminists, we need to take into account our similarities while also considering our differences. In other words, women must recognize that our struggle with men will only be resolved when we work out our struggle with each other. Queer women and women of color must first come together with white women and heterosexual women before we can act as one unified force.

Within all of these powerful messages, Roxane used a few rhetorical strategies in order to make her piece even more captivating. First, she used ethos when talking about one of her favorite artists, Beyonce. Roxane mentioned how when Beyonce performed at the 2014 MTV Music Awards with the word 'Feminist' behind her in huge letters, it inspired her to see a celebrity act as fearless as she did. This use of ethos was used to appeal to ethics of the audience through the persuasion of a major celebrity. Another example of a rhetorical strategy used was pathos. When Roxane was explaining that people expect so much from feminists (or that if feminists slip up, they are looked down on) she said, "We demand perfection from feminists, because we are still fighting for so much, we want so much, we need so damn much." This passionate statement was significant to the overall act for it convinced the audience of her position by evoking an emotional response.

Shannon Maxey link

11/8/2015 06:49:36 pm

The Ted Talk I listened to was titled "What matters more than your talents" by Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder. His seminar discussed the impact of the choices we make and how they define our character rather than the gifts we are endowed with. Bezos includes logos as well as personification in his speech to engage the audience and to make points clear and understandable.
Logos, are used as a rhetorical strategy, to develop the audiences knowledge of the challenges he would face to reach the end goal of producing an online book store with millions of titles. Bezos knew the high percentage rate of start up failure, however he decided to quit his well paying job to pursue his passion for inventing new ideas. Before committing, Bezos went to his boss who disregarded this path for him. He decided however to go ahead with his plan not in fear of failure, but in the fear of regret. Bezos states "gifts are easy, but choices can be hard". His choice to start a business with the knowledge of possible failure shaped his personality and gave audience reassurance on the work ethic needed to overcome possible risks.
Examples of personification such as; "wilt under criticism" and "guard your heart against rejection" are used within the speech to emphasize the harsh outcomes that you, as an inventor may undergo during the startup process. Nobody should live their life in fear of what may come, but rather take chances on what they believe in and possibly benefit their self in the long run. Bezos' point throughout his speech ,based on his journey, is to show how the decisions you make are a reflection of our character. In the end, we are the choices we make.

Robert Sergiyenko link

11/8/2015 07:03:32 pm

The Ted-Talk I listened to is called “Keep Your Goals to Yourself,” by Derek Sivers. I chose this ted talk because I have many ambitious goals and want to have all the information when it comes to achieving them. It surprised me to find that personal goals are better left unsaid. In this talk Sivers explains why it is detrimental for you to share your goals with someone else before you have accomplished them. He states that sharing your goals with someone else gives you a false sense that you have already accomplished your goal, making you less likely to work for the accomplishment of your goal. The two devices utilized the most during the talk are logos and pathos.

Logos is a logical appeal to an audience which attempts to prove a point through logical or scientific information. In his talk, Sivers cites many scientists, philosophers, and experiments which scientifically prove the concept of the social reality to the audience. This social reality is imagined in a person’s head, leading them to believe that they are already well on their way to their goal.

Pathos is an appeal to the audience’s emotions. Before unveiling his argument, Sivers explains that telling someone your goal might make you feel good. Who doesn’t like to be socially accepted and congratulated for having a goal? Then he explains that in revealing your goals, you are hurting yourself. This instance of pathos captivates that audience and sets the stage for the rest of the talk.

Ariana Terlaga link

11/8/2015 07:12:54 pm

I viewed the TedTalk entitled “Confessions of a Depressed Comic,” delivered by Kevin Breel. Throughout the talk, Breel speaks about how depression has, ultimately, given him a skewed outlook on the purpose of life. Because of the stigma that society has attached to the mental illness, he perceives that he is unable to openly talk about the daily struggles he goes through, resulting in his “living two different lives”: one that his family and peers see, and one that only he is aware of.

This “secret life” of sorrow that Breel talks about can easily be concealed because of his circumstances---he was captain of his basketball team, the drama and theater student of the year, as well as English student of the year. Naturally, the average person would expect such a promising and well-involved kid to be content with the road his life is taking, but Breel debunks this way of thinking perfectly through the quote, “real depression is being sad when everything in your life is going right.” Essentially, he is saying that legitimate depression is long-term sadness, and can hit anyone, despite their being rich, attractive, popular, or “happy” in the eyes of others.

Breel uses a few rhetorical devices to get this message across, some of which including personification and irony. An example of personification within the talk is when he refers to depression as “the roommate you can't kick out” and “the voice you can't ignore.” Breel personifies depression so that those who do not suffer from the illness can get a taste of what exactly it feels like: a roommate you cannot kick out because of how difficult it is for one to rid himself of the illness, and a voice you cannot ignore because of how the illness is always prominent within the-one-affected-by-it’s mind.

Breel’s use of irony is evident within several parts of the speech, but perhaps the most effective use of the device is when he says he is “in many ways grateful for depression.” Depression is known for being an illness that makes victims feel the exact opposite of “grateful”, but Breel employs the use of irony in this sense so that he can show how depression has made him a better person. While many take fleeting moments of happiness for granted, depression has made Breel appreciate moments that those without depression may overlook, thus teaching him to appreciate the feeling of joy more than the common man.

Mrs. Elbakry

11/15/2015 05:30:19 pm

Excellent analysis, Ariana. Well-articulated.

Jessica Bawlick

11/8/2015 07:41:33 pm

The TED Talk that I watched was by Matt Cutts, "Try something new for 30 days." In his talk, he used a few rhetorical devices to further the listeners curiousity on the topic he was lecturing: personification, similes, and alliteration.

One of the first things I noticed as I was listening to Matt Cutt's lecture was his use of personification. "(...)instead of the months flying by(...)" was the quote where personification was used. Months don't have the ability to fly, people do, so that is giving an inanimate object a trait that is usually given to humans. cuts was saying that months go by really fast or happen quickly. When that is done it is called personification.

Cutts used a similie as the opening line statement in his talk, "A few years ago, I felt like I was stuck in a rut(...)" He was describing his life as boring or uneventful. Opening his lecture with that similie intrigued the listeners and made them want to hear more, which was very beneficial in his case.

Another device that Cutt used was alliteration. I found two sentences with this device: "(...)the time was much more memorable." and "(...)I decided to follow in the footsteps of the great American philosopher, Morgan Spurlock." In the first example, the letter "m" was repeated three times. The repetition of that sound brings a deeper more sensetive feeling to the sentence and gives more depth behind the words. The second example is slightly different in that the same sound was repeated three times, but not necessarily the same letter. In the words, "follow," "footsteps," and "philosopher", the sound of an "f" is noticed multiple times. That sound portrays a stronger feeling, and deepens the meaning behind the words.

Allison Tilki

11/17/2015 06:01:15 pm

Jessica, I agree with your statement that the simile in the beginning was intriguing. I think his speech was very eye opening and his use of alliteration and personification definitely exaggerated his point clearly.

Spencer Kerwin link

11/8/2015 07:57:55 pm

The TedTalk that I listened too was by Donald Hoffman about reality and whether it is an inhibition of the conscious mind or a defined, constant state. Although this may sound fictitious and borderline inception, the speech was more scientific and factual rather than philosophical and hypothetical. In order to persuade his ideals, Hoffman use logos and allusion in his speech.

In order to persuade the audience, Hoffman use logos and facts. In one part of his speech, he talks about how humans literally perceive reality. He mentions that there are 130 million photoreceptors in the eye and that there are billions of neurons and trillions of synapses apprehend this. He then goes on explaining why the brain has so many more neurons and synapses than photoreceptors is because all of the neurons and synapses are need to recreate reality as a mental picture. The use of facts and logic aids his argument because facts and logic cannot be argued with. Facts are undeniable. Fighting logic is a losing battle. His argument is therefore undeniable and unbeatable. His use of logos results in his argument to be true.

Hoffman also cited Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer and physicist, in his speech. During his speech, Hoffman was giving examples for why reality is not what we always perceive it to be. One of those examples was that the world was not the center of the universe, which was Galileo's famous discovery. Hoffman then cited Galileo saying, "I think that tastes, odors, colors, and so on reside in consciousness. Hence if the living creature were removed, all these qualities would be annihilated." This allusion not only gives Hoffman credibility of his theory on reality, but to also intrigue the audience. The quote poses a complex question that grabs the audiences attention and aids Hoffman's chance of persuasion at the audiences heightened focus to the speaker.

Hailey Coleman link

11/8/2015 07:59:26 pm

A TED talk that really caught my attention and spoke to me was a talk delivered by Tom Uglow. This Ted talk dealt with the future of the world and how the Internet is a much broader topic than we can ever imagine, so broad that eventually a screen may not be able to contain it. Uglow believes that screens in our phones are only temporary, and that hands on devices and interactive “sites” will be the future of the Internet, an Internet that will completely consume its user.
He gave many examples of ideas he and other companies were developing. A picture of a white device with one knob projecting a video was shown. This turned out to be a prototype Youtube device. One that had all the features of the interactive YouTube, but was the first to completely allow for 100% user control.
Another example was an object subjected specifically to your mental health by being able to capture touch. Uglow explained that he and a Japanese agency allowed for the device to register a stronger touch as anger and perhaps a smoother touch for a calm, relaxed state. After the day was over, the object was able to show you your moods throughout your day on something as simple and normal as your kitchen counter, and allow you to speak and add captions and comments to your moods.
Tom Uglow was one of many others that believes that technology is what will make the world turn, and as innovative and precise mobile phones get, the Internet will consume the world and break through the screen, releasing a never ending stream of possibility.
In his speech, Tom uses a strong amount of similes. His understanding of the future internet is that it is to be one of the simplest tasks on the planet. He compares it to switching on a light. With no thought and no further instinct, the Internet will be as easy to use and so subconscious to the human mind that it will eventually fall into the regularities of daily life. Uglow also alludes to the future Internet being as simple as an Opal card, a public transportation card in Sydney that collects value for rewards.
A strong amount of ethos was used in this speech. Uglow pointed out the fact that he knows that people may be threatened by the new Internet or scared of it, but people have to just trust it and basically allow it to “consume” them. Throughout the whole speech, Uglow credited his sources for new designs and allowed the audience to know that the companies he was working with, as well as his own qualifications, were accurate and reliable. He also gave a great amount of detail to explain how all of the exemplified products were safe and beneficial to the human race.

Riley Kweder link

11/8/2015 08:28:43 pm

The TED talk that I decided to watch was "The Price of Shame" by Monica Lewinsky. In this presentation Lewinsky talks about her scandal with Bill Clinton and the media blowup afterwards that effected her for the rest of her life. She goes on to connect what she experienced then to today’s online “culture of humiliation,” where the public shaming and personal harassment she went through has become constant and has reached an unimaginable level. It’s an epidemic and can turn deadly. She states, “There is a very personal price to public humiliation, and the growth of the Internet has jacked up that price. Public shaming as a blood sport has to stop.” and describes the process of her public humiliation as "a click that reverberated around the whole world."

Lewinsky uses pathos to her advantage to get the audience to connect with her story by linking it with others who have gone through similar experiences, showing that public humiliation is common in today's society. The story she shares is that of Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate set up a webcam and captured video of him being romantic with another man. Online harassment kicked in and only a few days later, Clementi jumped from the George Washington Bridge. This heartbreaking story has an emotional effect on the audience, and the camera in the video pans to a few people tearing up. This is the directed effect of pathos, and it earned Lewinsky a huge round of applause because it was exactly what the audience needed to truly make them understand the dire aftermath that occurs after any sort of public humiliation through social media.

Danielle Rossi

11/9/2015 12:41:42 pm

After watching the Tedtalk that you picked, i really liked how pathos was used. By using pathos, she really connected with the audience that may have similar stories to hers. Public humiliation is very common, therefore her story relates to many of those who have ever felt publicly humiliated.

Kaylan O'Banner link

11/8/2015 08:33:11 pm

The Ted Talk seminar I watched was “Every Kid Needs a Champion,” by Rita Pierson. This seminar spoke about how the bond between teachers and students can change their ability to learn. The teachers are the kids’ champion. If the kids can bond with the teacher and feel motivated, then they become a better student, and reach to get higher grades. Rita said “kids don’t learn from people they don’t like,” and this is partially true. Not many people want to listen to a person they don’t like, instead they want to be able to bond with the teacher that way it’ll be easier to ask questions and learn. Rita uses an idiom to describe how children and feel when they fail. She said that giving someone a +2 out of 20 is better than a -18 because “it sucks all the life out of you.” This means that a +2 would make the kid want to strive to do better, while a -18 may make them upset and not want to try anymore. The idiom is used to make the audience understand that it better to find the positives in life, rather than dwell on the negatives. Find happiness in the two right answers and not sadness in the eighteen wrong answers. Rita also uses repetition to make her point more powerful. She had a class full of the worst academic students, so her way of getting across to them was telling them that they were the best students and she was the best teacher, and they were put together to set an example for everyone else. She gave the students a saying that they should repeat back to themselves, “I am somebody. I was somebody when I came. I'll be a better somebody when I leave. I am powerful, and I am strong. I deserve the education that I get here. I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go." The repetition of the word I shows the audience and the students that the kids will become better because of themselves. They’ll be better students and grow up independent and strong because they are somebody. They were born to stand out and to prove to people that they don’t need the help of others. They don’t need people to look down upon them. That saying motivated the students to strive for academic success.

Erin Bishop link

11/8/2015 08:35:33 pm

Sakena Yacoobi is an Afghan woman who started an education evolution in in home country. Her TED talk is titled, "How I stopped the Taliban from shutting down my school." She talks about how the education she got gave her a stable way of living. Her main argument is the importance of education, and how it helps people make a living for themselves. Since her first conquest of building a school, so many woman, and even men have come out of her school system with enough knowledge to help themselves, and their community.
Sakena appeals to Pathos throughout her argument. She brings sympathy out of listeners, as she talks about the hardships of the Afghan people, and the challenges she encountered during her quest. Fear and relief are also brought to the surface of listeners emotions. Anecdotes about the Taliban and a group of men with rifles who confronted Sakena about her school system. When Sakena outsmarts the Taliban, and reveals the group of men just wanted to be taught as well, that sick feeling in listeners stomachs, their fear for Sakena and her system/scholars melts into relief. Sakena takes listeners on an emotional roller coaster, and this serves to emphasize how greatly unequal males and females education differed to each other in Afghanistan, and other areas. The emotion brings the point Sakena is trying to make across to listeners in a more drastic way, leaving more of an impact.
From 2:15 to 4:16 in the video, Sakena repeats the word heart multiple times when talking about Afghanistan. It was what propelled Sakena to bring about this education for her people, so that they'd be able to stabilize their situations. She learned that the situation in Afghanistan for the citizens was horrid. Sakena then starts to talk about momentum. The conditions in Afghanistan was what fueled Sakena's movement. Sakena felt for her people and wanted to help them. What you take from this rhetorical strategy is the overwhelming affection Sakena has for her people in general. Without this affection, Sakena would never have helped the Afghans. This is a major factor in the change she influenced, and it's important for listeners to understand that.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 05:10:08 pm

Great job, Erin! Thorough analysis of rhetorical strategies.

Erin Cunningham link

11/8/2015 08:40:09 pm

The Ted Talk I listened to was given by Michael Kimmel, Distinguished University Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies. Kimmel talked passionately about gender equality, and how it is not only affecting women, but how it's a men's issue as well. He relates his own personal experiences, seeing the difference between the genders, and how race also plays a role in gender equality. Throughout his speech, Kimmel uses logos, stating facts from studies run at Stony Brook University, and pathos, trying to emotionally engage his audience and get them to relate to the topic. He discusses details of his life, like the upbringing of his son, and the importance of raising children worldwide to appreciate the fight for gender equality. Kimmel, at the end of his speech, says, "Feminism will make it possible for the first time for men to be free." Not only is this a quote that makes one think, but it grasps a listener's attention by using alliteration. His use of humor and irony also keeps one's attention throughout the talk. Also, he uses repetition and diction to further get his message of gender equality across: "And my position is that men need the very things that women have identified that they need to live the lives they say they want to live in order to live the lives that we say we want to live." Again, the way Kimmel gives his speech not only inspires, but enlightens those unfamiliar or uninvolved with the topic. Although I am already engaged on the topic of gender equality, Michael Kimmel taught me even more about the importance of gender equality, no matter what age, race, or gender.

Joe Yacovelli

11/8/2015 08:58:03 pm

The Ted Talk that i listened to was "The Art of Misdirection" by Apollo Robbins, a professional pick-pocketer. He gave this presentation to show the audience how misdirected the mind can get, and what could be done in that brief time that it is.

Apollo was very informative on how the human brain works, allowing him to pick peoples pockets. He even brought someone to the stage and pick pocketed him, which was extremely interesting, given that the volunteer knew that he was going to get pick pocketed, but failed to realize when Apollo did. He also managed to change his outfit halfway through the presentation and the audience didn't even realize. He made the presentation interesting by not only explaining the misdirection of the mind, but using the whole audience as an example of how this happens.

One Rhetorical device that Apollo used was logos. He stated various facts about the brain and its ability to get distracted. For example, he says that he distracts victims by making them think internally for just a second, instead of externally. He then gave examples of how he says things like,"Do you have your wallet?", and "Do you have a credit card?". This makes the person think for a second, enough time for Apollo to pick pocket them. He also says that a person can't think about something while processing new data. He uses this rhetorical device to inform the audience on the logical explantation to the misdirection of the mind.

Another rhetorical device Apollo uses when giving this Ted Talk are similes. In the presentation he says that "the model of attention is like a surveillance system." He uses this to engage the audience more into the presentation. By relating the mind to a surveillance system, it made it more interesting to the audience. Also, it makes the presentation more comprehendible. This is because people may not understand the brains ability to be misdirected better than a surveillance system.

Olyvia Gendron link

11/8/2015 09:00:23 pm

The TedTalk I listened to was by Glenn Greenwald. This 20 minute discussion was called Why Privacy Matters, and it dealt with the behavior of people when knowing they can be watched at an given moment. Greenwald starts his speech with a compelling story that drew the audience in right away. Because the concept of privacy invasion could be entitled to anyone, Greenwald uses the rhetorical appeals logos and pathos to strengthen his argument.

Throughout the talk, Glenn Greenwald uses allusion to revolve his beliefs and knowledge around specific interviews that were focused on well known businessmen who's success revolved around computers. The first interview was done with the CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt. The attention was brought to the overwhelming concerns that Google users had regarding privacy. Schmidt's reply was, "If you're doing something that you don't want people to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place". Greenwald's response to this direct quote was one of wit. He starts to explain that the people who say privacy doesn't matter are usually the ones who are the most private. By using logos, Greenwald brings to attention the multiple times people have told him privacy is not something that concerns them since they have nothing to hide. He then explains that after each time someone has told him this, he kindly asks them to email him every password they have that links to every one of their own email addresses. He claims that if they honestly have nothing to hide, they would email him in an instant and wouldn't mind him looking through their inboxes. However, he then states that out of all the people he asked this from, not one person has emailed him.

The second interview was done with Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook. According to Zuckerberg, privacy is not a "social norm" anymore. In modern society, people are social animals. Their everyday lives are posted onto social media, yet the possibility of someone potentially watching their every move is terrifying. The truth behind the fear is, everyone has secrets. Everyone deserves to be free and fulfilled human beings. But with mass surveillance being a thing, people are imprisoned within their minds.It is a known fact that people experience behavior changes when they are in public or some place where it is easily suspected someone is capable of watching them. It has become second nature that humans have the desire to avoid being embarrassed, however as Greenwald says, they are captured by the mandates of social orthodoxy". With the constant need to live up to the standards given by society, mass surveillance suppresses their freedom.

By using an allusion to George Orwell's 1984, Greenwald describes how the entire concept of the book is now becoming a considered cliche, when really it was a warning. The theory behind the novel was that people could be monitored at any given moment. There is the assumption that every movement is capable of being heard and/or seen unless in the dark.

Greenwald ends his discussion with a simple life fact that he has grown to know. He simply states, "render yourself sufficiently harmless and sufficiently nonthreatening. Only then can you be not worried about surveillance". He closes his argument with a quote made by Rosa Luxemburg that says, "he who does not move does not notice his chains".

The ending to this TedTalk was especially powerful in the sense that when people know there is a possibility they are being watched, their behavior falls into one that is more compliant with the standards and rules of society. However people who are too afraid to admit they too have things they wish to keep secret from the world are already buried six feet deep within conformity.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 03:34:24 pm

Excellent analysis, Olyvia.

Nick D'Amico

11/8/2015 09:05:35 pm

The Ted Talk that I listened to was by Arthur Benjamin titled, "Faster than a Calculator". In this Ted Talk Arthur talks about how he combines his love of math and magic to do what he calls "mathemagics". Using his math skills he amazes the crowd by solving some really challenging math problems and by even facing off against someone using a calculator to see who can solve the problem first, and he won.

One rhetorical strategy that Arthur uses throughout his speech is logos. He uses this strategy after every math problem that he solved. He did this by having members of the audience use calculators to prove that his answers were correct. Therefore, this strategy helps to prove that he knows what he is doing to the crowd and allows the audience to believe in what he is saying through logical results from the calculator.

Another strategy that Arthur used in his speech was allusion. For example, during his speech he says, "I don't want you to think you're seeing something out of Rain Man", when describing his method of how he solves such hard math problems. By using this rhetorical strategy, he adds humor to his speech to keep the audience paying attention so that he can describe how he is going to solve the equation.

He then finishes his speech by squaring the number 37,691 in his head, using his strategy, and gets the correct answer exactly. Thus, proving that he is faster and just as smart as a calculator.

Liam Gerety link

11/8/2015 10:13:05 pm

The Ted Talk I listed to was given by Donald Hoffman and was titled: "Do We See Reality As It Is?" This talk was quite abstract and theoretical, making it difficult to understand in some parts.

Hoffman began his talk with numerous allusions to explain the mystery of the brain's effect on conscious experiences. He referenced Thomas Huxley, a nineteenth century biologist, who also pondered conscious experiences. Hoffman used this allusion to show how, although much has been learned about brain function, the connection between brain function and consciousness is still unknown. He also alluded to how Pythagoras discovered that the Earth was round and how Galileo and Copernicus discovered that the Earth was not the center of the universe to show how many human perceptions were and are incorrect. Although many perceived so, the Earth was never flat and was never the center of the universe. He again alluded to Galileo, who believed that all qualities of reality (smells, tastes, colors, sounds) reside in consciousness, and if there were no living creatures, these qualities would be nonexistent.

Hoffman further contemplated how our minds depict reality and how our vision "constructs" reality: that the neurons and synapses in our brains create the shapes, colors, and motions that we see. Furthermore, he said that our minds don't construct everything we see, but what is necessary for us at any given moment. Hoffman demonstrated this by showing blue bars moving across a field of dots. However, in reality, none of the dots moved; they were just rapidly changing color. When watching the dots, your mind constructs stripes that are actually nonexistent.

Hoffman also claimed that our minds "reconstruct" reality. He said that if you see a red tomato, the image you see is actually an "accurate reconstruction" of the properties of a real tomato that would exist even when you weren't looking at it (that's a really confusing concept, I know). He further explained this by talking about how an organism will perceive things according to its state. For example, a steak would be useful for a hungry lion, but it would not help a well-fed lion or a rabbit.

Hoffman further claimed that humans do not see reality as it is. To make this more understandable, he used a metaphor to compare reality to the desktop of a computer. The icons on the computer's desktop do not show the actual location of that program, nor do they show diodes, resistors, and software; they hide the actual reality of the computer. Essentially, the time and space we live in is the desktop, and the physical objects within it are the icons. This "desktop" of space and time hides reality and guides behavior to increase chances of survival.

Hoffman ended his talk by stating that physical objects are not the nature of reality. In other words, when one sees a red tomato, they are interacting with reality, but that reality is not a red tomato. Furthermore, he says that brains and neurons interact with reality, but that reality is nothing like a brain or neurons, and that this mysterious reality is source of all of the happenings of the world (again, these are seemingly wild concepts and really hard to understand).

Ariella Bourdeau link

11/8/2015 10:20:51 pm

"To This Day... for the Bullied and Beautiful," by Shane Koyczan. This is my favorite TedTalk for many reasons, the first being Koyczan’s points on the influence society had on his mental state and self-perception. He also goes into a slam poem-like word play that focuses on the lifelong effects of bullying on self-esteem. This flurry of words is ended on a high note, with Koyczan saying that if you search hard enough, you will find an internal beauty no one can destroy.
Koyczan’s compelling TedTalk contained too many metaphors to count. One that stood out the most to me was, “But our lives will only ever always continue to be a balancing act that has less to do with pain and more to do with beauty.” He ended his talk with this line, comparing all our lives with a balancing act, but it is more than that. He gives the idea that society bases your worth upon your looks, as opposed to valuing a person for who they are. Obviously our lives are not an actual balancing act, but it relates to people’s perception of others and themselves. This metaphor is saying if you do not love yourself, then you may feel unwanted by others. It is a resonating ending line and makes the reader really think and remember his words.
Repetition was subtly woven throughout Koyczan’s TedTalk. He repeated the opening line, “When I was a kid,” five separate times. He also said, “only ever always” twice within his talk. “To this day,” is also repeated multiple times, hence the title. Repetition works in inconspicuous ways and gets the reader to pick up on the words following the repeated phrase. It gives the words more importance and meaning. Koyczan uses repetition in these ways to give the next words spoken prominence within his talk. It is an important tool to use in writing.
Shane Koyczan's TedTalk gives a window for adults into a child's world and uses rhetorical devices to convey that their problems should not be trivialized, but held with importance, just like their own.

Mrs. E

11/15/2015 05:11:57 pm

Beautifully articulated analysis. Well done.

Christina Constantinou link

11/8/2015 10:23:34 pm

The TedTalk I watched was titled, “A boat carrying 500 refugees sunk at sea. The story of two survivors” by Melissa Fleming. To start off her speech, Melissa gave background information on the lives of two Syrian refugees named Doha and Bassam, who had fallen in love and had decided they wanted to flee their homeland and start a new, better life in Sweden. On the 3rd day that Doha and Bassam were on the boat, Doha had a premonition. She said, “I fear we’re not going to make it. I fear the boat is going to sink.” But Bassam assured her that they would make it to Sweden and they would get married and have a future. This statement is later proven to be ironic when it is revealed that a hole was put in their boat and it indeed sank, drowning 300 of the 500 refugees on that boat. Her premonition was true. Later on, Bassam also became weak and could not hold on any longer, and he too drowned. At this part of the story, Melissa used the rhetorical device of pathos, to pull on the heart strings of her audience. She quoted how Doha was begging Bassam to hold on and she was reminding him of the amazing future they could have, as he did when she had her premonition, but Bassam spoke his last words to Doha when he said, “I am sorry my love that I put you in this situation. I have never loved anyone as much as I loved you.” Melissa engages the audience here because in this moment they may be thinking of a love of their own, and how awful it would be if they tragically lost them like Doha lost Bassam. The audience feels more connected to Doha now. This is also an example of irony. Everyone was expecting Doha and Bassam to make it to Sweden and live a happy life, because the title of this TedTalk states, “The story of two survivors.” It was just assumed that Doha and Bassam were to be the survivors, but the plot was suddenly twisted when Bassam passed away. Now the audience is left shocked and eager to hear what would happen next. Next in the story, a mother approached Doha and handed her a baby child named Massa, for she could no longer take care of her. Then that women drowned as well. We find out towards the end of the speech that Doha and baby Massa turned out to be the two survivors that the title was referencing. Another device Fleming used to engage her audience was a series of rhetorical questions. Some questions she threw at the audience were, “Why did she have to take that risk? Why wasn’t there a legal way for her to study in Europe? Why couldn’t Massa have taken an airplane to Sweden? Why is there no massive resettlement program for Syrian refugees?” and the final question she asked her audience was, “Why is so little being done to stop the wars, poverty, and persecution that is driving so many people to the shores of Europe.” These questions could also be an example of repetition, because she is repeating the word “why” and asking a series of questions, all in a row. They are meant to reach out to the audience and force them to think more deeply on this topic. Fleming is trying to raise awareness on how tragic this situation truly is.

Bobby Gyba

11/9/2015 01:13:18 am

In this Ted talk, Mandy Len Carton talks about how a man and a woman can generically fall in love just by asking a series of personal questions, and then staring into their partners eyes. I found this interesting because if this is true, this reveals that people do not fall in love with personality and appearance, but by how much personal information they know of their partner. Something interesting I found about the Ted talk is that that the 36 questions asked to create love were originally designed not for love, but create a close personal connection between college students. Mandy also had a good use of metaphors when talking about love. Her comparisons of love to average every day things really makes the audience feel what Mandy is trying to describe as love. Another good use of diction the Mandy had was her use of foreshadowing. Mandy often mentions how she had taken the test and found love, and a common question she receives is 'are you still together'. She mentions this several times before revealing that they are still together at the end of the video. Her consistent mention of the test and how her fans ask her of her current relationship status forshadows that she is still together with her love. Mandy's diction really leaves an ever lasting effect with her audience.

Jack Klicsu

11/9/2015 03:10:54 pm

I agree with Bobby, this tedtalk was very interesting to me. The fact that there was a study of falling in love with just asking questions and looking into their eyes amaze me. Mandy Len Carton alludes back to her own life and encounters with people on this study, which makes her points stronger, and helps the audience understand what she is talking about in a more personal way. Great tedtalk topic!

Sydney Borkowski link

11/9/2015 08:46:39 am

The TEDtalk I watched was by Sylvia Earle, a highly accomplished marine biologist and deep sea explorer. This talk was about the alarming destruction of the ocean ecosystems on this planet and how if the human race doesn't change our ways, we will destroy our planet and ourselves. To start her talk, Earle discusses how she got involved in marine biology and how magical it was to her. She then goes on to list some of her accomplishments. She uses ethos in this way by listing her accomplishments and credentials to get the listeners' trust. She cites the companies and nonprofit organizations she has started and the advanced ocean research technology she has helped develop.
After discussing her personal career, Earle goes on to discuss the monumental threat that destroying the ocean has to our planet. She uses logos in this part of the talk by stating percentages and facts such as "ninety-seven percent of earth's water is ocean." This appeals to the reader because she supports her point that the ocean is a big part of our lives with facts.
Earle also uses many allusions in this talk. She alludes to many other oceanic explorers such as Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cousteau, and Rachel Carson, and how they could never have imagined the damage that would be done to the oceans. She also alluded to google earth and her work to not only map the land, but the water systems of the planet too.
Earle goes on to discuss all the amazing places the ocean can take us, from the Arctic, to the hawiian islands, to the deepest trenches in the world. She urges the audience to think about how much we can learn from the ocean ecosystems.
She also discussed how much of the ocean has been destroyed and again uses logos, citing specific facts about the damage done to the ocean. She says, "in my lifetime, imagine, 90% of the big fish have been killed".
She also discusses how 99% of the ocean goes unprotected from commercial fishing, pollution and drilling.
Earle sums up her talk by saying that her hope is to show people the real danger the ocean is under, and for people to start sharing it and trying to make a change. If not, she states that we could kill our planet entirely in a very short period of time.

Aaron King

11/9/2015 10:52:51 pm

I agree that this Ted Talk was interesting. The woman makes a good point about how we should be researching about other species with high intelligence and how they survive. I especially like watching Shark Week in the summer and her ideas of new species living not just in the ocean but also on other planets if possible. She talks about how the water and the ocean really are the center of the world. 97% of all life in the world live in it and if we are attacking it we can not only damage the environment but furthermore ourselves. I also enjoyed it because she is very adventurous and explores so many options for the future of the world. How we can operate along side with the ocean and not harm it.

Danielle Rossi link

11/9/2015 12:34:43 pm

The Tedtalk that I watched is called Philosophy in Prison. This Ted talk is about a boy named Tony who was innocent in a trial however was convicted guilty and was placed in a prison. One literary device used in this Tedtalk is pathos. Pathos is used when Tony describe show he was really innocent and did nothing wrong yet was still convicted. This is pathos because it warms your heart to believe that this innocent boy is now living in a cruel cold prison, making you feel bad for him. Another device used in this is personification. Personification is used in this Tedtalk because it's states my mind is free. This is personification because a mind cannot be free but it gives a sense that he has nothing to worry about just stayed in a more powerful way.

Corinne Cude link

11/9/2015 07:49:42 pm

The TED talk I have chosen is titled "Connected, but alone?" by Sherry Turkle. In such talk, she discusses the influence of technology on our psyche.

Firstly, she states that we are so connected to our cell phones, we'll willingly use them anywhere: in business meetings, at a dinner table, and even at funerals.

It seems that people are so attached to their devices, they have grown to dislike human interaction. They feel the need to have a distanced conversation, in which they are the sole power. She names this the "Goldilocks effect" (not too close, not too far.. just right.)

When asked what the biggest issue with conversation was, most responded with, "it takes in place in real time and you can't control what you're going to say." In other words, people like the ability to be able to just put down a phone and end a conversation. They enjoy having the power to think through what they're going to say and "delete" something if there was a flaw in the statement.

People have a strong hatred for being ignored. However, technology fills such a gap. We feel that no matter what, someone somewhere will be listening to us-- even if it's just a robot. Many feel a strong urge for the further development of "Siri" into a best friend, of sorts, for the robot will give us more attention than normal human beings might. We don't have to worry about hurting its feelings, because it doesn't have any. She even cited an example in which an old woman felt comfort from a robot programmed just to make eye contact and seem like it was listening. This was because the robot appeared to be giving its undivided attention, and the elderly woman no longer had to fear being ignored.

Turkle uses the statement, "I share, therefore I am." We are able to define ourselves through technology by displaying our feelings in real time. Without connection, we just don't feel like ourselves. Therefore, we begin to depend on technology more and more, further isolating ourselves.

Throughout the speech, Turkle appeals to the listener's logos and ethos. To appeal to ethos, she states multiple times that she had written an article for the magazine "Wired", she had conducted several rounds of researched, and that she had a position as a psychologist. To appeal to logos, she references several interviews with different people and states their results, as well as discusses the results of her research.

Audrey Robinson link

11/9/2015 10:37:08 pm

The TEDTalk that I watched was "How to Stay Calm when You know you'll be Stressed". This presentation was by Daniel Levitin, who incorparates neuroscience in to his everyday life.
Daniel began with talking about a situtation that involved losing his keys, breaking into his own home and almost missing a flight to Europe.
He then goes on to elplain tha tby making small changes such as putting your keys in the same spot consistantly,will prevent you from losing them. This emphasized preparing for what can come, or waiting until something happens to do something.
Daniel used logos and ethos for statistics about a topic. This helped the audience understand what he was talking about, and to prove what he was saying was real. He also used pathos with ethos and logos when giving an example of a time that you may determine yours or someone elses medical fate. By looking at side effects and the probability of a drug working for you can prevent you from taking it and instead look for other options.

Tyler Passerine link

11/9/2015 11:04:14 pm

The TED talk I listened to was by Nancy Lublin, the CEO of DoSomething.org. It was about her company and how it helps people going through difficult situations by running a texting hotline for people in emotional distress. In her TED talk, she uses both logos and allusion to better explain how here company helps these people efficiently.
Lublin uses logos all throughout her speech. She uses statistics in almost every paragraph. She says that they have an average of 2.41 active rescues a day, and that they get 6.5 million messages a day. These stats, along with the fact that they have algorithms that determine what you the texter is talking about with 99% accuracy. All of these facts allow the audience understand just how effective of a service that her company provides.
Lublin also uses allusion in her speech to refer to Facebook. She says that they started the Crisis Text Line in just Chicago and El Paso and in just four months, the company was in every area code in the United States. She then goes on to say that that is faster growth than when Facebook was first launched, despite the fact that it had zero advertising. This allows the audience to understand how much something like this was needed. By comparing it to something that is incredibly popular and grew incredibly fast, it shows how much people used it, and how much they desired something like it.

Allison Tilki link

11/17/2015 05:49:53 pm

The TED talk that I watched by Amy Cuddy was all about body language and its affects on you as well as people around you. She talks about how your posture and your mindset can actually alter your hormones and make you feel more confident in yourself or even more uncomfortable depending on how you go about changing your body language. I felt it was inspiring because she made many references to the method of "faking it until you become it." She explained how you can trick your mind into believing that you can become whatever you put your mind to. Amy explained how she got into a car accident when she was 19 and it traumatically damaged her brain. But when someone told her about "faking it until you become it" she found the power in herself to change her body language and it eventually lead her to becoming a professor at Harvard.

During her speech she uses many anecdotes. In addition to the heart felt story of her traumatic accident and how body language changed her life, she adds a video at the beginning of her speech. In this, President Barack Obama shakes the hand of a doorman holding open the door for him. This makes him look friendly, approachable and confident. Then following him, the Prime Minister walks towards the doorman hunched over and refuses his outreached hand in gesture to a handshake. Amy Cuddy then goes on to explain how this simple bodily instinct make news and cover pages for weeks even in papers as big as The New York Times. This then makes you realize how important body language is to people and how something as simple as a handshake or lack there of can alter how a person is perceived.

In addition to the several anecdotes used, she also appeals to logos. She shows an experiment that was conducted in which several people sat in different ways. Some were asked to sit in a powerful position and some in a submissive position. Those who sat in an open and confident position got the job while those that had bad posture and condensed themselves were declined. She also explains how your hormone levels change when you tell yourself to be confident versus telling yourself you aren't good enough.

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