Analysis: Smarter Than You Think Clive Thompson

Public Thinking Analysis Have you ever wondered how technology can help increase the clarity of your writing? In the chapter, “Public Thinking” in the book Smarter Than You Think Clive Thompson (2013), a well- known Canadian journalist promotes online public thinking. Being born in 1968, it is ironic how he supports the use of technology rather than trying to convince his audience the downside of it. Thompson works as a journalist, blogger, and technology writer influences his use of technology and how it inspires better writing through public publishing. The chapter was intended for youth and young adults, old- fashioned writers, college students, people who are anti-internet, bloggers, writers, and everyone who has used the media or any

He uses expert testimony to support this claim by appealing to logos. He quotes from Cecil Day- Lewis from his poetic composition, “If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it . . .We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand” (Thomson 51). The evidence is related to the claim being made by refuting Thompson’s claim about how social media helps clarify someone’s thinking. It’s also is relevant to the overall argument as it provides a reason why traditionalists don’t use the internet. During the time the book was published, in 2007 Steve Jobs launched his creation of phones, apple launched their first generation of iPad in 2010, windows recently launched their windows 8 recently in 2012, and other technology were invented during the time. This promote the use of technology in our daily writing. This evidence that Thompson provided doesn’t persuade his audience because it doesn’t support the argument that he wants his readers to take away. Bloggers and technology users would argue otherwise that technology helps writers connect with their audience, makes writing faster, and help generate creativity in writing. In this case, Thompson didn’t effectively appeal to the audience’s logic. So, the audience wasn’t convinced why technology plays a major part in helping the writers and their audience to clarify their thinking and ideas. This evidence does not

Hypothetical evidence was used to support this claim. Thompson appeals to pathos by stating, “Write about something and you’ll remember it better, in what’s known as the generation affect . . . if you force yourself to jot down what you know, you’re better able to retain the material” (57) This evidence is relevant to the claim that is being made by refuting his argument, supporting his counter argument. It is also relevant to the overall claim because it is encouraging the audience to write down their ideas, which helps with memory rather than stating the benefits of technology. This evidence given by Thompson does not support his argument but instead it helps persuade his readers to support his counter argument. Bloggers, technology users, and traditionalists might argue that there is no use to write down ideas because they don’t have time to sit down and put something that is already clear in their mind like the evidence he gave to support his first claim. His first and third claim’s evidence makes it seem untrustworthy due to it refuting the other claim that Thompson makes. The evidence did not function to make his argument successful but instead he lost the trust and respect that his audience had for him. Thompson should use logos to appeal to his audience. To appeal to logos, he can state some statics on how technology saves time management and also improve someone’s memory faster. This