Tyranny of the Mob Rhetorical Analysis In his article “Tyranny of the Mob,” Joel Stein emphasizes how the dynamic of the Internet has drastically changed over the course of a few years. He wants you to look at your normal interactions online and ask questions about what made it get to where it is today. Are you one of the people who has to censor yourself to prevent online trolling and did you even notice you were doing it? Stein wants to shine a light on the people who are making the internet a negative wasteland for hatred to manifest.
Throughout this piece there are twenty-one words that contribute to an underlying belief of this article, such as “social media,” “web,” “internet,” “forum,” and “post.” These words show that one of the focuses of this article is the form in which rumors are spread on the internet, as they are the terms that appear quite often. In addition, the context in which social media is presented can be identified through further examination. The repetition of words such as “gossip,” “commenters,” and “comments” sixteen times shows that not only is the author focusing on the internet platform, but also what negative things are being presented on these sites. Finally, the way in which this story paints social media can be determined by the use of a negative word choice sixteen times.
Brooks’ position is seemingly critical of the modern day moral virtues; however, he does admit that there has been improvement in the treatment of women, or more accurately, the idea that “girls were expected to be quiet” (p 248), is one which is diminishing as “self-actualization and self-esteem” have functioned as a means for women to “articulate and cultivate self-assertion, strength, and identity” (ibid). In opposition to this, Brooks identifies three effects “on the moral ecology that have inflated the Big Me Adam I side of our natures and diminished the humbler Adam II” (p 25). These three effects are communication, in that it has become “faster and busier,” social media for it has become concentrated on “more self-referential information,” and lastly, social media’s encouragement of a “broadcasting personality” (ibid). Brooks continues to speak about social media by repeatedly labelling this age as a “more individualistic society,” one which has a steady decline in “intimacy, social trust, and empathy.” In the end, Brooks states that “it is okay to be flawed” (p 268), which can be confirmed by the previous chapters and the exceptional individuals who certainly had
As the phenomenon of the Internet becomes more accessible to most groups of people, it has been seen as both appreciation and criticism. In "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr argues that the way we think and the style of reading has changed because the Internet is easy to use. In the article “Small Change,” Malcolm Gladwell discusses the pros and cons of social media on activism in modern times as compared through activism in the 1960’s. In Douglas Rushkoff’s documentary “Generation Like,” we gain a deeper understanding of how companies are increasingly working to target and exploit a teen’s quest for identity by empowering them thorough social media. In this paper I will explain how the Internet and social media have influenced
Writer’s Notebook 2.1 : A Rhetorical Analysis In Kate Murphy’s article, “We Want Privacy, but Can’t Stop Sharing”, the author takes on the highly controversial debate on privacy that has flooded the information age since technology spiked and social media became progressively adopted by society. Murphy’s case is presented by a series of negative effects caused from sharing our information to the internet such as losing your identity, becoming prone to depression and having trouble building successful relationships. She develops her points by utilizing ethical and logical appeals throughout the text. Furthermore, Murphy creates a well-constructed article informing the reader of the downfalls of social media defending her arguments by quoting
Since the dawn of civilization, technology has remained at the heart of societal debates for thousands of years. Many feminist scholars contend this nature of discourse can historically find itself in elements ranging from popular culture to politics. A prime example of this discourse occurred for Charlene Lewis when she discovered that Black artists have a higher likelihood of their social media content being taken down than their White counterparts (2019, 490). Thus, through situations like this, the evidence demonstrates to WGS scholars that technology exists as a non-neutral factor in life worldwide. There also emerged the spaces where these conversations allow WGS scholars to see the positive side of technology.
In the digital age, our online lives have become deeply entwined with our real-world identities and experiences. For some, the merging of the physical and virtual worlds has had devastating consequences. The tragic case of Rehtaeh Parsons stands as a sobering reminder of how the internet’s widespread presence can amplify human brutality. After more than a year of unrelenting harassment and humiliation following a sexual assault, Parsons, a 17-year-old from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, committed suicide in 2013. Photos of the incident had circulated online, turning Parsons into the target of a "mob mentality" that overwhelmed her beyond her ability to cope.
“One in eight Americans exhibits Internet behavior that interferes with daily life and healthy relationships. That’s about 12% of the country” (Conrad). In this constant presence of technology, it is becoming more and more difficult for us as Americans to think for ourselves, which can be a way for the government to demand that we to conform to their ideals. Many times, technology in the form of social media and government propaganda will influence the audience about what to think with regards to significant matters, including politics, free thought, and political correctness. For example, a celebrity on a social media platform might express his or her opinion regarding a widespread issue, but does so in a way to disconcert others who feel the opposite.
Social media connects us to so much but leaves us disconnected from reality. My generation and I have played into this social media world where we worry more about how many likes, views, and interactions we get on a daily basis to make us feel connected. The author Nick Bilton, writes “Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone” which was published in 2013 in the New York Times. The author argues that we as a society tend to overuse social media in a way which can be perceived as downright dystopian. Bilton starts building his main points with personal facts and credibility, factually based data and reasoning, and conveying how ethics and emotion play in our social media crazed society.
The article written by Alfredo Lopez “Social Networking and the Death of the Internet” was published on May 8, 2013, on the ‘counterpunch’ website. According to the information present along with the very article, the author is a political activist, and a radical journalist, who is also a founding member of a progressive web- hosting media service in Brooklyn, New York. With a small introduction with the origin of the author, we can guess that the article is filled with information that can easily be followed up using online media sources. With this, it is easily assumed that the article is initially intended for the readers of this website, which is an online and in print magazine that is available to general public via the world wide web
This chapter of Reclaiming Conversation by Sherry Turkle essentially focused on the effect technology can have on the bond of a family. The writer depicts different families to prove how social media has creates a false sense of closeness in family relations, when in reality it drives us further apart. As explained in the section named “Left to their own devices”, a teenager named Alli finds herself in a situation most families are currently in. Alli is not able to rely on her family for emotional support and instead seeks comfort from thousands of strangers online. This is a common situation in which teenagers feel more comfortable going out of their way on social media to obtain advice from strangers, instead of having a conversation with
(Lewinsky 1). Within minutes, people did not think of her as Monica Lewinsky, but as “the woman who slept with the President”, all because of social media. The internet is a powerful and dangerous place. Justine Sacco found that out the hard way, just like Monica Lewinsky. Sacco described the internet as “a mob with 140-character pitchforks” (Sacco 1) who can shut down a person’s life in seconds.
It can be seen that cyberfeminism looks at technology as a agent for the separation of gender and gender inequality, as well as a way in which to join the body with machines. In a modern day society in which civilization is absorbed in technology and technological devices, culture slowly begins to get more adapted through technology, and modern day ways of thinking about the role of women in technology and society become more acceptable. " The virtuality of cyberspace is seen to spell the end of the naturalised, biological embodiment as the basis for gender difference. The internet is expressive of female ways of being, and thereby creates manifold opportunities for changing the woman - machine
The internet used to be a source for researching information, but today it is used as a battle field of hate and shame. Many people are using social media as a way of being spiteful and mean to others. People are sometimes being recorded against their will and placed on internet sites for other people to view. Some may see it as a funny joke, but the person who it is actually happening to sees it as humiliating and violating.
“My fear now is of cliché, of complacency, of not being able to feel authenticity in myself and those around me” - John Hawkes The 1960’s were a time of multiple revolutions in this country. The culture explosion that came about in the 60’s was nothing short of utter enjoyment. This culture explosion gave headway into other revolutions such as feminism, the sexual revolution and even the coined term black power. The music that came out of this era allowed this country to develop in a somewhat unconventional but mostly the American way.
