TOW# 25- Article: "The Pointlessness of Unplugging"

Reading Goal: Interesting, can take part in

Writing Goal: Finding the author's purpose/deeper meaning

            In today's world technology has become a huge part of our everyday life. From our daily routine to even our social aspect of life, technology has tied itself into these things. although technology has been a good and huge advancement in society, has it become too much? It clearly has been concluded as too much considering there is a National Day of Unplugging, where one does not use any type of technology for and entire twenty-four hours. 

            In the March issue of The New Yorker, author Casey N. Cep wrote an article about the National Day of Unplugging and how technology has made us rely on it. Cep studied at Yale University and has written many articles in the The New York Times and the Boston Globe. Cep discusses how many people participate in the N.D.U. (National Day of Unplugging) and their reasons for it. The slogan or theme sentence for this day is "I unplug to _______" and participators would fill in the blank with what they are doing instead of using technology. by simply unplugging for a day, it allows people to "to reset, to spend more time with family, to bring back the beauty of life," etc.  Cep's purpose in writing this article is to see if the N.D.U. is actually beneficial. She brings forth her purpose through examples and irony.

              Throughout her entire article Cep incorporates quotes and examples of people that help her achieve her purpose and help the reader conclude to a so what at the end of her article. For example she use how she was surprised that Pope Benedict XVI used twitter to reach out to his followers, showing how technology is in everyone's lives, eve those of high ranking. Also she used quotes from people who participated in the N.D.U., saying their reason for unplugging was "so [their] eye will stop twitching" and "to be in the moment"and also "to be more connected"; showing the various reasons why people participate. With all of these benefits of this day you would think it's good. Irony comes into play when Cep makes concussion. She states that when we go twenty-four hours with out our technology, it only makes us crave the use of technology even more. In conclusion, although this day is beneficial for twenty-four hours, it technically worsens our addictions, thus making this day pointless; Cep successfully achieving her purpose.

IRB Intro Post: Marking Period 4

            The book that I decided to read for the fourth marking period is Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother written by Amy Chua. Chua is a mom of two daughters trying to raise them in the mists of American culture and Chinese culture at the same time. She  recalls ho she was raised under strict Chinese culture by her own parents. Yet she is not so sure that she is raising her kids the right way. I chose to read this book because i am able to connect with Chua, being raised by parents who are from a different country other than America. Also I chose this book, because  from reading reviews, Chua incorporates some humor into her book, which I makes her telling g of her experiences more interesting and fun.

TOW Post #24- IRB: You Are Not So Smart

-Reading Goal: A more challenging text, requiring more thinking

-Writing Goal:Establishing the "so what?"

            In society today, many people don't accept a decision, situation, etc, very well when the result is not in their favor. Everyone just wants to be right all the time and not be confronted with something they might believe is outrageous and false.In general, basically everyone thinks high of themselves and believes that their so skater than everyone else. Unfortunately a writer has written a book on what we don't want to hear; to be told that we are wrong. Although readers we might pick up the book and disagree with the title You Are Not So Smart, because we all think that we are, essentially McRaney makes a good argument as for why he does not think, everyone is so smarts. He achieves this argument through claims of fact and claims of policy.

            Author David McRaney organized his book into mini chapters on topics that tell the reader why their way of rationalizing is wrong, and the explanation for it. McRaney include multiple facts in order to support his argument on why everyone is not so smart. Throughout one the point one point that he clarifies and writes about if accusations on why we chose and use the same brand name of product. McRaney writes that “We reach for the same brand not because we trust its quality but because we want to reassure ourselves that we made a smart choice the last time we bought it.” Then he continues on to explaining experiments and hypothetic situations to explain his claim thus overall supporting his argument.

             Besides incorporation multiple claims of fact McRaney also incorporates claims of policy throughout the entire book. After explaining why the readers way of thinking about something or coming to a conclusion, he gives advice for the readers in order to stop the false thinking/way of things from happening again. For example at the end of his 15th chapter he states that “To escape consumerism and conformity, you must turn your back and ignore the mainstream culture. The shackles when then fall away, the machines will grind to a halt, the filters will dissolve, and you will see the world for what it really is. The illusory nature of existence will end and we will all, finally, be real.” By incorporating this policy of change McRaney is able to support his argument. Overall McRaney is not only supporting his argument, he is also pushing his  readers to becoming the smartest that they can truly be.