In the article titled Are We Having Too Much Fun? by columnist Megan Garber, the use of irony and humor to further social and political movements is criticized with the assistance of the word of Neil Postman. Essentially, Garber argues that the use of comedy in protest such as signs reading "Make the Barrier Reef Great Again," (Garber) and dressing "as plush vulvas," (Garber) has transformed movements into one big joke. To begin with, Garber uses formal diction, using a wide vocabulary of words like "inalienable," (Garber) and "aphorism" (Garber). Her resulting tone is incredibly critical and somewhat sarcastic--she states her point clearly by saying that Neil Postman, author of Amusing Ourselves To Death, "might whisper that, in politics, the line between engagement and apathy is thinner than we want to believe" (Garber). Garber goes on to say that "there is something delightful and also not very delightful at all about a trio of Tyrannosauri who, in the name of saving the world, try their hardest to go viral on Facebook," (Garber) revealing a disdain for the priority of popularity over cause. The lengthiness of the article and plentiful praise for Postman's perspective shows that Garber is incredibly passionate about this subject: "His great observation, and his great warning, was a newly relevant kind of bummer: There are dangers that can come with having too much fun" (Garber). It may be noted that use of the word "bummer," (Garber) which is colloquial in nature, may have an appeal as a temporary tonal shift to conversational tone. Additionally, the entire article functions as one whole analogy for the subject of Postman's criticism of the media in general compared to the overuse of jokes in today's movements. Garber makes this connection at the end of the first section of the article: "Postman was a critic of more than TV alone. He mistrusted entertainment, not as a situation but as a political tool; he worried that Americans’ great capacity for distraction had compromised their ability to think, and to want, for themselves" (Garber). The purpose of this article can then be said to be both an in-depth criticism of modern day society as well as a call to action for that society to end its insensitivity to the true goals of movements. Both of these can be interpreted from the ending example, where Brian Williams refers to U.S. missiles launching towards Syria as "beautiful" (Garber). Such a description shows that detachment from a situation and lack of understanding of the bigger picture can be associated with a reading of news through rose colored glasses. The way this opinion has the potential to cause change in the attitudes of self-proclaimed activists, but it might be wise to take on a less condescending approach towards the idea of humor in politics, as it can be useful when not exploited as shown in various examples. Nonetheless, the purpose is of great value, and offers important insight that will make readers truly think about how they handle their expression.
Garber's primary argument is conducted through appeals to logos. She cites Postman's use of the example of the telegraph having influenced American media and transmission of information: "Because of the telegraph, headlines—sensational, fragmented, impersonal—became the defining element of American media production. Because of the telegraph, news became instant and easy" (Garber). In this quote, it may also be noted that repetition is made use of as a rhetorical device. Garber also points out that the telegraph "gave rise to yellow journalism, which found newspapers competing for audience attention not so much via the information they shared, but via the entertainments they offered" (Garber). By calling upon historical examples of this phenomenon of news delivered through a filter of entertainment, Garber is able to further support her stance on the matter. Her argument is solid all around, as she makes use of numerous devices and examples and states her intentions outright without much hesitation.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |