Sunday, September 10, 2006
If you give a writer a blog...
He'll want a cookie to go with it. Hi! My name is Heather and I am a procrastinator. I like to cut things close and live for the now. And I definately like clear defintions. I was glad Ramage started out with arguments against rhetoric, becuase I was feeling resentful toward rhetoric at the moment. It was interesting how Ramage twisted the arguments toward supporting rhetoric just by showing how the arguer was not real, and just a way to prove the positive points of rhetoric. It bothered me how in the first half of the introduction the arguments were numbered points, and the second half was not--not a very clear way to compare the pros and cons, but then, since when is rhetoric clear? Shoulda seen that one coming. Now where is my cookie?...
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2 comments:
"It bothered me how in the first half of the introduction the arguments were numbered points, and the second half was not--not a very clear way to compare the pros and cons..."
I agree. Ramage's lack of parallel structure infuriates me. However, I love the way Ramage states his opinion as fact when arguing against rhetoric. Example: "Rhetoric is at best amoral, at worst immoral." Who is he to judge (morality)? And finally, I like how he gives a history lesson about the Oakland Raiders football team on page 5. It's almost as if his rhetoric is trying to 'pander to the masses' like he mentions in Reason 2.
"It's almost as if his rhetoric is trying to 'pander to the masses' like he mentions in Reason 2."
He almost definitely is trying to do that exactly. All throughout this reading I noticed Ramage writing something, and then putting the technique he just used into words a little later on. But all throughout there are moments when he seems to be trying to use humour and such, perhaps not to "pander to the masses" exactly, but maybe just to make himself more likable and make one more ready to accept his ideas. Admittedly, after he made that crack about Harley Davidson engines sounding like "potatoe, potatoe" I was sold. I found that hilarious, and I really do have a weak spot for anyone who can use humour in the midst of academic discourse.
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