I remember waking up to the same blaring alarm I had far overused every day for school for far too long. Drowsy and annoyed I slammed the snooze. 

“Why does this have to be on a Saturday?” 

I went downstairs and prepared for my first triathlon. At 12 years old, I naturally wouldn’t be able to keep up with seasoned athletes double to triple my age, so I joined a kids triathlon: shorter distances, easier competition, essentially more conducive to a first experience in the sport. I hadn’t excessively trained, nor was I overly anxious to begin the race; I was simply participating because, why not? 

Upon arriving, I felt out of place. All these other kids had all the gear, fancy sports drinks, and parents coaching them as if it were the Olympics. Nonetheless, I was determined to try my best in this new experience. 

Start times were staggered for each of the kids, so while I generally could guess how well I was doing, there was no clear scale on how I actually stood among the rest of my competition. By the end of the running segment, the final portion, I was tired, wet, and ready to go home, but all the kids were required to stay for the awards ceremony after. This meant waiting for every single participant to finish, clean up their things, and make their way to the main pool for announcements.

They had various prizes they were giving out from water bottles to granola bars to the grand prize at the event: a brand new bike. As prizes came and went, I became exceedingly bored and honestly probably fell asleep once or twice by the time they got to the bike. 

In a blur, I hear a faded “And the winner is, Matthew Caissie!” I don’t remember walking up to the announcer, I just remember all of the sudden being there in total shock and disbelief as they handed me the papers to this brand new $600 bike.

Okay so, I may have misled all of you. The bike was not the prize for finishing the race the fastest. In fact, it had nothing to do with my performance that day in the least bit. It was part of a raffle all of the contestants were entered into upon signing up for the triathlon. I essentially could have come in last place and I still would have won that bike, which by the way is still the bike I use to this day. 

What I find important from this event is that I tried something new. I went on to compete in five more triathlons, which led to me putting myself into several 5ks. These eventually fizzled out as I moved on to other activities, but from then on I always enjoyed trying new things any chance I could get. 

Going out of my comfort zone won me a new bike, and in the future would help me to find jobs, make new friends, start hobbies, and most importantly enjoy myself.

Sure, it may have been lucky that I won the bike, but I like to think of the saying, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” I made a habit of putting myself in situations when new, exciting opportunities would become available to me, and it hasn’t failed me since. 

Even though it isn’t the easiest thing to do, I always try to push myself to try new things, because when you push yourself, that’s when good things happen.

For my passion blog, I am going to be writing about a specific Penn State sporting event from that week. I will try to vary between the more popular sports to maybe some that not many people know about or watch often. Hopefully, this could lead people to try watching new things that they’re not familiar with.

 

For my civic issues blog, I am going to write about the methods by which the earth acquires its usable energy, and how this can be maintained for the future. This could touch on fossil fuels and nonrenewable methods of energy, and then compare that to renewable sources like wind, solar, and tidal power.

This I Believe:

My first belief is that trust must always be earned. To discuss this, I could talk about when I was 12, I got bitten by my year old puppy Maya for trying to take my sock back from her mouth. This happened before I had been able to develop a relationship and trust with  her, which I believe is the cause of the event in the first place. Following that event, I began doing the little things more and more to make a deeper relationship with Maya, so that we had mutual respect. Even though she’s only a dog, a relationship with her took just as much work as one with any person.

My second belief is that  you should try everything. To explain this, I would talk about my various activities, and how I became involved in them. This would include sports, school clubs, and even just activities with friends. I would talk about how beneficial I believe it is to get out there and try new things, because you never know what you might like. I have made many new friends and enjoyed countless hours that I might never have had the opportunity for had I not stepped out of my comfort zone.

 

Passion:

For my passion blog, I would like to continue my blog from last semester, but with a minor change. Last semester I discussed a specific sporting event from the week that I deemed most interesting or important. This often led to me writing about Philadelphia teams because I am a fan. This semester I would like to continue this idea, but strictly with Penn State activities and sporting events. This way, everyone can relate to it and could possibly go to watch in person if they enjoy my blog.

Civic Issues:

I could write about the methods by which the earth acquires its usable energy, and how this can be maintained for the future. This could touch on fossil fuels and nonrenewable methods of energy, and then compare that to renewable sources like wind, solar, and tidal power.

My second idea is to write about the issue of overpopulation. I would discuss the history of the topic, while also explaining the negative effects that it may have. I would write about other problems within this issue, and how these issues could possibly be resolved.

Over the course of the semester, my perception of “rhetoric and civic life” has changed greatly. Coming into the course, in all honestly I was not really sure what the course entailed. If I would had to have guessed, I would have attributed the rhetoric aspect to just a way of writing literature. Rhetoric was one of those terms that I felt you just heard in English class and no where else, and it really doesn’t mean much in the scale of what I do and how I live my life.

My favorite project to create, work on, and present would probably be the civic artifact speech and essay. I enjoyed really diving in to how different modes of literature work in so many ways to accomplish a task. Even things that seem menial like a poster or a commercial are actually the work and result of a large amount of consideration and thought. Every word has a purpose and serves to achieve its goal.

I never really understood the depth of all of these pieces of literature, and could even say I lived much of my life just living at the surface level. I took things for what they were and never really questioned much. However, I now find myself looking at ordinary things and asking myself questions. Why does this work? Why did the author include this? How can I change this to improve my piece?

All of these things I never even considered before this class. I have found that rhetoric and civic life has been far and away the most useful and realistic english class I have ever taken. I often found myself wondering in high school, why are we doing this? But now, what we do actually has meaning, and it is obvious how this will help me now and as I continue on into my future.

General description of free college

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/17/01/what-does-free-college-really-mean

 

Pros/Cons

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/should-college-be-free.asp

https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/affordability-college-cost/pros-cons-tuition-free-college/

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/tressie-mcmillan-cottom-why-free-college-necessary

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/free-college-tuition-2020-candidates-20190905.html

 

Statistics

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/01/over-60-of-americans-back-tuition-free-college-survey-says.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/business/tuition-free-college.html

 

Financial Aid/Programs

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2019-04-24/what-free-college-could-mean-for-you

 

Statistics (economics/taxes)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2018/04/12/the-free-tuition-craze-now-new-jersey/#680c72d41b2a

 

In support of free college (mentions other countries)

http://www.nea.org/home/62740.htm

For my Ted Talk, I will be discussing the paradigm shift from physical entertainment mediums like DVDs and VHS (ex Blockbuster) to the online streaming services that many people utilize today like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

For those in my group, I decided to change topics to a much more current, relatable, and modern topic to better engage the audience and keep them interested throughout my talk.

Speech

Introduction:

• Hi, I’m Matt Caissie and…
• Hook:
  • Talk about widespread use of video streaming across many ages and groups, but especially with youth
  • Everyones used Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, etc
  • Take a day in and binge a show
• Talk about era of having things done for/brought to you
  • Food delivery, buying Amazon products, doing everything from home
  • Everything is now automatic, easy, accessible, with the end goal seemingly to never have to leave your home.

 

Old ways (blockbusteresque):

• Why did this work then?
• Talk about how this was advanced for the time
• Discuss how Netflix used to be a slightly more advanced version of Blockbuster (sending DVDs in the mail)
  • Transition into talking about modern entertainment

 

New ways (Netflix and chill):

• What caused this change?
  • Technology
  • Accessability
  • Laziness?
• Why does this work now?
• Are young people any different from how they used to be, or has the situation just changed?

 

Analysis:

• What effect does this change have on society?
• Will streaming be here to stay?
• Will something else replace it in the future?
• Is it really any different that it used to be?
• Could it detrimental to mental and physical well-being?

 

Conclusion:

• This shift happened very quickly
• Streaming services and new technology essentially closed the door on Blockbuster, as they could not adapt to the new situation
• Shift is parallel to the shift in the enormous technological advancements made in the past 20 years

 

Happy Halloween everyone 🙂

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/netflix-halloween-2018-scary-movies-263279

This is my favorite TED Talk. It is called To This Day… For the Bullied and Beautiful written and spoken by Shane Koyczan.

This is my favorite TED Talk because Shane Koyczan talks about real world issues that are very prevalent and still very relevant in today’s society. Koyczan’s words flow from one topic to the next. He easily transitions between topics using creative structure and often word play that emphasizes his point.

Koyczan is able to speak on this topic of bullying so well because he went through much of the stereotypical bullying that he discusses in his speech. He talks about many of his experiences and how he was hurt over the years. He talked about the experiences of others and how life can be cruel to those that may not be just like everybody else. He talks about how everyone is beautiful, and how obviously no one deserves such mistreatment. He also talks about many of the general troubles of childhood, and how not everyone fits into some specific category, causing many to be left out. These people feel neglected and often unloved just because of a flawed system that is leaving them behind.

Bullying is a very serious topic that leaves a long lasting effect on anyone that may go through it. Even though I was very fortunate to never go through serious bullying as a child, everyone is picked on at some point and simply feels left out. This makes bullying a topic that I take very seriously and believe should be completely eradicated in any environment and situation.

This is my favorite TED Talk because Shane Koyczan presents himself as a very likable person that speaks wisely about many topics that are important to him as well as many other people.

For centuries, science accepted the biblical doctrine that God had designed living species perfectly, so their forms hadn’t changed since the Creation. Darwin collected evidence showing that species could change and new species could arise from older ones. He also showed that change was shaped by natural selection, rather than divine decree. It was a radical break with previous scientific thought.

This is clearly a major paradigm shift. Before this revelation was seriously accepted by the scientific community, by far almost every person in the country and on the planet had different beliefs from what Charles Darwin discovered.

For research, I could just look into all of Charles Darwin’s research that he used to support his new theory. He made many observations and did experiments in the Galapagos Islands. His most famous study was on the “Galapagos Finches” where he studied the varying traits among the different species of finches. These traits are due to the different environments that surrounded each of the individual types of finches. Then, the finches with the traits best fit for their environment survived best, leading to the phrase “survival of the fittest.”

To craft my argument, I would discuss the implications that this new theory had on the world, and how it is viewed by many. This theory led to many other scientific breakthroughs, and allowed for the advancement of technology continuing today. Ultimately, the paradigm shift of evolution due to natural selection changed the course of human history and changed countless viewpoints, making it one of the most profound and effective paradigm shifts in recent human history.

About 80 years ago, the United States and the world went through one of the most significant and traumatic periods of recent human history. World War II started in September of 1939, when Hitler and Germany launched an unprovoked attack on Poland, effectively starting the second World War. This left many people shocked and confused about what was going to happen and how this conflict was going to end. Such polarizing conditions left people on both sides of the conflict fearing the future and what may happen. This situation made it much easier for people to be convinced to comply with commands, if they thought it would help support their country or more importantly protect them from any potential danger. The United States government took advantage of this kairotic situation by creating and distributing propaganda with the goal of convincing people to support their country with some action. These pieces of propaganda employ pathos and logos in order to be more successful in their intended task. During World War II, the United States government embraced and took advantage of commonplaces regarding Hitler and Germany by utilizing propaganda posters in order to gain support from the American public.

The first piece of propaganda put out by the United States government is a poster that says “When you ride alone, you ride with Hitler! Join a car sharing club today!” This statement is joined by a picture of a man driving a car with a ghost like figure of Hitler sitting in the passenger seat. The main purpose of this ad was to get people to conserve gasoline by carpooling with others instead of driving your own car. This gas could then be used directly in the war efforts. The immediate effect, especially when analyzing this poster many years later, is almost comedic. It seems ridiculous that if you don’t comply with a simple task, Adolf Hitler will be riding shotgun in your car unbeknownst to you. Nevertheless, this poster employs several rhetorical strategies that make it effective. 

Initially, the propaganda creates an appeal by using logos. Logically, it makes sense that if all the citizens chose to help save gas, it would help the United States in the war effort. Conversely, if they chose not to help save gas, they would theoretically helping Hitler, no matter how insignificantly or immeasurably. However, the main rhetoric argument is made through the use of pathos. The intent of the propaganda is to speak to the audience’s emotions. Even more specifically, the main emotion used as motivation is fear. The image of Hitler as a ghost in the car is already enough to cause general uneasiness upon seeing it. Additionally, it appears that the man is completely unaware that Hitler is in the car with him. This is especially fearful because it shows that you could be “riding with Hitler” without even knowing it. The idea of being oblivious or not being aware of someone so feared is also frightening. If Hitler could be in your car, maybe he could also be at your job, in your home, anywhere. This poster also gives the idea that not carpooling would essentially be the same as making a conscious decision to support Hitler and his cause. This is motivating due to the polarizing ideas introduced by Hitler and the massive stigma associated with the Nazis. 

One significant commonplace at the time was a very widespread fear of Hitler and Germany in general. The vast majority of US citizens were scared of Hitler and what he stood for. Even though he was thousands of miles away, he still had a strangle on people’s emotions. Just the possibility of a threat is enough to strike fear into the hearts of many. While fear in general is not uncommon in any way, this situation is unique due to the ubiquitous nature of this particular threat. The kairotic situation created somewhat of a common enemy for most of the population of the United States and arguably the globe. Rhetorically, this situation allows for very strong and universal argument to be made very successfully. The government recognized this and used the kairotic situation that was World War II in order to gain support from the American public. While conserving a little gas seems insignificant, across the millions of people that live in the US, it combines to be very significant. It also proves that the kairotic situation allowed for a large number of people to be united to complete a single task. Usually, it is very difficult to find a topic that so many people can agree on. Yet, the fear brought on by the propaganda and actions of Hitler and Germany created the perfect rhetoric environment for such an occurrence to take place.

While the United States government certainly did not support or condone the actions of Hitler and Germany in any way, the propaganda that was put out had the intent of emphasizing and exacerbating the threat brought on by the Nazis. Many of the propaganda put out by the government showed startling images meant to portray Hitler as evil as possible, in order to further gain the support of the public. If they believe the force their country is fighting is supremely wicked and immoral, they are certainly more likely to support such a fight. Another piece of propaganda displays the text “Don’t kid yourself… it’s up to you STOP HIM! Our work will win or lose this war.” Also shown is a harsh and menacing photo of Hitler glaring and holding a large knife. With this picture, the government is clearly trying to convince citizens that Hitler is a monster that needs to be stopped. The picture is meant to terrify and strengthen the commonplace that Hitler is a menace and must be stopped at all costs. 

Another noteworthy attribute of the poster is the commands stated in the caption. Similar to the first piece of propaganda, this one seems to put the responsibility into the hands of those reading the poster. By saying “it’s up to you,” the government hopes to make average people feel as if it is their job to beat Hitler, and that they should do all that they can do to complete this task. The poster also states, “Our work will win or lose this war.” This statement works in several ways rhetorically. First, by using the word our, the speaker hopes to further unite the audience both with themselves and with the government. A united front will almost certainly perform better than a fractured one. The other rhetoric strategy employed by the poster is used with the statement “win or lose this war.” This is meant to help the audience visualize the end goal for this conflict. Obviously, all American citizens would like to win the war, but what this phrase does is force the reader to consider the consequences if they in fact lose the war. This is yet another appeal to pathos, bringing fear to the American citizens with the hope of motivating them to support such an immense cause. This propaganda reminds the audience what they are up against and why they should support the fight at all.

These two propaganda posters from World War II use similar commonplaces in order to pit the public against Hitler and gain support from a united American front. These posters cunningly put the war in the hands of the people, making them believe that the little things they do would have a serious impact on the total war efforts. People believed they could support their country in this time of need because it was their civic duty to do anything they could. The posters also took the enemy and made it seem as intimidating and alarming as possible, with the goal of furthering the support for the fight against such a monster. Each poster and each piece of propaganda supports the other, furthering the commonplaces, supporting the fight against the Nazis, and expanding the already widespread hatred and fear of Hitler.

 

Back in the 1940s, the United States and the world went through one of the most significant and traumatic periods of recent human history. World War II started in September of 1939, when Hitler and Germany launched an unprovoked attack on Poland. This left many people shocked and confused about what was going to happen and how this conflict was going to end. Hitler’s single decision to invade ultimately cascaded into the second World War. The majority of highly populated countries took part, as every nation felt like they needed to take a side in the conflict. Such polarizing conditions left people on both sides of the conflict fearing the future and what may happen. This situation made it much easier for people to be convinced to comply with commands, if they thought it would help support their country or more importantly protect them from any potential danger. The United States government took advantage of this kairotic situation by creating and distributing propaganda with the goal of convincing people to support their country with some action. One piece of propaganda was created to convince people to join car sharing clubs by saying “When you ride alone, you ride with Hitler.” This piece of propaganda used by the United States government took advantage of citizens’ fear of Hitler and Germany to accomplish the task of saving fuel in order to be used in the war efforts.