Month: October 2023

Built on the fingernail clippings, shreds of hair, and saliva, the power of deoxyribonucleic acid, as well as the further understanding and application of this molecule, has ultimately served as one of the most important discoveries of all time. Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher was initially attempting to study the composition of white blood cells when he incidentally isolated a molecule from a cell nucleus. He defined this distinct molecule as DNA in the year eighteen sixty-nine, but it wasn’t until eight decades later for the true weight of this revolutionary discovery to be fully unveiled. This self-replicating material that carries genetic information is the instruction manual for life itself. Not only is simply grasping the concept of this molecule a scientific milestone, but it has rippled into almost every facet of modern existence. Through the process of DNA profiling, where a specific gene pattern is obtained from a person and stored in a database, the criminal justice system has been entirely revolutionized through fingerprint technology. Cold cases over decades old have been solved at the same time as victims of crime have been identified in order to bring peace and closure to affected families. The utilization of DNA has reduced strain on prison systems while paradoxically filling them with new convicts in an interesting dichotomy where both criminals have been caught at quicker and more accurate rates while thousands of the falsely accused have been exonerated. DNA has been able to unite families worldwide through genetic analyses, pairing siblings together who were previously unaware of each other and serving as a bridge to reunite long lost family members. Conversely, this same process has torn apart relationships through the development of maternity and paternity tests, disclosing more unpleasant generational secrets. Not only is DNA just a personal identifier used to figure out scientific information about an individual, but this technology has reached back through history to redefine peoples genetic heritage through at-home DNA kits. All of this scientific innovation has not excluded ethical and statistical implications. The rise in genealogy has affected data that demographers use to measure population shifts and to monitor racial inequalities, and the level to which individual DNA profiles are being shared has brought up questions regarding consent and a person’s rights when it comes to balancing criminal justice efforts and privacy. Overall, the discovery of DNA has entirely changed the field of healthcare, criminology, and genealogy to name a few, rewriting history and unveiling a future of secrets hidden within one of the core elements of life itself.

When reading the article “Framing the Study of Visual Rhetoric: Towards a Transformation of Rhetorical Theory” written by Sonja K. Foss,  I quickly made a connection to my own life. The article artfully discusses a recent social trend in rhetorical work away from strict discourse, and towards a more inclusive environment within rhetorical theory that involves visual elements. 

Foss defines the concept of visual rhetoric as “A visual object or artifact and a perspective on the study of visual data.” Initially, I presumed that this article would be discussing paintings, analytic graphs, or drawings. Two-dimensional pieces. The further I read, the further I began to wonder- how does three-dimensional, real-life art fit into this analysis? 

I am a dancer, and while the idea of discussing dance- a physical practice- as “visual rhetoric” may seem flimsy and a bit too abstract, the more I read through the article the more I realized how much the shoe fit. When thinking about dance as a form of rhetorical discussion, I aim to focus less on stricter methods of movement such as Balanchine ballet or Fosse jazz where the body is trained to operate in a specific, uniform manner. I believe that the style of dance that mainly fits this perspective is the field of modern, expressive dance; which is a broad genre of dancing characterized by expressive, non-structured, free movement.  In dance groups around the country and throughout history, choreographed modern dances have been used to convey complex rhetorical ideas in a way that potentially couldn’t have been properly put into words. 

An aspect of the article that is particularly applicable to dance is the idea that the growing trend of visual rhetoric has been challenging and questioning the linguistic boundaries of the commonly used modern methods of rhetoric discourse. This notion is one of my favorite reasons as to why dance should be used more as a rhetorical device. In my opinion, a well choreographed and technically executed dance can communicate a thematic message just as well as an opinionated essay- and the magic lies within the fact that nobody in the audience has to speak the same language, or have a comprehensive education on the topic. 

While traditional methods of rhetorical discourse depend on the logos, pathos, and ethos of the speaker in order to convey a feeling to an audience, dance uses these same methods through body movement. Facial expression, posture, and dancer formation are all small pieces of the puzzle that correlate to the technical aspects of writing an essay or paragraph intended for rhetorical purposes. The article discusses how colors, lines, textures, and rhythms in a visual artifact allow a viewer to experience the intended emotion and interpretation of a piece. Dance is practically the same, except these two dimensional tactics are replaced by the flick of a hand, kick of a leg, or turn of a head when paired with a musical beat, made even more powerful due to its universality and inclusiveness. Anyone can dance, and anyone can interpret dance. 

In conclusion, I was riveted by the discussion of the use of visual art in the field of rhetorical theory which has been historically dominated by discourse. I was given a glimpse of a glorious future of rhetorical conversations, one that include film, photography, and potentially dancing. Not only is diversifying the methods of rhetoric exciting because it changes the way that we can now view social issues or discussion topics, but it changes who is able to be included in these conversations in general. Adding visual art, of any kind, always brings more voices to the table and allows for richer discussion, more productive discourse, and a combination of new perspectives.

HOOK:  To quote the famous Roman writer Petronius, “The dead outnumber the living.” Centuries later, American politician Richard Nixon upended this generally accepted fact by effectively raising the dead, and manipulating them into tactical tools to win the presidency. Instead of the literal dead, Nixon marshaled together a specific demographic of Americans to which he gave the name “the Silent Majority.” This group of people were the widespread, largely occurring, conservative blue-collar whites that despite being the physical majority, were only the minority of media attention. Consciously articulating a campaign strategy that attracted this middle ground of voters who didn’t participate in counterculture and didn’t contribute to public discourse, utilizing this cultivated fan base in order to win the presidency.  Ultimately, the specific demographic qualities of the commonplace of the routinely occurring, yet completely unheard, silent majority can be revealed through a deeper look into their historical uses. 

POINT 1: This phenomenon of the silent majority was similarly used in the year 2020 by president Donald Trump. Trump utilized the same strategy to manipulate non-college educated white men in rural and working class areas, which served as a large percentage of the silent majority demographic in the year 2020. In both cases, each president used the nation’s state of chaos, since they were both appealing to a country dealing with chaotic and violent protests at the time, as a way to portray the white house as a stable middle ground, ultimately for their own benefit.When analyzing these separate political manipulations of the same artifact, much can be revealed about the qualities of this silent majority, and why overtime they have reacted in the same ways.