Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Give a classmate some hits. Check out the Foster School version of the Harlem Shake:
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Seth Godin Clip
Notice how Godin starts his talk with a story about the guy who invented sliced bread and works the cliche in an interesting way by turning it on its head.
What's the 'crux'? What are his punchline ideas?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Anybody hear the "synathroesmus" in ths clip by Colbert?
Here's another one from Salon writer Alex Parene: " At this point TED is a massive, money-soaked orgy of self-congratulatory futurism.
Student example clip from Class 14: Talking Money
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Epistrophe of the Day: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” — Elie Wiesel
***
Clips used in Class 13
Nancy Duarte on slide preparation
See McGilchrist video below
Monday, February 18, 2013
Iain McGilchrist on the whole-brain theme and how humans make meaning--or don't:
***
EQ Tip of the Day: Remember 'perception checking'? You might have a hunch about what's on some one else's mind, but it's always good to check. Ask questions like, "It looks like you're feeling down about something. Did something happen?" If someone says something, and it seems as though he expects you to read between the lines, don't be afraid to ask a question to get some clarification.
February 13, 2013
David Rose in a TED talk on pitching to venture capitalists like him. The whole thing is worth watching, but you can start at the five- minute mark if you want to save some time (h/t Billy Rex):
Here is another commercial using rhetorical questions. Which one is it?
***
Check out this article about "extraverts"--clearly from the intraverted POV.
***
EQ Tip of the Day:Take control of your Self Talk. Research suggest the average person has about 50,000 thought every day. Every time one of those thoughts takes place, chemicals are produced in your brain that trigger reactions felt throught your body.
There is a strong relationship between what you think and how you feel, both physically and emotionally. Because you are always thinking (much like breathing), you tend to forget that you are doing it. So if you have some self-talk bad habits, it might help to change them. For instance, instead of I always or I never, say this time (I screw up); instead of "I'm an idiot, say "I made a mistake".
February 12, 2013
Simon Sinek's Golden Circle
Yes We Can. In class I excerpted a part of Obama's speech after his primary defeat in New Hampshire to provide an example of the use of the 'epistrophe'. This is one of Obama's best rhetorical moments.
Here's the original speech. You will also see that he uses the yes-we-can repetition also as an 'anaphora'--beginning sentences and clauses.
Here's the will.i.am version:
Monday, February 11, 2013
Bush as genius of the "identity strategy":
Interesting article here on 'body language'. Learn how to read other people's body language, and to control what you communicate with your own.
EQ Tip of the Day: On a similar note: Is the look that your are projecting to the world one that you have chosen, one that your mood created or one that you tend to lean on by default? What you project reflects how you feel, and it's up to you to understand it.
For instance, what you wear sends a pretty clear message about how you feel. Wearing old sweatpants and ratty T-shirts and having disheveled hair every day tells the world you've given up, while overdressing for every occasion and never missing your weekly haircut lets people know you are trying too hard.
When you meet new people are you aloof and cool, or are you overeager to please? Be aware of how your emotions affect your demeanor, and think about whether they are helping you or undermining you.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Jargon Phrase of the Day: "Judgmental Heuristics". A storeowner has some turquoise jewelry that isn't selling well, so she lowers the price. It sells even worse. She leaves on a trip and her assistant mistakenly doubles the price, and the items sell out.
Why? Because people make judgments, especially when they are not experts, using heuristics, an alogrithm or stereotypical formula that has worked for them in the past. In this case, it's expensive = good, or higher price means higher quality.
Years ago I asked advice from a more experienced speechwriter than I about how to set fees. He told me how he once was almost hired to write a speech for a company CEO, until he blew it by stating that his fee was $3000. The CEO said, "Sorry, I want a $5000 speech."
Can you think of other examples where people use these stereotypes or formulas to make judgments? [Adapted from Robert Cialdini, Influence: Science and Practice
Friday, February 8, 2013
EQ Tip of the Day: Don't be fooled by bad moods--or by good ones. Remind yourself that your bad mood is hanging a cloud over everything you see, and that your moods are not permanents. How things feel are not necessarily the way things are. Almost everything people are anxious about never comes to pass. And don't mistake foolish, inflated exuberance for real joy.
***
Class 9-10 clips:
Jason Street sells Joe a truck
Pink on being a saleman
For you accountants who think you might want to consider another career after getting your midterm grade, take some advice from the vocatonal guidance folks at Monty Python:
Wednesday, Februay 6, 2013
EQ Tip of the Day: Know who and what pushes your buttons. Your buttons are bound to be pushed by a wide range of people and things. It could be certain people, particular situations (like feeling scared or caught offguard), or conditions in the environment (like noisy offices). Make a list of them. Objectify them. Write about them in the journal you're all keeping now.
When you have a clear understanding for who and what pushes your buttons makes these a bit less difficult to deal with because they come as less of a surprise, and you can develop a more effective patterned response to them. But then ask yourself--why do these things bother you so much? Is it the situation or is it you? (Adapted from Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Bradberry & Greaves)
Tuesday, Febrary 5, 2013
Chiasmus of the Day: Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and I remember more than I have seen. --Benjamin Disraeli
EQ Tip of the Day: Self Awareness Strategy--You feel what you feel; it's what you do that matters. So don't judge your emotions as good or bad. Just try to understand them. What a particular feeling pointing to.
***
Take what Jim Collins says to heart. It's not just about bosses; it's about the way you run your groups:
***
Here's the link to the Alec Baldwin AIDA speech form Glengarry Glenross
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Here's Susan Cain's TED talk:
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Quote of the Day:
“This lamentably common use of comprise as a synonym for compose or constitute is a wanton and indefensible weakening of our vocabulary.”--H.W. Fowler
***
As we'll see in future classes, advertizers use rhetorical technique all the time. Here's an example of the 'anadiplosis' we discussed in Class 7:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Usage Tip: Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective that comprises more than one word. Usually, hyphens are used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective.
Examples:
Please request a four-foot table.
It is a 6-page document.
Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park.
That is an all-too-common mistake.
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Well-written paper, ok; badly-written paper, not ok. No hyphens after 'ly' adverbs.
***
Monday, January 28, 2013
Chiasmus of the Day
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein
Anadiplosis: using the AB, BC, CD structure to lead to a compelling punchline idea. Used by Otter in the student court scene from Animal House. Another example:
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Hypophora: a rhetorical question that is immediately anwered by the speaker:
Is this any way to run and airline? You bet it is.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Iain McGilchrist on the whole-brain theme and how humans make meaning--or don't:
***
Grammar Tips
More on Semicolons: Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (e.g., nevertheless, however).
INCORRECT:
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Heroes have fallen on hard times; for instance, the men of Dale.
CORRECT:
Spelling bees were her specialty; nevertheless, she failed to spell “urbiculture” correctly.
J. M. Barrie is most famous as the author of Peter Pan; however, I prefer his ghost story "Farewell Miss Julie Logan".
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is the however in the first senctence correctly preceded by a comma and not a semicolon?
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is preceding the however with a comma in this sentence incorrect?
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Hilda Black Tips
Revised Prompt here
Hilda was a client in the past, but she chose not to use your tax prep services this year. She tried to save money by preparing her taxes herself.
You have the conversation in question recorded, so there is no dispute about what actually was discussed in the phone conversation in April.
A tax-deferred account is one in which income can be sheltered until retirement. If you put $2000 in an IRA, for instance, you don't pay any tax on that amount in the year that you shelter it. But you will pay a tax when you withdraw it when you retire. You don't pay, though, if you move it into another similar shelter.
You need to find a proactive approach. Don't be defensive or reactive.
Your grade on this assignment will depend more on the effectiveness of your sentences. Show me you've learned something from our discussion of sentences in class.
***
Best way to keep problematic words correctly in mind is to memorize model sentences like the ones listed below to use as a template.
The dog often lies here by the fire.
The dog is lying by the fire.
The dog lay by the fire for over two hours.
The dog has lain by the fire since breakfast.
The counselor's advice affected my thinking about dropping out of school.
The CEO effected significant changes in budgetary policy within a week of taking office.
His chewing me out had quite a negative effect on my motivation.
I don't like your affect, you ill-tempered, surly grump.
The team comprises fifteen members.
Fifteen members compose (not comprise) the team.
The team is composed of (not comprised of) fifteen members.
***
Figures of the Day
Anadiplosis: using the AB, BC, CD structure to lead to a compelling punchline idea. Used by Otter in the student court scene from Animal House. Another example:
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Hypophora: a rhetorical question that is immediately anwered by the speaker:
Is this any way to run and airline? You bet it is.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
More on Decorum:
Daniel Pink on Motivation: Is it all about the money, or is it about making a difference?
Text for Pacino locker room speech text here
Film Clips used in Class #5:
Memo Punctilio Assignment
Basic Evaluation Criteria: link here
Analysis Hints: Use the Problems, Goals, Audience format I put up on the board and just fill in the blanks.
Outline hints: You need to have at least two major subtopic headings structuring the body of your outline. These subtopics should be equal in importance. The biggest challenge in this part of the assignment is envision how you will make this document into a useful tool. I'll have more to say about that on Tuesday.
Remember, your goal in this assignment is to create a document that will be more useful or helpful for your boss than the original article.
***
One of the great American commonplaces is that America is the land of opportunity and social mobility. Is that really true? Here's what Nobel Prize winner in economics Joseph Stiglitz says about it in a Salon interview. Substitute the word "commonplace" where LP says "myth".
LP: There’s a persistent myth that America is still the “land of opportunity.” Why is that myth so prevalent, even in the face of so much evidence to the contrary?
JS: Well, there are two reasons for this. One of them is that the myth is so much part of our sense of identity as Americans that it is devastating for us to give it up — for us to say we are less of a land of opportunity than old ossified Europe. It was one of the things we were most proud of, and clearly, it’s not true. When you have something that’s so inconsistent with your self image, it’s really, really hard to face the facts.
The second reason has to do with the nature of evidence. Everybody knows examples of people who make it from the bottom or the middle-bottom to the top. And our press talks about them. The media calls attention to the successes. But when they call attention to successes they don’t say this is one of a million or one of a thousand. In fact, the reason they write about it is because they are so unusual. If most people did it, it wouldn’t be an unusual story. So, in a sense that’s how our media works. It encourages us to think of the exceptions as the norm.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Can you find the mistake?
It's certainly possible that there was some other motivation--there is such a thing as palace intrigue--but for the most part it's safer to assume that in a crisis a president isn't going to appoint someone whom he thinks is making things worse.
Is this sentence correct?
In the season 2 opener, a convalescing Carrie and Congressman Brody must reckon with who they really are.
***
***
Me, Myself, and I. "Don't say myself if you mean me or I. Me is a perfectly good and acceptable word. I think myself is misused so often because as people are speaking, they become uncertain about whether the word they want to use is me or I. They retreat into myself because they think that's correct in every circumstance." Read more.
***
Clips used in Class #3:
Friday, January 11, 2013
Proactive with Mr. Goodwin
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
I am writing in response to your August 15 email questioning the $108.00 in overdraft fees charged against your account. Upon receiving your email we investigated and learned that a miscommunication between you and the United Oregon Bank led to the automatic imposition of this fee.
In your email, you mentioned that you had instructed the United Oregon Bank to transfer $45,000 to your account here on August 1. It did not, however, make the transfer until August 10--which explains why on August 8 we charged your account for the overdraft.
We value your account with us, Mr. Goodwin. You have been one of our most reliable and valued customers, and we understand that miscommunications like this happen from time to time. On this occasion we are happy to refund to you the $108. But please contact United Oregon to be sure that they send future transfers on the date you specify.
Perhaps an overdraft line of credit would be appropriate if you anticipate this kind of miscommunication in the future. You might also consider consolidating your accounts in such a way as to make these transfers unnecessary.We’ll have one of our personal bankers contact you in the next week to see if we can help you to meet your banking needs in a more streamlined way.
Sincerely,
Note that this revision makes the misunderstanding issue the "crux", and adds a proactive dimension by seeking to flip the problem into an opportunity and move with Mr. Goodwin beyond the status quo ante.
***
Words of the Day
Commonplace: accepted values of a community summarized in adages, and cliches. "The children are our future." "Freedom isn't free." "Everyone has a right to choose." "I'm living the American dream."
Tactical Concession: Instead of challenging your opponent's facts or assumptions, you concede that he is right. This has a disarming effect, and makes him feel that he has been heard and is well understood. You then either change the subject or use those facts or assumptions as the foundation for the argument you want to make. Good example: In Up in the Air, the Clooney character concedes that his brother-in-law-to-be is right about marriage being pointless. He changes the subject to focus on the real issue, which is whether he wants a future in which he is alone and scared. He changes the tense. This is how you felt last night when you were lonely; How do you want to feel tomorrow and the next day and the next?
Chiasmus: A figure of speech that structures elements cleverly in an ABBA pattern. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. Boy = A; Country = B.
Anthithesis (syncrisis is a type of antithesis): Figure of speech that compares opposites."Not that, but this." It can be used to redefine terms, change the subject, or reframe the discussion on terms more favorable to your argument: "It's not manipulation; it's instruction." "It isn't just a matter of faith; it's a matter of science." Also: "We support the victory; they decry the cost."
Prolepsis: Anticipating your opponent's counterargument: "Some will say . . ., but I say . . ." In the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front," a militaristic German schoolteacher tells a class of boys, "Perhaps some will say that you should not be allowed to go yet - that you have homes, mothers, fathers, that you should not be torn away by your fathers so forgetful of their fatherland...by your mothers so weak that they cannot send a son to defend the land which gave them birth."
Links to today's movie clips:
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Give a classmate some hits. Check out the Foster School version of the Harlem Shake:
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Seth Godin Clip
Notice how Godin starts his talk with a story about the guy who invented sliced bread and works the cliche in an interesting way by turning it on its head.
What's the 'crux'? What are his punchline ideas?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Anybody hear the "synathroesmus" in ths clip by Colbert?
Here's another one from Salon writer Alex Parene: " At this point TED is a massive, money-soaked orgy of self-congratulatory futurism.
Student example clip from Class 14: Talking Money
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Epistrophe of the Day: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” — Elie Wiesel
***
Clips used in Class 13
Nancy Duarte on slide preparation
See McGilchrist video below
Monday, February 18, 2013
Iain McGilchrist on the whole-brain theme and how humans make meaning--or don't:
***
EQ Tip of the Day: Remember 'perception checking'? You might have a hunch about what's on some one else's mind, but it's always good to check. Ask questions like, "It looks like you're feeling down about something. Did something happen?" If someone says something, and it seems as though he expects you to read between the lines, don't be afraid to ask a question to get some clarification.
February 13, 2013
David Rose in a TED talk on pitching to venture capitalists like him. The whole thing is worth watching, but you can start at the five- minute mark if you want to save some time (h/t Billy Rex):
Here is another commercial using rhetorical questions. Which one is it?
***
Check out this article about "extraverts"--clearly from the intraverted POV.
***
EQ Tip of the Day:Take control of your Self Talk. Research suggest the average person has about 50,000 thought every day. Every time one of those thoughts takes place, chemicals are produced in your brain that trigger reactions felt throught your body.
There is a strong relationship between what you think and how you feel, both physically and emotionally. Because you are always thinking (much like breathing), you tend to forget that you are doing it. So if you have some self-talk bad habits, it might help to change them. For instance, instead of I always or I never, say this time (I screw up); instead of "I'm an idiot, say "I made a mistake".
February 12, 2013
Simon Sinek's Golden Circle
Yes We Can. In class I excerpted a part of Obama's speech after his primary defeat in New Hampshire to provide an example of the use of the 'epistrophe'. This is one of Obama's best rhetorical moments.
Here's the original speech. You will also see that he uses the yes-we-can repetition also as an 'anaphora'--beginning sentences and clauses.
Here's the will.i.am version:
Monday, February 11, 2013
Bush as genius of the "identity strategy":
Interesting article here on 'body language'. Learn how to read other people's body language, and to control what you communicate with your own.
EQ Tip of the Day: On a similar note: Is the look that your are projecting to the world one that you have chosen, one that your mood created or one that you tend to lean on by default? What you project reflects how you feel, and it's up to you to understand it.
For instance, what you wear sends a pretty clear message about how you feel. Wearing old sweatpants and ratty T-shirts and having disheveled hair every day tells the world you've given up, while overdressing for every occasion and never missing your weekly haircut lets people know you are trying too hard.
When you meet new people are you aloof and cool, or are you overeager to please? Be aware of how your emotions affect your demeanor, and think about whether they are helping you or undermining you.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Jargon Phrase of the Day: "Judgmental Heuristics". A storeowner has some turquoise jewelry that isn't selling well, so she lowers the price. It sells even worse. She leaves on a trip and her assistant mistakenly doubles the price, and the items sell out.
Why? Because people make judgments, especially when they are not experts, using heuristics, an alogrithm or stereotypical formula that has worked for them in the past. In this case, it's expensive = good, or higher price means higher quality.
Years ago I asked advice from a more experienced speechwriter than I about how to set fees. He told me how he once was almost hired to write a speech for a company CEO, until he blew it by stating that his fee was $3000. The CEO said, "Sorry, I want a $5000 speech."
Can you think of other examples where people use these stereotypes or formulas to make judgments? [Adapted from Robert Cialdini, Influence: Science and Practice
Friday, February 8, 2013
EQ Tip of the Day: Don't be fooled by bad moods--or by good ones. Remind yourself that your bad mood is hanging a cloud over everything you see, and that your moods are not permanents. How things feel are not necessarily the way things are. Almost everything people are anxious about never comes to pass. And don't mistake foolish, inflated exuberance for real joy.
***
Class 9-10 clips:
Jason Street sells Joe a truck
Pink on being a saleman
For you accountants who think you might want to consider another career after getting your midterm grade, take some advice from the vocatonal guidance folks at Monty Python:
Wednesday, Februay 6, 2013
EQ Tip of the Day: Know who and what pushes your buttons. Your buttons are bound to be pushed by a wide range of people and things. It could be certain people, particular situations (like feeling scared or caught offguard), or conditions in the environment (like noisy offices). Make a list of them. Objectify them. Write about them in the journal you're all keeping now.
When you have a clear understanding for who and what pushes your buttons makes these a bit less difficult to deal with because they come as less of a surprise, and you can develop a more effective patterned response to them. But then ask yourself--why do these things bother you so much? Is it the situation or is it you? (Adapted from Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Bradberry & Greaves)
Tuesday, Febrary 5, 2013
Chiasmus of the Day: Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and I remember more than I have seen. --Benjamin Disraeli
EQ Tip of the Day: Self Awareness Strategy--You feel what you feel; it's what you do that matters. So don't judge your emotions as good or bad. Just try to understand them. What a particular feeling pointing to.
***
Take what Jim Collins says to heart. It's not just about bosses; it's about the way you run your groups:
***
Here's the link to the Alec Baldwin AIDA speech form Glengarry Glenross
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Here's Susan Cain's TED talk:
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Quote of the Day:
“This lamentably common use of comprise as a synonym for compose or constitute is a wanton and indefensible weakening of our vocabulary.”--H.W. Fowler
***
As we'll see in future classes, advertizers use rhetorical technique all the time. Here's an example of the 'anadiplosis' we discussed in Class 7:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Usage Tip: Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective that comprises more than one word. Usually, hyphens are used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective.
Examples:
Please request a four-foot table.
It is a 6-page document.
Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park.
That is an all-too-common mistake.
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Well-written paper, ok; badly-written paper, not ok. No hyphens after 'ly' adverbs.
***
Monday, January 28, 2013
Chiasmus of the Day
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein
Anadiplosis: using the AB, BC, CD structure to lead to a compelling punchline idea. Used by Otter in the student court scene from Animal House. Another example:
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Hypophora: a rhetorical question that is immediately anwered by the speaker:
Is this any way to run and airline? You bet it is.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Iain McGilchrist on the whole-brain theme and how humans make meaning--or don't:
***
Grammar Tips
More on Semicolons: Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (e.g., nevertheless, however).
INCORRECT:
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Heroes have fallen on hard times; for instance, the men of Dale.
CORRECT:
Spelling bees were her specialty; nevertheless, she failed to spell “urbiculture” correctly.
J. M. Barrie is most famous as the author of Peter Pan; however, I prefer his ghost story "Farewell Miss Julie Logan".
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is the however in the first senctence correctly preceded by a comma and not a semicolon?
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is preceding the however with a comma in this sentence incorrect?
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Hilda Black Tips
Revised Prompt here
Hilda was a client in the past, but she chose not to use your tax prep services this year. She tried to save money by preparing her taxes herself.
You have the conversation in question recorded, so there is no dispute about what actually was discussed in the phone conversation in April.
A tax-deferred account is one in which income can be sheltered until retirement. If you put $2000 in an IRA, for instance, you don't pay any tax on that amount in the year that you shelter it. But you will pay a tax when you withdraw it when you retire. You don't pay, though, if you move it into another similar shelter.
You need to find a proactive approach. Don't be defensive or reactive.
Your grade on this assignment will depend more on the effectiveness of your sentences. Show me you've learned something from our discussion of sentences in class.
***
Best way to keep problematic words correctly in mind is to memorize model sentences like the ones listed below to use as a template.
The dog often lies here by the fire.
The dog is lying by the fire.
The dog lay by the fire for over two hours.
The dog has lain by the fire since breakfast.
The counselor's advice affected my thinking about dropping out of school.
The CEO effected significant changes in budgetary policy within a week of taking office.
His chewing me out had quite a negative effect on my motivation.
I don't like your affect, you ill-tempered, surly grump.
The team comprises fifteen members.
Fifteen members compose (not comprise) the team.
The team is composed of (not comprised of) fifteen members.
***
Figures of the Day
Anadiplosis: using the AB, BC, CD structure to lead to a compelling punchline idea. Used by Otter in the student court scene from Animal House. Another example:
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Hypophora: a rhetorical question that is immediately anwered by the speaker:
Is this any way to run and airline? You bet it is.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
More on Decorum:
Daniel Pink on Motivation: Is it all about the money, or is it about making a difference?
Text for Pacino locker room speech text here
Film Clips used in Class #5:
Memo Punctilio Assignment
Basic Evaluation Criteria: link here
Analysis Hints: Use the Problems, Goals, Audience format I put up on the board and just fill in the blanks.
Outline hints: You need to have at least two major subtopic headings structuring the body of your outline. These subtopics should be equal in importance. The biggest challenge in this part of the assignment is envision how you will make this document into a useful tool. I'll have more to say about that on Tuesday.
Remember, your goal in this assignment is to create a document that will be more useful or helpful for your boss than the original article.
***
One of the great American commonplaces is that America is the land of opportunity and social mobility. Is that really true? Here's what Nobel Prize winner in economics Joseph Stiglitz says about it in a Salon interview. Substitute the word "commonplace" where LP says "myth".
LP: There’s a persistent myth that America is still the “land of opportunity.” Why is that myth so prevalent, even in the face of so much evidence to the contrary?
JS: Well, there are two reasons for this. One of them is that the myth is so much part of our sense of identity as Americans that it is devastating for us to give it up — for us to say we are less of a land of opportunity than old ossified Europe. It was one of the things we were most proud of, and clearly, it’s not true. When you have something that’s so inconsistent with your self image, it’s really, really hard to face the facts.
The second reason has to do with the nature of evidence. Everybody knows examples of people who make it from the bottom or the middle-bottom to the top. And our press talks about them. The media calls attention to the successes. But when they call attention to successes they don’t say this is one of a million or one of a thousand. In fact, the reason they write about it is because they are so unusual. If most people did it, it wouldn’t be an unusual story. So, in a sense that’s how our media works. It encourages us to think of the exceptions as the norm.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Words of the Day
Tactical Flaw:
Aporia: Claim of ignorance, of being puzzled or flummoxed. (e.g. Wordsworth: "The piping breeze and dancing tree/ Are all alive and glad as we:/ Whether this be truth or no/ I cannot tell, I do not know;/ Nay--whether now I reason well,/ I do not know, I cannot tell."
Dubitatio: consists in the speaker's trying to strengthen the credibility, build sympathy from his audience, or lower expectations by claiming oratorical helplessness: "I'm no pubic speaker." "I'm really nervous."
Can you find the mistake?
It's certainly possible that there was some other motivation--there is such a thing as palace intrigue--but for the most part it's safer to assume that in a crisis a president isn't going to appoint someone whom he thinks is making things worse.
Is this sentence correct?
In the season 2 opener, a convalescing Carrie and Congressman Brody must reckon with who they really are.
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Me, Myself, and I. "Don't say myself if you mean me or I. Me is a perfectly good and acceptable word. I think myself is misused so often because as people are speaking, they become uncertain about whether the word they want to use is me or I. They retreat into myself because they think that's correct in every circumstance." Read more.
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Clips used in Class #3:
Friday, January 11, 2013
Proactive with Mr. Goodwin
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
I am writing in response to your August 15 email questioning the $108.00 in overdraft fees charged against your account. Upon receiving your email we investigated and learned that a miscommunication between you and the United Oregon Bank led to the automatic imposition of this fee.
In your email, you mentioned that you had instructed the United Oregon Bank to transfer $45,000 to your account here on August 1. It did not, however, make the transfer until August 10--which explains why on August 8 we charged your account for the overdraft.
We value your account with us, Mr. Goodwin. You have been one of our most reliable and valued customers, and we understand that miscommunications like this happen from time to time. On this occasion we are happy to refund to you the $108. But please contact United Oregon to be sure that they send future transfers on the date you specify.
Perhaps an overdraft line of credit would be appropriate if you anticipate this kind of miscommunication in the future. You might also consider consolidating your accounts in such a way as to make these transfers unnecessary.We’ll have one of our personal bankers contact you in the next week to see if we can help you to meet your banking needs in a more streamlined way.
Sincerely,
Note that this revision makes the misunderstanding issue the "crux", and adds a proactive dimension by seeking to flip the problem into an opportunity and move with Mr. Goodwin beyond the status quo ante.
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Words of the Day
Commonplace: accepted values of a community summarized in adages, and cliches. "The children are our future." "Freedom isn't free." "Everyone has a right to choose." "I'm living the American dream."
Tactical Concession: Instead of challenging your opponent's facts or assumptions, you concede that he is right. This has a disarming effect, and makes him feel that he has been heard and is well understood. You then either change the subject or use those facts or assumptions as the foundation for the argument you want to make. Good example: In Up in the Air, the Clooney character concedes that his brother-in-law-to-be is right about marriage being pointless. He changes the subject to focus on the real issue, which is whether he wants a future in which he is alone and scared. He changes the tense. This is how you felt last night when you were lonely; How do you want to feel tomorrow and the next day and the next?
Chiasmus: A figure of speech that structures elements cleverly in an ABBA pattern. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. Boy = A; Country = B.
Anthithesis (syncrisis is a type of antithesis): Figure of speech that compares opposites."Not that, but this." It can be used to redefine terms, change the subject, or reframe the discussion on terms more favorable to your argument: "It's not manipulation; it's instruction." "It isn't just a matter of faith; it's a matter of science." Also: "We support the victory; they decry the cost."
Prolepsis: Anticipating your opponent's counterargument: "Some will say . . ., but I say . . ." In the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front," a militaristic German schoolteacher tells a class of boys, "Perhaps some will say that you should not be allowed to go yet - that you have homes, mothers, fathers, that you should not be torn away by your fathers so forgetful of their fatherland...by your mothers so weak that they cannot send a son to defend the land which gave them birth."
Links to today's movie clips: