I'm not entirely sure if this was exactly what we were supposed to do, but I saw this comic, and I liked it because it kind of pokes fun at a type of person that really gets on my nerves! First, the context of this photo in it's location and time of release. This comic was released recently. People today feel, probably more than do people of past generations, that poaching is an incredibly heinous crime. It has become a larger issue in recent years as many animals are being put on the endangered list due to it. This comic uses that feeling to create an exaggerated example of the way that people try to justify things by saying that it was "meant to be" or that "everything happens for a reason". While it is okay to think that way about some things, many people take it way too far, as this comic suggests. 

The argument relies on pathos to communicate it's purpose. The reader feels upset about the graphic depiction of the rhino, then they read the character's reason for killing it, in addition to his justification and experiences anger or annoyance. The  reader then recognizes that type of justification. The reader realizes that this sounds like someone he knows or someone he's heard talking before. The point of the comic is then recognized, and a reaction follows. The reason I say "reaction", and leave that kind of generalized, is because, depending on the person, a reaction may range from being offended to hysterical laughter. Comics that use humor like this are often thought to be offensive or controversial. This could be seen as an attack on religion, as religious people are more likely to say that "it was meant to be" in situations. 

Like I said, I wasn't entirely sure if this was what I had to do. I might have just had to examine an ad. Or maybe I had to do the blog prompt on the syllabus. I don't know. But it is two in the morning. I'll figure it out when I wake up. Goodnight, beautiful world. 

Blog Prompt 2

I got this comic from a weekly comic website called Hipster Hitler. The Web URL is hipsterhitler.com. Basically, the author takes a historical figure and assigns him the "hipster" label. Hipster Hitler makes many comments that the real Hitler would never have even thought of. Therefore, the author taunts the "hipster" fad by displaying just how ridiculous it is. He uses the "what if" question to make commentary about something he thinks is ridiculous. Obviously, Hitler was an enthusiastic and passionate leader. Hipsters, on the other hand, find it uncool to be passionate about anything. They wouldn't be caught dead being patriotic or taking initiative. The authors main goal is to satirize the lifestyle of contemporary youth in their over-extending attempts to be original, authentic, and cool.

The main goal of the hipster is to be able to say 'I liked that before it was popular'. For this, they listen to very obscure bands-just in case they make it. The hipster also enjoys knowing of things that other people don't. This is another reason for listening to obscure bands. If anyone were to ask a hipster what he or she likes to listen to, he or she would name a few bands that nobody has ever heard of. They would then ask the questioner if he or she had ever heard of those bands and when the questioner said no, he or she would feel a large amount of pride. 

Hipster Hitler definitely shows many truths about the Hipster life. See his t-shirt- it has a clever, "punny" message that only few people would actually understand. Also, the last frame shows another hipster quality. Instead of invading Poland, Hitler suggests invading a different place instead. A place that the other character has "probably never heard of before". 

This cartoon wasn't really published in a relevant historical time. Except that this is kind of the height of hipster awareness in a way. I just heard about hipsters a little while ago.

Blog 1

Every day, every hour, every minute, we are unmercifully barraged by examples of rhetoric. Nearly every man-made design is intended to sway our opinions in one way or another. It has become so common to see rhetoric, that we hardly even realize that we are being persuaded. Advertisers have become so efficient and adept at what they do, that most of our desires are acquired subconsciously. To list rhetoric devices that I see every day would be excessive. I would be sitting here typing until next month. So I will list only a few things that I can examine as I sit at my desk. I see a Dr. Pepper can. The logo on the can is bright, easily recognizable, and easy to read. A printed "stamp" on the can reads "AUTHENTIC BLEND OF 23 FLAVORS" which creates the feeling that Dr. Pepper is a very authentic drink; a brand to be trusted. Under the logo appears "Est. 1885" which is popular among companies. Letting customers know that you've been around a long time can build a feeling of trust. Obviously, people would be less likely to buy a Dr. Pepper if the label said "Est. 2009". Dr. Pepper is not the only rhetoric device here, obviously. I have many others sitting all around me. I could explain them all in the same detail as my previous example, but that would simply be redundant. To name a few other things, however, I see my friend's ipod touch. With its sleek design and Apple logo, it is a forceful persuader. I would want to go buy one after seeing it once. It just looks...cool. I see an advertisement for some video games. Obviously with the purpose of arguing that E.B. Games is the smart place to buy games.

There are many examples of rhetoric. Most of the examples I covered here are visuals. Mostly advertisements. But rhetoric can come in a vast array of forms. From essays to simple pictures, rhetoric exists, and can be a powerful persuasive tool.