Blog 11/15/10

I thought it was interesting for the readings this week to bring up Black English. I read the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, which is written in Black English and I couldn't agree more that it is considered a dialect. To read that book was, for me, like stepping into the time period. They were of lower class and didn't have much of an education, especially compared to the white people of the time. I found it eye opening to read because obviously, Zora Neale Hurston took the time to carefully piece together a book in a dialect completely foreign to her and her audience. Yes, I completely agree it is a dialect all of its own and I also agree that it should be categorized as a different type of rhetoric because the books of the early 19th century are completely different depending on the race of the author, or main characters. I don't think they should continue to be divided today, but as far as the ones written in the early 19th century, yes I agree 100% white and black rhetoric was completely different.

Blog 11/11/10

I loved reading chapter 12. It was actually relevant to me as a reader. As a DTC major, I am constantly thinking about my use of typeface and what it is saying rhetorically. I wouldn't use an illegible font for content, and I wouldn't use an obnoxious color unless it was necessary. In new media, usability is extremely important. To make succeed in creating a rhetorical website or logo is much more difficult and requires a lot more thoughtfulness in each decision than creating an effective speech. Not only does content need to fit the website's purpose, but also the color scheme, font family and division of information makes a huge difference. As an aspiring web designer, I have had to view a fair amount of heinous websites. You can tell from any website whether the designer has been educated on the rhetorical aspects of design. I was very happy to see ARCS touch on something so relevant to me and several of my peers.

Blog 11/8/10

I found it interesting to read about memory. Probably because I have such a terrible one. I cannot fathom the time when you had to remember absolutely everything if you wanted to relay information. So often I spend my time recounting information online or through notes. I usually need a moment to think about what I've eaten in the past week, and can usually only remember about half of the things. So to ask me what we discussed in English in great detail would be completely out of the question if I couldn't reference my notes. I feel as though memory has lost its importance through the evolution of written communication. I would have the utmost respect for someone who could remember a lot of things in great detail, but I would also consider him a fool for not utilizing the tools available to him. I think that is just kind of how society has molded us - to believe that if we have something, we should use it, even if it means dumbing ourselves down.