American Dream Essay Discussion

We were debating the merits of our positions on the discussion topic posed by the American Dream Unit Essay we wrote earlier this week.

Steve on the one hand theorized that the "American Dream" is to a degree an exercise in hypocrisy, depending on the degree of imbalance of self-interest and materialism evident in the contemporary experience. Arvind postulated that education and technology maintained the American Dream's legitimacy by supplying many citizens with the tools to become successful.

What are your responses on the merits of our positions?

(Arvind and Steve)

Pathos vs. Logos

Throughout yesterday's televised debate, my initial goal was to pinpoint which candidate was utilizing a logos form of argumentation and which was using a pathos form of argumentation. Both began with gratious thanks offered to Bellmont University and immediately sprung into what seemed to be their pathos methods of debate (or "what appeared as pathos skills" in E-Prime, which proves to offer a better understanding in this presented context). McCain almost directly established a warrant with the audience stating, "That's a tough question" in response to the first volunteered question. By doing so, he portrayed himself as an average American man, struggling through the same complications as the rest of the population. Similarily, Obama's response to that same topic involved his expression of sympathy for the American responsible for two jobs. After all, he, having a family, would understand the importance of a parents spending time with their children. (On a very random note, maybe a lack of time shared between parents and child keeps the economy running due to the outlay of guilt money to the youth. Just a thought...)

Moving on...

I found it rather contradictory that both Obama and McCain made their best efforts to appeal to the middle class by acting as if they were, themselves, members of that social class. On the contrary, however, both candidates stated at least once that their plans (especially the tax reductions) were aimed at assisting people in the audience rather than the privileged politicians of Washington such as Obama and McCain.

In the last minutes of the debate, Obama recounted his abject past (his mother's battle with cancer and his poverty-stricken experience with food stamps). This impelled the audience to look behind his well-ironed suit and silk tie. McCain called upon memories of his military career, stating that his lifetime has always been dedicated to valuing the safety of his country above his own. This established the American people as his close comrades. Thus, both seem to have experimented with the pathos.

I must say, however, that McCain seemed to be speaking at higher levels of abstraction than was Obama. Would that not lead to Obama's debate as falling under the category of the logos? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Was the Palin vs. Biden debate so defined by the differentiating pathos and logos because of Palin's gender? Were Obama and McCain able to incorporate both because of their imposed masculinity? Again, I'd appreciate your explanations for I am truly curious.

Thank you! :)

(Samantha Maliha)