Alex Wunder
4/16/13
Reflective Argument
In the past, writing was just writing. I did not follow any specified guidelines
when letting my thoughts transpire from my head to paper. Now, in English 1020
class I am taking, I am learning literature techniques to look for when reading pieces
of work written by others and techniques used to improve my own writing as well.
The main aspect that I gained from taking English 1020 was the use of rhetoric.
Before this course, rhetoric was a term I was not familiar with. Due to my ignorance
to rhetoric, I was susceptible to advertisement persuasion, as well as other forms of
persuasion, and wasn’t aware when writers were using rhetoric to change my way
of thinking. After being exposed to this new world of persuasion, I have learned to
incorporate rhetorical techniques, alongside other methods for improving my
writing, into my papers, making me a better academic writer as an effect.
Throughout this course, rhetoric framed how I improved on the learning objectives
of reading, writing, researching and reflecting by taking various techniques that I
had not formerly known, and applying them to the way I write. In order to do this,
with every paper I review my content, I analyze the context of the paper, use my
revision strategies to look for errors and I formulate my paper in a manner that
serves to educate a specific audience. By keeping these factors in mind, I have
improved my writing in this course and I have learned methods that I will use to
write for the rest of my life.
Objective #1: Reading
For the first objective, it was important to identify different aspects of texts
through reading. I took control early on in the semester and applied different
methods to my work in order to make sure that I received a good grade. I began in
assignment one by analyzing content such as rhetorical appeals, persuasive effects,
and evidence. I then continued to progress as I analyzed context like exigence and
audience in assignments two and three. Taking a step back, the first method we
learned was to identify rhetorical persuasiveness in advertisements. We did so
using ethos, pathos and logos, which relate to the credibility, the emotion and the
logic of arguments respectfully. In assignment one, we were asked to pick an
advertisement from a company or product that used rhetoric in its arguments in
order to deceive its clientele and make profit. When looking through advertisements
I quickly learned to identify rhetorical content, being persuasive facets of images
and text, and contextual aspects, being the persuasive affects on the audience and
the background motives of the companies. I chose to write my paper on the Coca
Cola Company and their persuasive advertisements that convince people to drink
their beverages.
To begin my analysis of the Coca Cola Company, I used ethos, logos and
pathos to read deeply into several advertisements. I looked at how the Coke
Company manipulated the public using the three rhetorical tools, the first of which
being ethos. The Coca-Cola Companies tended to use famous people or shows that
were well liked to advertise their products to prove to audiences that Coca-Cola is a
credible drink. For example, in assignment one I wrote, “one of Cokes recent
commercials attributed coke to the Simpsons which is a show loved by many
Americans and it portrays that Coke is as lovable and happy as the Simpsons are”.
The pathos for Coca-Cola advertisements, which is the emotional response evoked
in viewers, is connected the Coke-Companies because it uses happiness that the
Simpsons portray and attempts to intertwine this feeling with their product. For
example in assignment one I wrote, “the largest falsehood that the Coca Cola
Company perpetuates in their commercials is that drinking coke will bring
happiness. At the end of every commercial the slogan states, “Open Happiness”.
They do this to associate the emotion of joy with the action of buying and drinking
their product”. This quotation shows that by manipulating the public to see Coke as
a bringer of happiness, they gain more sales. Lastly, the logos, or factual backing that
they use to sell products can be found in the Diet Coke branch of the company. Coke
portrays that the beverages contain zero calories and let the consumer assume that
it is healthier because of it. By using these three rhetorical techniques in my paper, I
was able to better prove that the Coca-Cola Companies manipulate buyers with
rhetoric in a way that causes an addiction to the feeling and idea of the product.
Using these three techniques myself I was persuasive when using rhetoric to prove
why the Coke companies manipulate the American public.
The next place I used my reading analysis skills was in assignment two where
I had to identify the claims made by authors and had to read for context in the works
that were provided for us. By actually evaluating what the author’s claims were I
was able to distinguish fallacies from bias. For example in assignment two I
evaluated Pollan’s claim and said, “Pollan begins by defining “food” in the United
States and he states, “Once, food was all you could eat, but today there are lots of
other edible food-like substances in the supermarket”. When analyzing this quote,
made by Pollan, I concluded that Pollan’s arguments held more validity than
personal bias.
To further analyze Pollan’s argument, I use different types of stasis to break
down Pollan’s argument into several key components; definition, evaluation, and
proposal. By using stasis I am able to better organize Pollan’s key arguments and, in
doing so, I am able to respond to them more efficiently, with a better understanding
of what he is trying to convey. See section four of this reflection argument for an
example.
Objective #2: Writing
Referring to learning objective number two, I feel that I have perfected the
ability to write efficiently using rhetoric in various situations alongside an array of
writing processes. It is necessary for me to be able to produce a piece of work that is
sensible, in regards to the topic, and that is adjusted correctly to aim the paper at a
particular audience. Different audiences require different styles of rhetoric to
convince them of the points that are being conveyed. My writing styles differed
throughout my papers. For example, in assignment one I used the simple rhetoric
method of analyzing the ethos, pathos and logos of arguments in order to back my
assertions and prove that Coca-Cola companies used marketing techniques to
manipulate the masses. I defined this by stating, “The Coca-Cola Company creates an
image in the eyes of the people of happiness, refreshment, fame and attractiveness.
Then the company uses imagery through advertisements, commercials, soda
machines, sporting events, co-branding with other companies and in doing so puts
the brand Coca-Cola deep within the mind of the American people”. By stating this I
explained, in my own writing, how the Coke Companies use rhetorical skills to
influence the population.
In assignment two, the writing process changed from only analyzing writing
analysis to also using the claims made to produce my own argument. I used my own
evaluation of the authors claims help me prove that the nation is misguided in terms
of nutritional information and that the masses consume the wrong products that are
perceived to be healthy. I first wrote a draft that was an analysis of Pollan’s
argument and I then used that to explain, through my own words, why what he said
held validity. I pinpointed Pollan’s argument by stating, “Pollan characterizes the
switch from food culture to food science as being potentially dangerous for human
health because consuming food according to culture is a way of life that originates
back to times when food refinement did not exist. By deviating from food culture,
humans have complicated the healthy diet that came naturally before and have
become lost in the cloud of information that the U.S. knows as nutrition”. By stating
this I showed that using Pollan’s claims I supported his argument that our nation
has lost touch with what food needs to be eaten to maintain health and which ideas
about health are actually valid.
Lastly, in my research paper, I used articles and scholarly journals to back
information that proved that marijuana is an addictive substance that is harmful to
one’s life. I wrote my paper in a manner that geared it towards the audience of
today’s youth, who hold a large misconception that marijuana is not addictive. I used
factual evidence, case studies, biological and psychological research. The writing
process of my research paper involved compiling evidence that could help educate
the youth of America to the dangers of becoming addicted to cannabis, otherwise
known as the marijuana plant. For example in one part of my research paper I
evaluate a quote pertaining directly to America’s youth. Danovitch, a research on
marijuana states, “There is compelling evidence that chronic increases in
stimulation of the brain’s cannabinoid system can lead to morphologic and
physiologic changes especially during adolescence (Danovitch).” I then go on to
evaluate this quote and direct it towards the teenage population in America by
stating, “These quotes prove that marijuana has negative affects on the brain of
young people who have not finished developing their brains. Smoking marijuana
during this period of one’s life could be detrimental to full development and could
cause permanent damage in the mind of the user.” Using the new writing strategies I
have absorbed in English 1020 I have become a much better writer that can narrow
a paper’s focus in order to reach a certain audience.
Besides narrowing my audience, I also began using revising and editing
strategies to ensure that my writing was correct grammatically, that my paper
flowed properly and to ensure that all the evidence I found, through rhetorical
analysis, context analysis and concrete research, was executed properly in my paper
to get my point across. In all three of my papers I used revision strategies and
looked over my paper numerous times before I deemed it ready to be turned in.
Learning to revise my papers has helped me dramatically and has aided my in my
quest to attain higher grades.
Objective #3: Research
Out of all the assignments we completed this year in English 1020, the
research-based assignment was by far the toughest to complete. This year at Wayne
State University, I have completed numerous research papers and each of them I
have found very challenging. To complete these research papers I looked through
numerous articles and scholarly journals that I found on Wayne States website,
printed them out, and read through them individually looking for information that
could support my cause. The process to find research that supported my research
paper for assignment three was tedious and challenging. Research involves
selecting/finding, evaluating, analyzing and organizing. My assignment three was
based on marijuana’s negative affects on one’s health and mental state, both long
and short term. It also evaluated marijuana’s addictiveness and defined how it
occurred biologically and psychologically. By extracting factual information from
articles and using it to answer a research question and then prove a claim that I
myself chose to pursue I have become a much more powerfully persuasive writer.
Unlike in assignment one, where the claims were backed by logos, pathos and ethos,
the research paper only uses factual information to prove to a selected audience,
being America’s youth in my case, that the information provided solely focuses on
unbiased research that I used to answer the research question. In other words the
research I provided did create the ethos my paper need and the pathos that might
have persuaded my audience, in addition to being factual. In one aspect of my paper,
I backed the assertion that marijuana was addictive by showing evidence that
marijuana produces withdrawal symptoms and cravings. I used factual evidence to
prove my point by stating,
Craving is one of the primary symptoms of withdrawal; in studies of
marijuana-dependent adolescents, young adults, and adults seeking
treatment, 82% to 93% reported experiencing craving for the drug. Craving
and other withdrawal symptoms are associated with relapse and return to
dependence among young people with cannabis dependence (Blood)
Not only does this back the point I made, but it states outwardly that people suffer
from cannabis dependence which validates my assertion that marijuana is an
addictive substance. Even though research based papers are the most difficult and
time consuming for me to complete, they push me to formulate my best work
because it is necessary to make them thorough and convincing in order to prove the
point the writer set out to validate.
Objective #4: Reflective
Before English 1020 I had never been a big fan of reflection. There was
always a laziness factor mixed into my work ethic that made me resist from
reviewing my paper after completing it because I did not think it would be
beneficial. In this course I discovered how wrong that notion truly was. After I began
reflecting on past pieces of work, I realized that the errors I made in them could
teach me lessons that could aid me in the future so that I no longer make the same
mistakes. With professor Grogan’s evaluations and comments on my previous
papers I was able to see what areas I needed improvement in and what areas I held
strength.
Before we completed our first paper in English 1020 and we were assigned
reflection one, I primarily thought it held little value. The assignment was created to
help us address our prior knowledge and experiences with writing in order to
assess them and improve. In this response, I realized that my largest downfall was
my own lack of commitment to my writing. By this I mean that I get far too
distracted while writing my papers and do not do as thorough of a job as I would
have initially hoped. Then after I have completed the assignment I had a tendency to
be too lazy to go back and review my paper more than one to two times. I was rigid
when making large structural changes to my paper because I viewed it as a lot of
work and in many instances this cost me the A that I was looking to achieve.
Therefor, reflection helps me to revise and revision is key to a good paper. This
increase in effort translated over to my second and third reflections. In these
reflections I learned that revising was a much denser term than I had once
anticipated. In former years I thought that revising simply meant reading over one’s
paper and making small corrections. When in actuality revising is a long, sometimes
arduous, process that involves adding and removing whole paragraphs and
reorganizing to ensure that the paper flows and accurately meets the requirements
described.
Throughout my reflections, I also picked up on many aspects of the course
that I will utilize every time I write in my future writing career. One aspect I learned
from assignment one I show by stating, “My writing has improved simultaneously as
my knowledge of analyzing rhetoric has improved. I now know that to make a solid
argument you need the three basic building blocks of writing, which are ethos,
pathos and logos”. This was a basic view of rhetorical analysis that I viewed as
important in reflection three. Even though I now know to go far beyond the basic
learning blocks of pathos, ethos and logos, I still identified in my reflection that they
are necessary to identify or make any persuasive arguments. Then, in assignment
two, I showed my progression beyond the basic rhetorical elements by stating;
In “Unhappy Meals”, Pollan argues you should “Eat food. Not too much.
Mostly plants”. He states this before evaluating the problem of food in
several ways, defining what “food” actually is, defining ‘nutritionism’, and
making a proposal that America’s health care is being negatively affected
by the change in “food” and “nutrition”. This argument is backed up with
research from several different studies, and by charting a brief history of
our past. In response to the argument by Pollan, on matters of
“nutritionism”, I can extend this argument to show that the reasons why
“food science” is deteriorating American health is due to marketing,
American resistance to change and loss of culture.
This quotation shows that I am able to expand on Pollan’s logos argument and
evaluate his persuasiveness with specific terms that help the reader to understand
his arguments. This type of analysis goes far beyond the basic components of
rhetoric and when reflecting on my past pieces I now realize how beneficial these
skills are.
In summary of my experiences in English 1020, I have evolved as a writer in
a way that allowed me to see writing in a whole new light. Formerly I saw writing as
the expression of words on paper with no guidelines dictating its execution. Now,
after being trained to use rhetoric, to identify stasis using context analysis, to use
research to reach certain audiences about specific issues and to revise everything
that I write thoroughly, I am able to properly organize my papers and create
beautiful works of art, or persuasion, using only my words.
Appendix A:
Coca Cola Addicts
In present day America, health has become a priority for some, while
remaining a meaningless concept for others. The U.S. contains some of the least
nutritious foods and corporations have found ways to make these substances
addictive. Coca Cola is a world-renown company and even though a large majority of
the consumers of Coca Cola products know that continued consumption of the
beverage is detrimental to their health, they still choose to drink it. The Coke
industry associates their product, with celebrities, happiness, refreshment and as an
answer to problems, while also cobranding with famous TV shows or products, in
order to sell more beverages. Coca Cola influences consumer perception in three
ways; by perpetuating falsehoods, by saturating the media with their products to
force their brand name into the mind of consumers and by portraying the idea that
Coca Cola is an answer to everyday problems. Will the Coca Cola Companies forever
be content with letting Americans grow at the same rate as their pockets?
To begin, the largest falsehood that the Coca Cola Company perpetuates, in
their commercials, is that drinking coke will bring happiness. At the end of every
commercial the slogan states, “open happiness”. They do this to associate the
emotion of joy with the action of buying and drinking their product. This alone
creates an addictive cycle that leads to the consumption of increasingly more Coca
Cola. The act of dealing with unhappiness by purchasing and consuming Coca Cola
produces a habit without the consumer being aware. Coca Cola products also
contain many chemicals, one being caffeine, that can become addictive with
increased use. By associating the consumption of the beverage with happiness and
allowing the addictive ingredients to take their place in the mind of the consumer,
the Coca Cola Company takes hold of unsuspecting American people. For example, in
a recent Coca Cola commercial they portrayed a character from the Simpsons, a very
popular U.S. TV show, unhappy with his life and what solved his dilemma was giving
him a cold Coca Cola. The clip was called “hard times” and it associated Coca Cola
with making problems go away. This is very similar to drugs. Drugs are addictive
and are used in situations where people want temporary happiness to withstand
their problems as opposed to actually dealing with them. In this manner, the Coca
Cola companies highly desire for people to use their product as an answer for their
problems. The soda companies, with Coca Cola as a primary example, care more
about profits and image than they do about the health of the America Public, or even
the world for that matter. As long as the soda companies are making money, they
will gladly deteriorate the health of anyone in the world willing to fall into the cycle
of drinking their soda pops.
Another way that Coca Cola falsely advertises their product is with the Diet
Coke branch of their company. They have commercials that state that drinking Diet
Coke is a healthier choice than drinking the normal pop brands. The beverages have
from 130-140 less calories than the regular brand Coke and Americans across the
U.S. consume these beverages as an attempt to drink a beverage with good taste
while simultaneously being healthy. The negative aspect that the Coke Companies
do not describe is that with increased use, the chemicals inside their products can
cause cancer and other harmful diseases. These Diet Cokes, like the regular ones,
form an addictive cycle for a whole different reason than the regular Cokes. The
regular Cokes become addictive to deal with stress, problems, to refresh and cool
the body and for the taste. These Diet Cokes also capture people looking to lose
weight and maintain health. It is a falsehood that these Diet Coke products are
healthy and when people fall into the addiction cycle they continue to deteriorate
their health in a completely different way. This shows that all types of Coke products
are made at the expense of the American publics health. As the consumers of Diet
Coke lose weight, they fall into the trap that the Coke Company has set up and they
continue to drink Diet Coke as opposed to drinks with calories. This trap is
intertwined with the falsehood that coke brings happiness. Losing weight makes the
consumers happy while they are slowly killing themselves. Happiness in killing
oneself is a trait found in the subconscious of drug addicts. That trait only applies to
the soda industry once the consumer is hooked on the beverage, realizes their
addiction and continues to drink. The Coke Companies know that a majority of
consumers will not catch onto their plan until they are already hooked.
The next technique that the Coke companies use is imaging. The company
manipulates the American public with commercials, advertisements, subliminal
messages, co-marketing, etc. These advertisements include images of cold drinks in
cold glasses with ice cubes, which creates the appeal that the beverage is refreshing
and desirable. Then, the coke company will take the coke bottle and put its shape
into all structures of society. The bottle or logo could be in windows, dresses, car
windows, clouds, etc. The company puts the symbol everywhere just to make the
viewer think about the product longer than the life of the commercial. The company
may attribute the drink in its commercials with celebrities, such as singers or
athletes. On occasion they may even co-market and advertise coke in movies, TV
shows, or at athletic events. For example, one of Cokes recent commercials
attributed coke to the Simpsons which is a show loved by many Americans and
portrays that Coke is as lovable and happy as the Simpsons are. In another they
associate coke with the famous, “Mean Joe”, the football player who tossed a kid his
jersey after the game. Instead of immediately tossing the child a jersey, Mean Joe
first drinks the boy’s Coke. All of these techniques that the Coke Company uses may
cost millions of dollars to continue, but it is a perfect investment for the company
because it helps create, and continue, the addiction cycle. By this I mean that after a
person has tried the drink and has “enjoyed” the experience, the refreshment and
the taste, the advertisements continue to put the idea of the product in the minds of
the people. The experience becomes an addiction, and constantly people think of the
product as a solution to satisfying basic human needs. These needs could include
thirst, being over-heated, being bored, hungry or just in search of something that
will make them happier. Humans that fall into this cycle learn to fill any basic need
or whim with a beverage they can buy for one to two dollars at any local store. With
this cycle in place the Coke Company traps millions of people in their product cycle
that continuously buy their beverages as part of their everyday lives. This is how the
Coke Companies make money. They create Coca Cola addicted drug addicts that feel
as if they need the drink to get through the day. Just like drug addicts, it’s
challenging to break an addiction when the addictive substance is shoved in the face
of the addict everywhere they go. The Coke Companies advertise in a way where it is
nearly impossible for a person to avoid thinking about their product while living in
modern society.
To give a real life example, I myself used to have an addiction to diet coke. I
began drinking the beverage because my mom kept it around the house and I saw
the commercials on television. Also, I wanted to get in better shape while still
drinking a beverage that tasted good. Simultaneously I wanted to consume a lot of
beverage with little to no calories. Diet coke was my beverage of choice and I began
having one once in a while. Soon, I began consuming up to two a day of the Cokes
that my mom kept around the house. The good taste made me happy and I was
happier believing that the drink was actually healthier for me due to the low calorie
content. Unfortunately, this was a time when I was young and ignorant to the reality
of these products and it caused me to form a full fledge addiction. I began to have
cravings for the drink. Not just once in a while, but multiple times a day. I would
desire to drink a cold Diet Coke. Every time I would go to a restaurant I would order
up to six Diet Cokes simply because the drink was refillable. Every time I passed a
vending machine I would have to pull out my wallet and buy a drink simply because
seeing the Coca Cola bottle on the machine made me long for a drink. I even found
myself getting in my car on occasion and driving to the convenience store just to
stock up on Diet Coke and other diet sodas. It nearly replaced water in my life
because I no longer ordered water at any public place. Sadly, even after I understood
the negative health effects of the beverage I continued to consume it. It wasn’t until
6 months ago, after hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent, that I was able to, once
and for all, kick my addiction to Diet Coke and other soda pops. I can honestly say
that these beverages become a drug, a solution to anxiety and form real cravings
large enough to affect the normal lives of the people that consume them. The Coca
Cola company knows that their products have this affect on the public and they have
created a commercial that is called, “the craving”, that essentially shows exactly
what the product does to its users over time and at the end of the commercial the
screen still reads, “open happiness”.
The Coca Cola Company creates an image in the eyes of the people of
happiness, refreshment, fame, and attractiveness. Then the company uses imagery
through advertisements, commercials, soda machines, sporting events and cobranding with other companies to instill the Coca Cola brand deep within the mind
of the American people. After using the product a few times, consumers of Coca Cola
products begin to use the beverage to increase happiness, solve problems such as
weight loss and sometimes just for the addictive taste. These factors combine to
create an addiction on a scale that is low enough that it does not compare to real
drugs such as crack or heroin. Although, it is factual that caffeine is a drug and by
associating this small drug with the problems of people, the Coke Companies
manipulate the public into continuously buying their product. The Coke Companies
are smart and will continue to hook innocent people on their beverages as rapidly as
they can because it generates them revenue as a company. What the Coke Company
is doing is similar to selling refreshing cocaine in drug stores and gas stations but on
a lower, more legal level. America’s health is deteriorating as major corporations
take advantage of innocent minds troubled by everyday problems. Unfortunately,
the soda companies are only one of many types of food problems that take
advantage of the American people. The companies taking advantage of Americans
produce an ironic situation. Most people spend their lives in fear of dying. Yet, the
same people will shell out one to three dollars at any given moment for a product,
such as Coke and other sodas, that brings them that much closer to death.
Appendix B:
A Healthy Death
From the view of the average citizen, present day Americans are concerned with
improving health. Businesses are becoming more profitable by offering, what people
believe to be, healthier options because Americans are now aware of their need to
diet. Pollan argues that there is a cloudy view throughout the U.S. of how to eat
correctly because false health claims are not differentiated from the correct ones.In
“Unhappy Meals”, Pollan argues you should “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants”.
He states this before evaluating the problem of food in several ways, defining what
“food” actually is, defining ‘nutritionism’, and making a proposal that America’s
health care is being negatively affected by the change in “food” and “nutrition”. This
argument is backed up with research from several different studies, and by charting
a brief history of our past. In response to the argument by Pollan, on matters of
“nutritionism”, I can extend this argument to show that the reasons why “food
science” is deteriorating American health is due to marketing, American resistance
to change and loss of culture.
Pollan begins by defining “food” in the United States and he states, “Once, food
was all you could eat, but today there are lots of other edible food-like substances in
the supermarket”(pg.1). Pollan then redefines nutrition as “nutritionism”, which
involves an era of food focused on nutrients, determined by “food science”, where
marketing companies began creating packaged products with health claims to raise
sales. Pollan gives an example by proposing, “Of course it’s also a lot easier to slap a
health claim on a box of sugary cereal than on a potato or carrot”(pg. 5). Pollan’s
evaluation explains that “Food science” and marketing are straying Americans from
their food cultures and their historical eating methods. He concludes by lightly
proposing that these changes in eating habits are leading to harmful affects on
America’s health care industry.
Looking more closely at Pollan’s argument demonstrates that the definition of
‘food’ is surprisingly difficult to define. People believe that food is sold in grocery
stores, at restaurants, fast food establishments and, of course, grown out of the
ground. Pollan explains that people do not differentiate food from packaged
products with health claims. Pollan states, “If you’re concerned about your health
you should probably avoid food that makes health claims. Why? Because a health
claim on a food product is a good indication that it’s not really food, and food is what
you want to eat”(pg.1). The transfer from eating whole foods, grown from the
ground up, to eating packaged food has taken a serious toll on the health of
Americans. To make matters worse, the companies that make the packaged
products put health claims on the boxes that lead un-informed Americans to believe
that these products are essential for humans to be healthy and, in doing so, distract
people from eating food that is grown naturally. The actuality is that these products
contain chemicals that overtime could have negative affects on the health of
Americans and that the nutrients that scientists deem important can all be gained
from eating natural foods. Unfortunately, there is no room to label health facts on a
food that requires no packaging and this lack of health information leaves the
packaged goods to distract the typical American from the products that they truly
need. Overall, Pollan’s focus on the challenge of defining food for most Americans
sets up his overall argument about a larger problem with food science and
marketing.
Following Pollan’s definition arguments, he evaluates the Western Diet and
breaks it down into five concepts that differ from a healthy diet that causes it to be
the way it is today. These include, the change from whole foods to refined foods, the
increase in fast food consumption, the switch from complex to simple food
processing, the change from consuming leave based foods to consuming seed based
ones and the change from food culture to food science. By changing from whole
foods to refined foods people are consuming more food products with health claims,
than actual food. Over time the lack of “actual” food, grown from the ground up,
could negatively affect one’s health. Fast food, as evaluated by Pollan, is
“predigested” and is an “instant gratification of sugar” that causes diseases such as
obesity and type II diabetes. U.S. Super-markets, and other food vendors, have
changed by switching from complex to simple foods. Pollan states that when food
vendors simplify food groups in the market, people miss out on intaking essential
nutrients our bodies needs to survive. Pollan’s evaluation of this complex problem
is effectively simplifying the flaws with the Western Diet and how it is negatively
affecting our nations heath.
As he continues this evaluation of the change from complex to simple foods, he
breaks this down historically. The article states, “humankind has historically
consumed some 80,000 edible species, and that 3,000 of these have been in
widespread use, this represents a radical simplification in the food
web”(pg.12). This quote shows that because selling 77,000 species wasn’t
profitable for major companies, we are not provided with all the items that we
possibly could be and are losing out on foods that provide essential health benefits.
Another change in the nature of America’s food is the switch from leaves to seeds.
Americans are missing out on essential nutrients because instead of leaves people
are now consuming grains. Plants contain an essential nutrient known as omega-3
that is commonly found in fish that consume a large quantity of plants. In our
nations history, people fished as a means of survival and now that food is
commercialized, it has allowed for corporations to replace leaves with seeds. Grains
contain omega-6, which is an essential fatty acid. The article states, “too much
omega-6 may be as much a problem as too little omega-3”(pg.13). By replacing
greens with seeds in the market the producers change the diets of Americans, which
negatively affects their health as they intake an imbalance of nutrients. This
historical argument contributes back to Pollan’s overall argument that our loss of
“food culture” has strayed humanity from its roots.
Pollan characterizes the switch from food culture to food science as being
potentially dangerous for human health because consuming food according to
culture is a way of life that originates back to times when food refinement did not
exist. By deviating from food culture, humans have complicated the healthy diet that
came naturally before and have become lost in the cloud of information that the U.S.
knows as “nutrition”. Pollan focus on consequences reminds people how food
science has affected their lives.
Pollan states that “nutrition”, as explained in the article, is not a scientific subject
but instead an ideology. In other words, he begins his definition of nutritionism. He
states, “Ideologies are ways of organizing large swaths of life and experience under a
set of shared but unexamined assumptions”(pg.4). The information regarding
“nutrition” spreads quickly, whether it is true or false. America has become a health
conscious country and people will adapt their diets to try and better themselves in
order to lengthen their lives. Pollan proposes that with some of the health
information people are learning, being false, the American public is deteriorating
their health, in some instances, instead of improving it. For example, a major health
fallacy began in the late 1970’s. Pollan states, “America got really fat on it’s low fat
diet – indeed, many date the current obesity and diabetes epidemic to the late
1970’s, when Americans began binging on carbohydrates, ostensibly as a way to
avoid the evils of fat”(pg.5). Pollan’s definition of “nutritionism”, and evaluation of
health fads that trend throughout America, over the decades, is meant to help the
reader conclude that the health defects that come from these fads can surface at any
time.
With “food” not always being real anymore and “nutrition” being a cloudy haze of
information, the argument can be made that the health care industry is taking a toll
due to effects that “food science” has had on its practitioners. Pollan states that the
Western Diet is not natural and is straying from the origins of heath that people
retained in their original “food cultures”. He also states, “for natural selection to help
populations adapt to the Western Diet, we’d have to be prepared to let those whom
it sickens die”(pg.14). In America, death is not an option and, except for rare cases,
the American public, and the American health system, take on the burden of curing
the people that the Western Culture sickens. Pollan states, “we’re turning to the
health-care industry to help us “adapt.” Medicine is learning how to keep alive the
people whom the Western diet is making sick”(pg.14).
The change from “food” to “packaged products” and the change from “food
culture” to “food science” are the factors backing a moral issue in marketing
companies across the United States. The marketing teams realized, decades ago, that
they could manipulate people to buy their products by making health claims on
their products and by using “food science” to support their claims. This change
deviates people from their “food cultures” that retain grounds in actual nutrition
that comes from natural grown foods. For example Pollan states, “So nutritionism is
good for business. But is it good for us?” (pg. 5). By creating a perception where
people believe that they need to consume more “fiber” or “protein”, the marketing
companies can slap a few health facts on a box and sell it much faster than natural
foods that contain real health benefits. The marketing companies choose to
manipulate the minds of susceptible health seekers and its toll lies with America’s
health care system. The more the marketing teams deceive the population, the more
people will believe that eating products with health claims is good for them and, in
return, the health care industry will be forced to take on more patients.
A major epidemic taking place in the U.S. today is obesity. Poor dietary choices
around the United States are leading to the deterioration of health, alongside, a
health care system that is struggling to handle the numerous amounts of sick
patients. The cause can be attributed to several factors. The first cause is the
increased consumption of fast food around the country that contains high levels of
sugar and fats. The second cause is the misconceptions, throughout the American
people, about how to eat correctly. The marketing companies that make products
with health claims create a cycle where these consumers buy all products with
health claims, believing they are healthy. While they eat these products they are intaking the wrong nutrients to gain their desired results. For example, Pollan states,
“In that version, which inspired the most recent Atkins craze, we were told that
America got fat when responding to bad scientific advice”(pg. 5). This proves that
“food science” does not always lead people to their desired results. In many
scenarios it is a marketing scheme to increase profits at the expensive of consumer
health, company integrity and the American health systems ability to deal with the
problem.
A different way that the change from “food” to packaged products and from
“food culture” to “food science” is affecting the health care industry, is an increase in
malnourished Americans. Once Americans separate themselves from their food
cultures, they lose sight of what food groups to eat in order to fill all the
requirements their bodies demand to function. People in America base a large
amount of decision making, when regarding what to purchase, on taste and personal
preference. The manufactured foods provide a synthetic taste that people adapt and
grow to enjoy more than that of foods grown out of the ground. People are resistant
to change and once they fall into the habit of eating packaged products they also lose
sight of what foods they should be eating to maintain health. For example, people
may believe that eating protein bars will give them all the essential nutrients to
maintain health, so they decide to stop eating meat. The problem is that real meat
provides essential nutrients that protein bars do not provide. “Food Science” has
manipulated the minds of the people to think about nutrients as singular terms that
can be inserted in any packaged product. Naturally grown foods truly contain the
nutrients our bodies need and the health care system in America continues to bear
the burden as the problem escalates.
Health consciousness in the U.S. has done little to improve health because people
purchase manufactured food as opposed to natural food and because false
“nutritionism” has instilled unhealthy eating habits in our people. These
misconceptions have lead to millions of people becoming sick and has led America
to spend millions on healthcare to help citizens survive the illnesses that America’s
culture itself, is causing. Marketing is ruining America’s health and then relying on
tax paying citizens and America’s health care system to pick up the pieces. In a
democracy, it isn’t likely that these corporations will stop poisoning the minds of
consumers with false health information and it’s also unlikely that people will stop
consuming their favorite products, even if they know that they are detrimental to
their health. As time goes on, “food science” continues to grow and “food culture”
fades as a memory. The future for American health is not bright because turning a
profit has taken priority over integrity and respect for human life.
Appendix C:
“High” Levels of Addiction
Marijuana, as defined by McGeorge Law, is “the Cannabis sativa plant
(Danovitch).” This plant can change the life of an individual dramatically. Marijuana,
in the correct form is used to change a person’s perception of the world. Danovitch
states, “The most common preparation of consumed marijuana is dried leaves, or
buds, which can be smoked (Danovitch).” Marijuana consumption may appear
harmless and seem harmless to users, but many of the adverse affects are
unconscious and cause deterioration of the user’s life. This research paper searches
to define the adverse affects marijuana has on a person’s mental health and physical
health (over different lengths of time), alongside evaluating marijuana’s
addictiveness through an array of different types of research.
To begin, lets discuss marijuana’s effects on mental health. Marijuana causes
a high or change in perception that the user desires to escape reality. Danovitch
explains, “When Marijuana is consumed, the THC that is absorbed causes the
syndrome of intoxication by stimulating cannabinoid receptors in place of
anandamide. The consequence of this receptor stimulation is the experience of mild
euphoria, altered perception of time, relaxation, difficulty with memory and
concentration, and intensification of sensory experiences (Danovitch).” Alongside
these perceived positive effects of marijuana use are negative ones to coincide.
These include, “dose-dependent impairments in short term memory, attention,
reaction time, and motor coordination (Danovitch).” On a more severe note
Danovitch states, “Additionally, some users experience anxiety, panic, and mild
paranoia, and high levels of marijuana intoxication can cause psychosis
(Danovitch).” This quote proves that marijuana intoxication is quite harmful to a
person’s mental state. In some people’s genetics, the DNA balance of some
individuals can cause them to be more susceptible to the affects of marijuana use.
The severity of a genetic catalyst to addiction and mental diseases varies. Some
people may be more prone to become addicted to the substance, others may be
pushed into a state of psychosis and others may be able to smoke without any
perceived issues. These changes in a person’s mental state prove that marijuana can
alter a person’s brain chemistry with increased use, and that every person is
affected differently based on their genetic code. Danovitch states, “Studies show an
increase in anxiety and depressive disorders among frequent marijuana users.
Weekly or more frequent cannabis use in teenagers predicts an approximately twofold increase in risk for later depression and anxiety (Danovitch).” This statistic
shows that cannabis use has a large affect on the brain chemistry and personality of
its subjects. The marijuana takes hold of the brain of the user and stops the user
from seeing the negative effects that the drug is having on their behaviors. For
example Allen Frances, who wrote a study on the subject, states, “An appreciable
proportion of cannabis users report short-lived adverse effects, including psychotic
states following heavy consumption, and regular users are at risk of dependence.
People with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are especially vulnerable
in that cannabis generally provokes relapse and aggravates existing symptoms
(Frances).” This inability to realize that the marijuana is negatively affecting a
person’s mental state is part of the denial that comes with the addiction cycle
(Blood).
Other adverse affects of marijuana that are proven to affect areas of a
person’s life such a schooling, sports, driving and family interactions include,
“alterations in short term memory, sensory perception, attention span problem
solving, verbal fluency, reaction time, and psychomotor control (Danovitch).” As an
example of the dangers of marijuana during every day activities a recent study
states, “ninety-seven percent of heavy users of marijuana reported driving a car
while intoxicated. The increase in accidents is likely related to the effects of
marijuana on attention, hand-eye coordination, tracking behavior, and reaction time
(Danovitch).” In terms of affects marijuana has on the brain, most of the affects are
short-term and can be return following discontinuation. Although, Danovitch states,
“there is increasing evidence that subtle effects, such as slowed information
processing may actually persist long after discontinuation (Donovitch).” Long-term
affects of marijuana are still being studied and the main perception is that effects
remain short-term.
To continue, marijuana also has adverse affects on the physical heath of the
user. For example Danovitch states, “Adolescent humans using marijuana have been
found to have increased volumes in the cerebellum, possibly from failure to prune
synapses effectively (Danovitch).” He continues by saying, “There is compelling
evidence that chronic increases in stimulation of the brain’s cannabinoid system can
lead to morphologic and physiologic changes especially during adolescence
(Danovitch).” These quotes prove that marijuana has negative affects on the brain of
young people who have not finished brain development. Smoking marijuana during
this period of one’s life could be inhibiting to full development and could cause
permanent damage in the mind of the user. Also with increased use, the risk of
cancer and other diseases increases dramatically. For example Danovitch states,
“Smoked marijuana irritates the delicate lining of the respiratory tract and causes
damage to the cells lining the bronchial passages. This damage impairs the
respiratory system’s ability to clear toxins and fight off microorganisms. Users of
marijuana are at increased risk of both acute and chronic bronchitis (Danovitch).”
Danovitch speaks in terms of cancer by stating, “Smoked marijuana is also thought
to carry a risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer and cancer of the head and neck
(Danovitch).” To conclude with marijuana’s affects on bodily health, marijuana is
harmful to a person’s mental state, current physical health, future health and
marijuana endangers a person’s life in many situations where a person needs all of
their abilities at full functional force.
The last question this research addresses is, is marijuana addictive? The
commonly found answer to this question throughout research is, yes, marijuana is
addictive. A statement from McGeorge Law states, “Population studies have revealed
that one out of eleven people (nine percent) who have ever smoked marijuana go on
to develop the syndrome of addiction (Danovitch).” Although, in the minds of most
users, they usually do not believe marijuana is addictive, or they are in denial about
their own addiction. Danovitch analyzes a study on marijuana’s addictiveness and
states, “First and foremost, human users demonstrate clinical features characteristic
of addiction. Second, animal studies demonstrate that animals self-administer the
substance. Third, the substance has the capacity to stimulate the biological reward
circuitry of the brain. Fourth, epidemiological studies show that the phenomenon is
not some local, cultural outlier, but rather a persistent and pervasive syndrome that
manifests across the population among people who are exposed to the substance
(Danovitch).” This quote points out that both humans and animals show addiction
symptoms when exposed to marijuana. Concerning animal studies alone Danovitch
states, “Marijuana is not as reinforcing as cocaine, but animal models show that it is
in fact reinforcing, and they will independently self-administer it (Danovitch).” This
quote helps prove marijuana’s addictiveness because there are no confounding
factors that influence animals to administer the substance subsequent times. The
only reason that could lead to numerous self-administrations is addictive
components that cause cravings in the brain of subjects.
All these events prove that marijuana has a manipulative affect on the brain
and begins a cycle that makes it hard for users to stop. Danovitch exemplifies this
when he states, “Marijuana addicts manifest the hallmark features of addiction:
They complain that they are unable to stop using despite desiring to stop; they
report that their marijuana use causes adverse consequences in their lives, and they
frequently seek medical help with discontinuation (Danovitch).” These symptoms of
users prove that despite the desire to stop the users find it very difficult. Danovitch
explains that quitting is hard because, “Virtually all drugs associated with addiction
share the ability to stimulate the reward center of the brain. Stimulation of these
receptors is associated with dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, the
neurobiological keystone that triggers the addictive machinery in the brain
(Danovitch).” Addiction to a substance usually has withdrawal symptoms that
follow. In the scenario for marijuana, Danovitch states, “Consistent, heavy marijuana
use generates tolerance, and a withdrawal syndrome follows abrupt cessation. The
severity of marijuana withdrawal has been compared to nicotine withdrawal
(Danovitch).” To further evaluate how the body develops withdrawal, Emily Blood,
an expert on the subject, explains, “Desire for a drug is central to the definition of
drug craving, which may be defined as a strong or intense desire to use that exceeds
a certain threshold. Craving is one of the primary symptoms of withdrawal; in
studies of marijuana-dependent adolescents, young adults, and adults seeking
treatment, 82% to 93% reported experiencing craving for the drug. Craving and
other withdrawal symptoms are associated with relapse and return to dependence
among young people with cannabis dependence (Blood).” In conclusion, the quotes
that have been presented, based on research conducted by professionals, brings
about the conclusion that marijuana is an addictive substance that creates a cycle
that is increasingly harder to break with each subsequent use.
Some factors that affect addiction include availability, time of day, using
friends, positive/negative affects and price. For example, after a case study was
conducted Blood concluded, “In general, marijuana was perceived as available; in
approximately three of four reports, on average, marijuana was reported to be fairly
easy or very easy to get (Blood).” A surprising statistic that Blood states is, “The
odds of desiring marijuana were more than 50% greater when marijuana was a
little more difficult to obtain (Blood).” This quote shows that marijuana is addictive
to an extent that when it is not present, the substance is desired even more. Blood
also concluded, “Marijuana is often considered a “social drug”, frequently obtained
from and used with friends, and thus being in the presence of friends may cue desire
to use the drug (Blood).” This proves that peer pressure plays a large role in the
spread of marijuana addiction throughout the nation and the continued use of the
drug when attempting to quit. Social relations with people who use the substance
cause others to try it and with increased use the substance activates the addiction
cycle in the brain. An article on social anxiety and marijuana related problems
states, “Individuals with elevated social anxiety appear vulnerable to marijuanarelated problems. In fact, individuals with social anxiety may be more likely to
experience marijuana-related impairment than individuals with other types of
anxiety (Silgado).” With a high level of social anxiety being high in the minds of
young people, attempting to fit in with friends and society, trying the drug is hard to
avoid and stopping after addiction is evident becomes increasingly more
challenging.
Another surprising statistic discovered in the case study is defined by Blood
as she states, “Consistent with research on drinking and smoking, we found that as
negative affect increased, strength of desire to use marijuana increased (Blood).”
This quote proves that despite having a bad time smoking the marijuana, it does not
stop people from repeating the process. In fact, it was proven to increase the
amount that users abuse the drug. All these factors affecting addiction favor using
the drug more, which is one of the reasons why it is difficult for people to quit. When
trying to quit, people remember what time of the day they formerly used and it
brings about cravings. People have friends that constantly ask them to use the drug
with them that makes it hard to say no and stay sober after cessation. Users usually
crave the drug more when it is not available, so despite availability the cravings will
make the user desire the drug and with severe addicts, people experience
withdrawal symptoms that make them desire to use the drug in order to make the
withdrawal symptoms stop.
Marijuana produces no positive affects for healthy humans. The drug causes
deterioration in health in areas including the brain, lungs, heart, and mouth and in
doing so damages all five senses. The drug also changes a person’s personality in a
way that causes them to loose touch with their emotions, increase laziness, increase
recklessness and in doing so causes the person to become highly egocentric when
making decisions. The research presented proves that marijuana is an addictive
substance that manipulates a person’s mental state to increase use in a manner that
continues the addiction cycle. The addiction cycle is influenced and perpetuated by
many factors such as availability, friend groups (social relations), effects of the drug,
and time of the day. When trying to quit using the drug, addicted patients even
experience withdrawal symptoms due to dependence and the creation of a
tolerance. Marijuana is a drug that slowly destroys lives from a psychological,
physical and social standpoint simultaneously. People that learn that marijuana is
counter-productive when attempting to succeed in their lives have a higher chance
at happiness and at living a long life (Blood).
Works Cited

Emily A. Blood, et al. "The Context Of Desire To Use Marijuana: Momentary
Assessment Of Young People Who Frequently Use Marijuana." Psychology Of
Addictive Behaviors 26.4 (2012): 821-829. PsycARTICLES. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.

Allen, M. H. & Frances, R. (1986) Varieties of psychopathology found in patients with
addictive disorders: a review. In Psychopathology and Addictive Disorders (ed. R.
Meyer), pp. 17-38. London: Guilford Press.

Danovitch, Itai. "Sorting Through The Science On Marijuana: Facts, Fallacies, And
Implications For Legalization." Mcgeorge Law Review 1 (2012): 91. HeinOnline.
Web. 21 Mar. 2013

Jose Silgado, et al. "Marijuana-Related Problems And Social Anxiety: The Role Of
Marijuana Behaviors In Social Situations." Psychology Of Addictive Behaviors 26.1
(2012): 151-156. PsycARTICLES. Web. 7 Apr. 2013.
Appendix D:
Reflection 1: (See Wiki for example)
Reflection 2: (See Wiki for example)
Reflection 3:
In my assignments for English 1020, I have grown as a reader in terms of
analyzing passages using rhetorical analysis. As I read through articles, books, look
at advertisements in newspapers, on billboards, on the radio and on television, I
now know how to identify the logos, ethos and pathos in order to better understand
the rhetoric. The logos is the factual backing for the claims being made, the pathos is
the emotional response the images or language provokes in the viewer and the
ethos is the image or character portrayed by the author. These three tools, used in
literature, are used to persuade audiences to believe what the media is depicting. I
have become more efficient at identifying these terms in media that I have been
subjected too and have shown examples of this in class. For example, when
depicting why the soda companies are harming the nation I located the logos in a
commercial where they used a famous football star “Mean Joe” as a credible source
for showing that Coke was harmless and refreshing. I stated, “In another they
associate coke with the famous, “Mean Joe”, the football player who tossed a kid his
jersey after the game. Instead of immediately tossing the child a jersey, Mean Joe
first drinks the boy’s Coke. All of these techniques that the Coke Company uses may
cost millions of dollars to continue, but it is a perfect investment for the company
because it helps create, and continue, the addiction cycle.” For ethos, I explained that
the Coke Company attempts to associate their product with happiness. At the end of
every commercial the slogan appears stating, “open happiness”. I gave an example
by stating, “One of Cokes recent commercials attributed coke to the Simpsons which
is a show loved by many Americans and portrays that Coke is as lovable and happy
as the Simpsons are.” Then in another area of my paper I analyzed the same
commercial by stating, “In a recent Coca Cola commercial they portrayed a character
from the Simpsons, a very popular U.S. TV show, unhappy with his life and what
solved his dilemma was giving him a cold Coca Cola. The clip was called “hard times”
and it associated Coca Cola with making problems go away.” In these quotes I
showed how the creators attempted to connect fixing problems and the feeling of
happiness to their product in order to create an positive image in the eyes of
viewers. At the same time this commercial also covers the pathos too because by
connecting the idea of happiness to their product the commercial affects people
emotionally by telling consumers brains to believe that drinking coke will bring
them happiness. By now knowing how to analyze rhetorical persuasion in different
types of media I am now able to use them in my own works.
My writing has improved simultaneously as my knowledge of analyzing
rhetoric has improved. I now know that to make a solid argument you need the
three basic building blocks of writing, which are ethos, pathos and logos. Next I was
able to use these three components to make arguments that produce an overall
image, that produce emotion in the readers/viewers and that have credibility to
back the assumptions. For example, in my paper covering the harms of Coke
products, I explained that based on my own experiences, which I used as the logos,
that Coca Cola products can actually become addictive substances. I stated, “I can
honestly say that these beverages become a drug, a solution to anxiety and form real
cravings large enough to affect the normal lives of the people that consume them.
The Coca Cola company knows that their products have this affect on the public and
they have created a commercial that is called, “the craving”, that essentially shows
exactly what the product does to its users over time and at the end of the
commercial the screen still reads, “open happiness”.” This quote connects my logos
argument, that Coke was addictive in my life, and puts it together with the Coca Cola
Company making a commercial called the craving that perpetuates the idea that
Coke products actually do produce cravings in its users after extensive
consumption. At the end of the commercial it continues to depict the pathos and
ethos by stating “open happiness” and by emotionally connecting positive emotions
to their beverages and I explained this in my paper. I explained, “After using the
product a few times, consumers of Coca Cola products begin to use the beverage to
increase happiness, solve problems such as weight loss and sometimes just for the
addictive taste.” I have developed my rhetorical skill at a fast pace and I am eagerly
using them to prove my points and back up my information in a manner that proves
that what I am saying holds merit.