Discussion on Education

Tony: I would like to introduce the two experts that will be taking part in our discussion today about the United States education system. Laurel Horn is a high school English teacher that has been teaching for 13 years, and Carolyn Edwards is a professor at University of Nebraska at Lincoln who has researched different education systems in Europe as well as teaching here. Let me start by asking your opinion on what the big debate of "teaching to the test" here in the U.S.

LH: This is a touchy subject to many teachers that I work with and talk to in other school systems. The last thing a teacher wants to do is to sit in front of a class and only teach their students what will be on a test at the end of the year. The problem comes in when pressure is being put on us from higher standing individuals that are threatening our jobs if our students don't perform well, or the government saying they won't give us funding if we don't meet their standards. Also, we don't want to sit here and let a student be marked as underachieving just because we didn't go over a subject in class. This in my opinion is the biggest failing of our school systems now, but until the government begins to take a step back and change their policies it seems to be something we have to deal with.

CE: I do agree with Laurel about this being the biggest failing of our school systems now, but I don't find the fault completely with the government. I believe it is the duty of the teacher themselves to find out how to integrate the curriculum on the test with real world applications. Many of the top school systems in Europe aren't worried about the normal curriculum of the history of their nation or which artist painted what painting. They are focused on teaching their students how to become a productive member of society. These European schools focus on group-based exercises to introduce the subject, while encouraging engagement with other students, which breaks the mold of lecturing in the classroom. If we are able to find this balance here then we will be able to compete academically with even the Asian countries which are leaving us in the dust as of now.

Working Hypothesis

I have experienced the education system here in the U.S. first hand, and I have seen just how ineffective it can be. Our system has been primarily built on a "teach to the test" foundation that has left very little room for students to truly interact in the classroom. I believe that the innovative techniques that are being developed in education systems outside of the United States are enhancing the student learning environment and should be adopted here at home as well. The most obvious differences in these European approaches and ours is the curriculum they teach, the role of the teacher, and the advent of assessment.

Annotated Bibliography - Education System Comparison

Brettell, Leif. "School policy in Sweden -- a school case: a Complex Instruction introductory workshop." Intercultural Education. 11. (2000): 15-20.

Brettell wrote this journal in order to illustrate the strength of the unique organization of the Gruvrisskolan school in Falun, Sweden. He talks about the unique "teacher team organization" that puts more demand on the principal and creates a more coherent group that is always learning from each other. He also uses this as a basis to his development of a workshop that would help other schools begin organizing their school in this manner. Brettell is a very reliable source, because other schools are using this workshop in order to reorganize their school system. This article is useful to me, because as I begin to talk about the comparisons of the United States' schooling system and Sweden's, I will be able to give a solution to reorganizing our education system here as well.


Edwards, Carolyn Pope. "Three Approaches from Europe: Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia ." Early Childhood Research and Practice 4.1 (2002). 4 Nov 2010 < http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/edwards.html >.

Ewards' online journal outlines three progressive approaches to education in Europe. The article focuses on three main areas of the education system: curriculum, role of teachers, and ways of assessment. Carolyn is a professor of psychology, family, and consumer sciences at University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She started studying the early childhood education in Italy while she was a visiting professor at another university. This is a very reliable source that is very objective and is primarily an over view of the views of the three progressive programs. I will use this article in my argument in order to show the different roles teachers should take in the class room, and other kinds of curriculum that should be taught instead of just mind-numbing information.

Research Proposal

Questioning the American Education System

There has long been debate about the best way in order to teach students effectively. There has always been a question about how effective it is to teach to a test and if the information will even be remembered after the student has finished learning. I was raised in a school system where the teacher stood in the front of the class and taught for 50 minutes everyday. The non-stop lecturing did not leave much chance for grasping concepts and discussing them in class. I even found that when I had questions about the information, I would just google it.

As I read the letter to the editor from Paul Vincelli (http://www.kentucky.com/2010/10/25/1493956/benefits-to-learning-within-a.html) about the benefits to learning inside a classroom, I was immediately in agreement with some of what he had to say about human interaction assisting the learning process, but in disagreement with his idea that all students are best taught in the classroom atmosphere that is present in the U.S. system of education.

My interest was further peaked during a trip to New York where I met two foreign gentlemen that mentioned the different types of education styles that are present where they are from. One of the two actually started school in Australia at 3 years old and was done with schooling at the age of 16. The school system determined he was not efficient enough in Math to study Computer Science, so he was forced to move to the U.K. in order to pursue the field. He is now one of the most accomplished Web Developers in the world.

My goal in this paper will be to compare and contrast different education systems around the world. I will be pursuing the organization, teaching methods, and values of the schools themselves.

Methods

I am going to be utilizing the EBSCO database that is available to me via Alden Library in order to begin researching these different education systems. I have already found two sources that I have found very help:

• Efficiency in Swedish Public Education
• Three Approaches from Europe
• http://www.greatschools.org/students/academic-skills/teaching-to-the-test.gs?content=400&page=3
• http://www.teach.gov/teaching-experience/who-teaches
• http://www.fairtest.org/facts/howharm.htm
• http://www.designshare.com/Research/Tarr/Aesthetic_Codes_3.htm

These articles have been very helpful in helping to give me a starting point on which direction I should head in my paper. It is very interesting to read about the three different approaches in education that are found in Europe that are very different from our own. After this initial search I will be searching for books over the American Education system in particular in order to have a good understanding of the type of education system I come from as well.

The main questions that are driving my inquiry on this subject are:

• Are they nationally or locally organized?
• What are the Teacher's Roles?
• What are their approach to education?
• Pros and Cons of each system

Timeline

11/2 - Research Proposal Due

11/2 - 11/4 Begin Researching Topic using Alden Online Databases

11/4 - Working Hypothesis Due and Annotated Bibliography Due

11/4 - 11/8 Continue Researching and Begin Rough Draft

11/9 - Rough Draft of Final Paper Due

11/9- 11/11 Revise Paper

11/11 - Final Draft Due

Significance

I hope to be able to better understand different education systems around the world so that I may give a recommendation to how the United States should reform their current system for the betterment of the education which our students receive. Other countries are out performing us in many areas such as trade and production. These countries are also the ones that are out-performing us academically. Reforming our education system could help us to compete with these academic super powers and keep us at the top of the list when it comes to business and trade.

Creative Practice Page 118

How is the imagery and text used in these posters to create a pathos-based argument?

I would use the poster of the soldier who is missing a limb and the injured Uncle Sam poster in order to focus on how the imagery in these posters are utilized to evoke a lot of emotion from the viewer. I would point out the fact of how these powerful and pitiful images of these "fallen heros" or leaders show the less publicized side of war, pain and suffering. The text is also very influential in pushing the message a step further and making the user feel very unsettled.

Writing an Accurate and Thorough Summary

1. Appraising the Letter to Op-ed piece:

a. The writer argues that the human interaction found in classrooms is more beneficial to students than the interaction a computer screen can give.

b. The interaction in the classroom, in his opinion, is able to get the student to engage with the subject by asking thought-provoking questions and he is able to view nonverbal evidence of each student's understanding of the subject.

c. The writer does address an opposing claim by saying it is good to integrate technology in the classroom setting, but he does not explain in any detail the opposing argument at all.

d. I believe he defines his side of the argument correctly, but I feel he misses the point on how technology can truly supplement the classroom on such a level that it becomes almost imperative to integrate it into the curriculum.

2. Paul Vincelli is a teacher who requires attendance in his college classroom, because he feels he can engage his students with the subject matter better than a computer screen. He feels that the human interaction that is presented in the room provokes more thought and learning. He does acknowledge the use of technology in the classroom, but says there is absolutely no replacement for human interaction. I feel this is a valid point, but I believe that in the classroom setting some students are left behind, because this atmosphere can be intimidating when there are other students that greatly excel at the subject, which can hinder participation of someone who feels they can not contribute to the class. With this in mind, I feel that integrating other medias such as computers, books, and so on are crucial to the engagement of these students in order to excel in their academics and not just in the classroom itself.

Point of Contact

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/10/25/1493956/benefits-to-learning-within-a.html

This letter to the editor from Paul Vincelli about benefits of learning in a class room caught my attention because I agree and disagree with parts of this argument. I do agree that a classroom can by a very important part of any education, because it makes students engage in ways that a computer screen can't, and in classes such as history this can be a huge advantage. I disagree though with the statement that a classroom is the best way to learn in order to engage and interacts as humans since inevitably someone will get left behind, because they are intimidated by other students in the class that are excelling.

I also would like to pose the question of what the student is to do if the teacher is not able to offer an educational value in the classroom above and beyond what a computer can offer? I can tell you for a fact that a few of those types of teachers get through the cracks and are allowed to continue to teach even after countless years of poor student performance. At this point doesn't it help the student to fall back on these other resources in order to teach themselves? I know for a fact that I am a junior in Interactive Multimedia major here at OU, which involves web design and development, but I've taught myself everything I know about web development in the last 3 years I have been in school. I also know for a fact that everything you could ever want to learn is available via a simple Google search of the right word. Isn't it more important that we understand how to go out and find the answers to our question than to sit in a classroom and be spoon-fed the information then regurgitating it for a test?

At a Glance: The "Perfect" Topic

Issues that interest me:

1. Look Inward: Creationism, Same-sex marriage, glass-ceiling, psychology of sex

2. Look Outward: Transition from Academia to Career, Rising tuition costs

3. Use Creative Visualization: Racism, Facebook Privacy issues, Sexism

4. Use the materials of the moment: Government assistance for storm victims, Government cutting funds to local school district, illegal substance use on campus, Hate-crimes.

Letter to the Editor - The Athens News

The letter I selected for this assignment was from a Rick O'Keefe who believes that student parties should be allowed to make noise past midnight. He says this is to be expected from a college town and that its no worse than leaf blowers, and truck beepers.

The article can be read here: http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-32390-citizens-griping-about-loud-parties-reminiscent-of-dennisrss-mr-wilson.html

I believe that this argument is completely ridiculous. I do agree that in a college town you will get more noise just because of the atmosphere, but I disagree with the fact that residents should get used to it and stop being party-poopers. I think students need to understand that although they are allowed having fun they are also a part of a bigger community than themselves.

Collaborative Challenge for October 19th

It's been a hard week for the shop. The old man has been working his hands to the bone trying to fix the damages from the hurricane. He says he will keep me around for as long as he can afford it, and I'm thankful for it because my next meal is always in question. I've been out of school for almost two months and I wonder if I'll ever see the doors to my high school again. The little happiness in my life comes from the animals which I take care day to day. They are always excited to see me and one can't help but smile at the birds chirping in the window. They appreciated the new addition my boss added today to protect them from the weather, so they were sure to make it known to anyone who was there to listen.

Peer critique from Jacob Barr:

The ever seeing the doors to the high school i do not get? Unless it is in the summer?

Essay #2 - Commercials

The four commercials addressed in my second essay (two "selling" a free product, and two actually selling a product).

Thomas Hine

Some other visual quotations that become cliches representing a specific locale are:

1. The Sphinx and Pyramids - Egypt

2. Mount Rushmore - South Dakota

3. Washington Monument - Washington D.C.

4. Space Needle - Seattle, Washington

I remember when I actually traveled to the Grand Canyon; I had never seen this giant canyon except for in pictures before. I believe that the location greatly surpassed the image's detail, and the emotion that I felt while being at the actual Grand Canyon was a thousand times stronger than anything I could have felt from an image. This trip to the Grand Canyon will always remain as a very vivid memory, and because of this I feel even stronger emotions than before when I see a picture of the canyon. I will always remember the emotion I felt while standing beside it.

Analyzing New Twitter

Twitter has reinvented itself and is now advertising its new face lift via an online YouTube video that is embedded on an interior page of their site (http://twitter.com/newtwitter). It is interesting to see how Twitter treats its advertising, because in all reality they do not have to worry about sales since they are "selling" a free service that is used by millions of people.

Content

The add is selling the new features that Twitter is now beginning to support. Say good-bye to clicking those annoying hyperlinks, because Twitter is now supporting the embedding of video and images on their feeds! The ad does go one step further though and it seems to be selling an idea as well that Twitter is constantly in our lives whether we notice it or not.

Message

The ad is selling the new features by taking us through an average day in a very visual world with many colors and ideas. The message in this ad is, "We know that we are a part of a visual world, so why not share it as we experience it."

Character and Setting

The ad actually features a paper image of the Twitter logo bird in many different places such as on a pancake, in a library, on a bus window, and even on strawberries at a grocery store. No actual faces of people are actually shown, but you can infer from the parts of the individuals that you can see that their target audience seems to be urban individuals between the age of 18 to 25. I feel they intentionally didn't show faces, because they want to reach out to a wider audience and they don't want to alienate any ethnic groups by focusing on one primary persona.

Story

The advertisement is showing the new features of "New Twitter".

Theme

The underlying message in this ad is that Twitter is every where we are and that it is almost like a living breathing individual like you and me that grows each day with us.

Medium

The medium was actually via a YouTube video that was embedded on their site. This was an interesting choice in not using any other medium, because the video is all about Twitter being out in the everyday world but its being showcased only on the site in its "digital fortress". I believe that this served Twitter well though, because I think the goal of this ad was to actually let their current users that a few things are going to change.

Historical Context

The new Twitter was an international release in a time where progress was a necessity. If

Twitter were to continue to not support video and images then they would have found their following abandoning them for new social networks that would. This ad alludes to the fact that the key to technology is that it is never stagnant and to continue to push forward is what everyone needs to do in order to succeed.

Word and Image

There are zero actual words in this ad and this is very important, because it emphasizes the importance of visuals in our everyday life. If more words were present in the ad then it would have weakened the argument that adding images to Twitter is a sign of progress.

Layout

The sequence of the commercial is intriguing, because the viewer is wondering what the big build up is all about and as soon as you see the picture on the page you realize that the way you think of Twitter just changed before your eyes.

Design

The Twitter logo was blue which is a color that conveys an idea of social networking. This is important to Twitter, because what they hope for users to do as a brand is to use their site in order to connect with others they know and communicate.

Voice

This ad is a story being told in third person, using an informal yet serious voice in order to create a strong pathos connection between the viewer and the story.

Imagery

The video has very close detail shots that always include the Twitter logo. The frame is always very dynamic and the main content is never just in the center of the shot. These details help to back up the feeling of dynamic movement and the progressive beliefs of Twitter.

Rhetorical Appeals

The Twitter logo is meant to act as an ethos voice which adds a level of trust to the video's message. The story line of this video is heavily pathos driven. The use of music and imagery make if very easy to relate to the video itself.

Strategy of Development

Narration is used in this ad to tell a story and illustration is used as well in order to show how Twitter is a part of our day-to-day life. These strategies help to create a more convincing appeal, because they don't just come out and tell the viewer how he/she should feel. The ad first draws the attention of its viewers, then calls forth an emotional response, and then finally delivers the argument.

Culture Resonance

The ad definitely uses the Twitter logo in order to build an ethos appeal which increases its persuasiveness. This helps with the argument because many current users of Twitter will listen to this ad just because it has a logo they know and trust.

Pathos - Creative Practice

The Listerine ad uses narration, cause and effect, and definition as very powerful tools for persuasion for this mouthwash, but the use of pathos is the most prominently used appeal being utilized in this ad. One can definitely tell in the conversation between the two women that the viewer of this ad should feel bad for the man, and the unhappy woman in his arms that has a very tense posture makes the reader even more on edge. Even the use of "halitosis" is an attempt to draw out an emotion of worry, because this word makes it sound like the guy has a terrible disease.

The ad also uses ethos by using the term "halitosis", which is a fancy term for bad breath. The use of this vocabulary gives the perception that the writer has some sense of knowledge on the situation that is taking place and the condition that has befallen the man. This was at critical point in the text, because this idea was planted in the reader before he actually began reading the part that addresses him. The ad further uses ethos as it explains possible causes of halitosis, but then once again shifts to pathos, because in most situations it can be avoided if you aren't lazy and just use Listerine mouthwash.

The last way that this ad really pushes pathos is by saying, "Don't risk offending others." We all care to some extent what others around us think. This simple statement could be one of the most powerful parts of this argument, because if we are able to avoid causing anyone discomfort by doing a simple act, most of us would be willing to do it.

This ad finishes their argument by describing why Listerine is the best choice for them, because it will help keep your fresh breath for hours. I can honestly say I'm sold.

Selling the Brand or Product?

What do you think?

Strategies of Persuasion Preview Questions

Persuasion Strategies

There are many different strategies of argumentation, and all of them could be considered a tool for persuasion since they are primarily used in advertisements which want you to buy a product.

The most persuasive strategies in my opinion are:

1. Comparison-contrast, compares one product to its competitor.

2. Example, shows how a product can impact a person's life if they buy it.

3. Cause and effect, shows the benefits of using the product.

Logos, Pathos, Ethos

If an argument was backed with nothing but words, most of us would shrug it off and think it was a waste of time. That is why ad agencies and even individuals use the power of logos, pathos, and ethos in order to persuade others to support their opinions. These rhetorical appeals are meant to attract the attention of the viewer. For example, if the argument was coming from the United States President then we would stop and listen to his support because of his influence and standing in our nation (ethos). The SPCA commercials that feature Sara McLachlan's "Angel" are appealing to your emotions in order persuade you to adopt an animal and lets face it we all want to cry when we see it(pathos). Finally, Dove's Self-esteem campaign attempts to support the natural beauty of women in order to show the ethics and beliefs of their company but do so using a logical argument (logos).

Exaggerating these appeals tends to actually work against the argument itself. If a company says it will kill a bunny if you don't buy their products, then most people will brush the company's message to the side because of the obvious "pathos blackmail".

Context

Context is very important when building an argument. The more you know about both sides of the argument the better, because it is easier to support your argument when you know the context of both sides. Dove's Evolution is a perfect example of this idea. Everyday, we see magazines portray the perfect woman as skinny and flawless. Dove shows its audience how this "perfect" woman is actually is made, in photoshop.

I can incorporate these ideas into my own writing by making sure that I do research on both sides of any argument I am addressing. This way I am able to speak in a tone which gives me some logos credibility by citing information I researched. I can also make an emotional appeal if the subject calls for it, such as a patriotic themed subject.

Walking Billboards

I have a very bland wardrobe that actually has very little branding on them. Most of the shirts I own are from competitions and events I competed in, so they might have the school's name and logo but nothing else. The one thing I know I wear everyday that has a definite brand attachment to it is my pair of Asics shoes. It is a brand I am very loyal to because of their added support in their Kayano line. This design has helped save me from countless injuries of wear and tear due to my flat feet. Most people associate the Asics shoes, I feel, with running so they communicate a athletic feel to those who see the brand.



I had a friend that would come out of his room everyday ready for class in an Under Armor shirt, pants, shoes, and even an Under Armor hat. He always used to say that it was just comfortable and its good quality so he was willing to pay a little extra for it. I feel that he was willing to pay extra for it, because the brand itself has the feel of being for the elite few (not that my friend felt like he was an elite or anything). I think that sub-consciously he wore it because he thought that it would portray him in a better light than if he were to wear off-brand clothes.

Racist Tea

I decided to do a rhetorical analysis on Mike Lester's political cartoon (pictured above). This blog post may seem a bit disjointed because it is meant to act as a prewriting exercise for an essay I am going to write.

About the Author and his Audience

Mike Lester is an illustrator from Georgia who has done all types of work ranging from cartoons to kid books. He is best known for his political commentary in his editorial cartoons and has won awards for it. His audience for this cartoon was the subscribers to the Rome News-Tribune, where it was originally published. In my opinion though, he is trying to reach out to everyone and finds the disagreement between the conservative Tea party and the NAACP an area of interest. In this cartoon, the NAACP is definitely shown in a bad light.

The Topic

The topic being discussed in this editorial cartoon is the NAACP's disapproval with members of the Tea party who use racial references in their signs during rallies against current government legislation.

The Story

The cartoon is a simple illustration of an obscenely large, black man (representing the NAACP) sitting on the lap of a white man (representing the Media). The NAACP representative seems to be complaining to the skinny man like a kid would to his dad about a bully. In this case, the bully seems to be a harmless protester from the Tea party (the woman on the left), who is holding the sign, "Taxed Enough Already." The large man states, "That racist called me a colored person..."

The Argument

Mike Lester is attempting to make the argument that there are people in the Tea party that have a racially-powered message against current government policies; but that doesn't mean that these few individuals represent the views of the Tea party in general.

Composition (imagery, character, setting)

The editorial is a simple, single frame illustration that relies on the combination between imagery and text to make the argument apparent. The drawing is obviously not realistic in order to overstate the irony of the situation. I believe that a small woman was used to represent the Tea party and a large man to represent the NAACP in order to show the obvious uneven strength distribution between the two groups. A definite class difference is notable between the two characters as well: the woman has on more of a working class style of clothes, while the large man is well dressed with a tie.

The irony of the situation is that the NAACP representative is complaining to the Media that the woman is being racist when there is no racist comment coming from the woman at all. This makes it seem like the NAACP is crying over absolutely nothing, but that it is using its pure mass in order to persuade the media itself to give them sympathy. I do enjoy, as a side note, that the words "colored people" is a different color in order to put extra emphasis on the phrase.

Cultural Resonance

This editorial illustration touches on a key aspect of our society and culture today. We all worry about what the "politically correct" term is that we should use when we say certain things, especially when referring to someone's race. This specific cartoon makes light of this situation by using an incorrect term, but at the same time we all know that there are terms the illustrator could have used that would have pushed this over the edge.

I feel that the author is pointing out that since the NAACP is calling a Tea party member racist then they are stereotyping, which is also a major controversy in our culture today.

The Tone

The overall tone of this editorial is definitely comical, but its subject is very serious in tone. I believe that this combination between the comical and the serious creates a middle ground, which allows a place for dialogue to take place between both sides of the argument. This, in my opinion, is the single most important thing that all editorial illustrators should strive to do.


After this Assignment

After this assignment was due and we discussed it in class, I found that I was very interesting in how powerful words can be when used in conjunction with images. With this in mind, I went out searching for two similar cartoons, one that was powered by just an image and another that was powered by both an image and words. (the two I picked to compare are below)

Rhetoric in My LIfe

I wake up from a short night of dreamless sleep to some random radio station playing Desert Rose by Sting, which is a song that continuously reminds me that I don't own a Jaguar (I'll come back to explain this later). I turn on my computer, pulled up my Facebook account, and saw that I had zero notifications; but that's okay, because I'll waste my time instead by clicking on the Halo Reach ad that Facebook supplies me to make me feel special. I pull up Pandora for some "getting dressed" theme music, and I sit through a thirty second video about something I couldn't afford.

I skip down my stairs feigning excitement for the uneventful day that lay ahead. I grin at the Get Him To The Greek movie poster hanging on our ceiling and shake my head in embarrassment at the Justin Bieber picture showcased in our living room. I take a deep breath as I reach my front door, preparing myself for the chilled morning air, and begin my journey up the hills of death.

Crossing College Green, I see the military statue saluting our soldiers who serve our nation and look up to the Alumni Gateway to read: "So depart that daily thou mayest better serve thy fellowmen thy country and thy God." I continue walking down Court Street, I see that the College Bookstore is now renting out books, I see the neon open light of Perk's. I catch a glimpse of the Chipotle's metallic store front and my stomach growls at me in disapproval for passing. I see the Athena signs yelling, "Free popcorn on Wednesdays!" I even see that the costume shop is having a huge poster sale (fittingly enough this advertisement was on a poster as well). I finally get to my one destination of the day, the bank, and as I go to deposit my check I see a flier for the OU Volleyball game that day. I shrug my shoulders and say, "Sounds good to me."

Reflecting on what I saw
This is a simple day in my life full of rhetorical situations. Rhetorical situations (in a simplified explanation) consist of images or objects that attempt to persuade you to buy, sell, act, think, etc. The Halo Reach ad wants me to go out and buy the game when it is released. Pandora's ad wants me to go out and get business cards printed from an online company, and even the movie poster on my ceiling was originally made in the hopes of pushing me to go see that movie (which I did).


The most effective rhetoric I encountered was definitely the slight glimpse of Chipotle's restaurant front. I believe that I found this to be so powerfully persuasive, because I have an emotional connection between their brand and the most delicious burritos of my life. On the other hand, the most ineffective rhetoric I encountered was the Justin Bieber poster that is advertising his new album, because of my disdain for his face being present in my house (I think one of my housemates secretly love him). Emotional connections are key when it comes to the success and failure of an image's persuasiveness.

Back to Desert Rose
Remember when I mentioned Sting's Desert Rose in the beginning of this post? Ever since I've seen the video on YouTube, it reminds me that you will never be able to get away from rhetorical situations. This is actually more of a commercial for Jaguar than it is a music video. In order to prove my point, below is the link to the music video (embedding was disabled) and then the Jaguar commercial that features Sting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjHkj-uSt_Y

What is your reaction to this video? What are your feelings?

Why does this matter?
It's mind-boggling to think about how many things we encounter each day that attempt to persuade us to either buy a product, to do something, or even to feel a certain way. Even between the time I woke up and ran to the bank, I encountered online ads, commercials, posters, fliers, patriotic messages, signs, and even just a brand that caused a bodily reaction on its very sight.

We all know that our lives are full of objects attempting to persuade us, so why should you think about it? Well, Victor Villanueva, Jr. said it best, "So much of what we receive from others–from family and friends to 30-second blurbs on TV–is intended to persuade. Recognizing how this is done gives greater power to choose." Choice, this is why it is so important, because if you don't take the time to realize that these things are attempting to persuade you, then your freedom of choice could be lost. Seem a little extreme? What if the ads you saw everyday were setting standards instead? What if everyone had to look like the Victoria Secret models? This is what we stand to see become a reality if we keep ourselves from realizing the image rhetoric in our lives.

What is Art?

A boy stands, staring at a three-paneled painting. He shakes his head in confusion and tries to lean in to get a closer look. Why is the boy so confused? It is because he is staring at a three-paneled painting that is completely white.

How can this piece (White Painting by Robert Rauschenberg) be considered art when it doesn't even seem like the artist put much thought into it. This is a subject of debate to many, but the real question underlying this debate is: What is art? Well, first lets take a look at the aspects that make up the foundation a piece of art.

The Artist

A painting cannot exist without the strokes of its painter, and a sculpture cannot exist without the chisel of its sculptor. With this in mind, one of the most important aspects of a piece of work is that there is an artist that has the intention of creating art. The creation of art cannot be like the fabled chocolate and peanut butter run-in that sparked the idea for Reese's Cups. I am not trying to suggest that an artist has to know exactly what the finished piece will look like before they begin. I do argue though that they must have put the canvas in front of them with the intention to create.

Looking back now on the "White Painting", we see that this piece does have an artist named Robert Rauschenberg (pictured above), but that alone doesn't make something a piece of art.

The Canvas

Art must have a canvas on which it can be displayed. I don't mean the literal canvas of a painter, but rather a medium that allows for the artist to express himself/herself. A dancer's canvas is her body, while a musicians canvas is her instrument. Art cannot be just an idea that is passed along without being expressed in some physical way (although, I would love to hear an argument against this).

In respect to the painting in question, its medium was oil on canvas. Keep this in mind, because it actually becomes the key to the answer of our question.

The Audience

Why would an artist create something that would just sit in the corner of a room and fade? That doesn't make much sense does it? There is always an audience in mind and a message to communicate when the artist is creating. It could be like "Piss Christ" by Andres Serrano (picture below), who wanted to communicate how the actions of church officials are ruining the face of the church itself. It could also simply be for the artist himself who wishes to have a brief glimpse into his own mind.

So What?

Alright, so why is Robert Rauschenberg's "White Painting" a piece of art? Yes, it does have an artist, a canvas, and an audience, but it goes a little farther than just that. Robert didn't just have the intention of painting the canvas white just to do it. He painted the canvas white using oil (remember when I told you to keep that in mind) because of its ability to reflect the tone of the lighting in the room. He had the intention of making a piece of art that would continuously change depending on the mood and the people in the room.

What the boy didn't see was the shadow that he made as he leaned in to take a closer look. What the boy didn't see was that he was a part of the artwork itself.