Pathos Advertisement Week 3

In this ASPCA advertisement, the producers use pathos to persuade the audience to think as they do, and possibly be moved so much that they donate to support the organization. The advertisement uses very disturbing videos of animals in which they look helpless, lost, and extremely dejected that moves the audience to feel powerful emotions. The commercial takes the audience out of their comfort zone and makes them uncomfortable so they might donate to get rid of the guilty emotions. The audience might also feel a pull to help these animals especially because they are helpless, and as the speaker says “Animals are abused everyday and they cant ask for help…they’re without a voice” prompting the audience to become their voice and do something out of pity and power. The commercial establishes a connection with the audience because they all go through the terrible sadness together and are all left with the same queasy feelings afterwards.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/76oG/aspca-featuring-eric-mccormack

Would you hire him to babysit your kids?

Would you hire this man to babysit your kids?

Vladmir Putin is the current President of Russia, ex- Prime Minister, and member of the secret service. He grew up in the poor working class and got involved in the secret service early on, shaping him to discipline, ferocity, and cynicism. He says himself that “growing up in the yard was like living in the jungle”, teaching him watchfulness, calculated thinking, and ruthlessness. He is power hungry, and after his term limit as the prime minister of Russia was over he connived his friend who replaced him to changed the limit for president so he could become the president again and for longer. While twisting and bending the rules, he uses his strength, calculated intelligence, and ferocity to deal with other nations and peoples. He is trying to take over Ukraine currently, but while exploiting other nations he believes in patriotism, elitism, and mutual loyalty. Drawing from his tough childhood experiences and KBG (secret service) training, Putin is a man who believes that those with power need to use it and that those who are reluctant to use it are the same as being inherently weak. 

Would you want to marry this man?

                                         Would you want to marry this man?

 

            Musician and actor Robin Thinke has been in the music business since he was 17 years old. He has released seven albums in the span of his twenty year long career and has produced and written hit songs for stars such as Christina Aguilera, Usher, Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Raven Simone, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne. Still, despite all his time spent in the entertainment industry, Thicke did not break through as a solo artist until just two years ago when his song Blurred Lines became an international hit. The song launched him to superstardom almost overnight with its catchy sound and the appearance of two already established stars, Pharrel and T.I and stayed at Number 1on the Billboards Top 100 for over 10 weeks.

As Blurred Lines became a hit many began to question the context of the song’s lyrics which state things such as “I know you want it” along with other phrases that have been associated with rape and unwanted sexual attention towards women. Soon the music video for the song was released causing suspicions about the songs rape-like manner to become cries of outrage over the way the video treated women. The video in question was criticized for portraying Thicke, Pharrel, and T.I. dancing around and degrading three topless models, which in an interview Robin Thicke admitted too doing. The song eventually caused him to be named “Sexist of the Year” and he faced multiple attacks online from many people outraged by the sexism and promotion of violence against women in Thicke’s song.

Soon after the controversy over Blurred Lines Robin Thicke’s wife Paula filed for divorce after 8 years only to have Thicke dedicate and entire album to her and violated her privacy by making multiple public statements professing his love for her. Most recently Thicke has come under fire for plagiarizing his Number 1 hit song from Marvin Gaye, taking credit for Blurred Lines despite not actually writing it, and admitting to substance and drug abuse which he would take before interviews. Though Robin Thicke after years of working as a musician finally gained the potential to be a star, the controversy surrounding him have caused what many are considering a “downward spiral”.  In the course of a year he has been labeled as both unprofessional and disrespectful and has become a figurehead for misogyny because of his actions. 

Panarella: Would you vote for this person?

Would you vote for this person?

Hillary Clinton’s extensive and impressive political career makes her a worthy candidate for the 2016 election.  Her resume does speak for itself.  As First Lady, she did not sit by the wayside; Clinton took initiative and decided to run for New York senator.  She served for two terms, and then became the Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.  Although Obama did win the favor of the Democrats in the 2008 primaries, Hillary Clinton now is an outstanding possible candidate.  Her advocacy of women’s rights and humans’ rights during her time as Secretary of State show how Clinton will be a voice for disempowered groups across America.  Clinton holds much credibility, as The National Law Journal voted her to be one of the one hundred most powerful lawyers in America in both 1988 and 1991.  Her strong previous career as an attorney would also serve America well in this chaotic War on Terror, as Clinton would be a strong voice for America.  Her open-mindedness toward the use of social media will surely aid her in her campaign and her possible term of office.

Caitlin Panarella

Would you want this man to be your business partner?

(Note: This argument is from the point of view of Jesse Pinkman, hence the informal tone and use of the first person. We can also discuss Pinkman’s Ethos, for his authority and credibility is questionable to anyone who has never seen Breaking Bad.)

            Meet Walter White. Before he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he was a high school chemistry teacher – my high school chemistry teacher, actually – who had enough trouble supporting his family without a terminal illness. His in-laws offered to cover his medical bills, but Mr. White had too much pride to allow them to. Instead he went behind everyone’s backs and asked me to assist him in a drug-dealing partnership. This dying man wanted to use his chemistry skill to formulate crystal meth. I only agreed to help because, hey, it was a good opportunity to make some extra cash. Except, after a while, even when we had made enough money so that his wife and kids were set for life, he became more and more invested in maintaining his reputation as the best in the meth industry and striking multi-million deals. Walter White went from being this genuine and caring family man, willing to risk getting locked up so that his wife and kids would have enough money after he died, to a ruthless, narcissistic liar that I came to be afraid of on multiple occasions.

Let me tell you, Mr. White had a sick mind. This man did not worry too much about having other people die for the sake of his own self-preservation. People were shot, mutilated, and demolished to bits as a result of his actions. Most of these people were out to get us, yes, but it was still brutal. I know I appear to be this drug-thug-gang boy type, but I was genuinely scared of what this man was capable of doing. No matter how many times I said I wanted out, he would either threaten or guilt me into staying.  Now let me ask you, now knowing my experiences with Walter White, would you ever have trusted such a controlling, manipulative, unpredictable man to have the slightest bit of respect for you as his partner?