TOW #20: "Think Like a Freak" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, IRB

In Think Like a Freak, Steven D Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner discuss how to think more productively, more creatively, and more rationally to help improve readers’ abilities whether it be in business, sports, politics, etc. They use a direct tone and use controversy in order to push people to, as they call it, “think like a freak.”

In this book, Levitt and Dubner use a direct tone in order to be direct to readers and push them to think a certain way. When talking about finding the real facts, they say, “Don’t listen to what people say; watch what they do.” In order to convey their point that what people say they do does not necessarily reflect what they really do, they are very direct to the reader. They command the reader by saying “Don’t do this but do that.” This addresses the reader directly, which is something that is important in this style of book. Because Levitt and Dubner are try to teach a different way of thinking, they must speak right to the reader in order to be explicit with what they want the readers to do.

They also use controversy in order to promote this different way of thinking. When talking about problem solving, they say, “When it comes to solving problems, one of the best ways to start is by putting away your moral compass.” What they are trying to say is in order to find the true facts about things that would help you solve a problem, you must refrain from trying to determine what is morally right from what is morally wrong and you need to try to determine what is factually right from what is factually wrong. Many people would unconsciously use their morals when trying to solve problems, which is restrictive. The authors are teaching something that many might not want to hear since morals play a huge role in life. Yet, what they are saying is very rational, which fuels the controversy.

Overall, Levitt and Dubner are very successful by using their foundation of rationality to teach things in a direct and controversial way.

Rational Thinking
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TOW #19: Microsoft “Empowering Us All” Ad

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaOvHKG0Tio

In its “Empowering Us All” advertisement, Microsoft displays how far technology has taken us and ponders how far we can take it in future years. It uses rhetorical questioning, parallelism, and awe-inducing imagery in order to show how it has empowered many and to promote its own (Microsoft’s) influence on helping the world.

In this advertisement, Microsoft asks rhetorical questions in order to make viewers reflect on how far technology has taken us and how it has helped many. It asks, “What is technology? What can it do? How far can we go?” This questioning helps the reader think about the positive impact of technology on the world and on many in need. It instills awe in viewers as they realize how technology is empowering people to be the best they can be despite any disposition they might have.

These questions are, in a way, answered by using parallelism in order to instill more of a sense of awe, and drive its point into the readers that technology empowers. It says, “[Technology] gives hope to the hopeless. And it has given voice to the voiceless.” This parallelism, though short, has a huge impact on the viewers. It draws emotions of joy from the reader as it makes them realize that technology can help disabled people become less disadvantaged, as it gives something to them that they never had before.

However, this alone is not enough to draw as much emotion as the advertisement did. Its joy-provoking diction was coupled with awe-inspiring imagery in order to sell the point that Microsoft is leading this movement in socially impactful technology. Short clips of the disabled becoming abled with technology, such as a child given the ability to walk with prosthetic legs, a woman given hearing with cochlear implants, and a man given a voice with speech-generating technology, were played throughout the advertisement. This allows people to see the full effect of the positive impact of technology, and instills a sense of awe in the great things it has done. Much of the technology displayed in this advertisement comes from Microscope, which helps users to believe that Microsoft is the head of socially-impactful technology. This overall influences viewers to support Microsoft as consumers.

All in all, Microsoft’s “Empowering Us All” ad appeals heavily on the viewer’s pathos in order to invoke the joy and awe of technology. By doing this, it truly displays how technology empowers us all despite any disabilities.

Speech-Generating Device
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TOW #18: “Why Did Human History Unfold Differently On Different Continents For The Last 13,000 Years?” by Jared Diamond

In the article, “Why Did Human History Unfold Differently On Different Continents For The Last 13,000 Years?” Jared Diamond ponders why some societies in the world have become so technologically advanced while others have lagged behind tremendously, and he discusses many factors that could have affected the rate of development in different continents of the world. He uses compare and contrast along with reverse chronological hypophora to trace the roots of societal development.

Diamond uses the overall structure of comparison and contrast between two different continents at a time to give a focused view on how one continent developed faster than the other. He first compares Eurasia to the Americas, then Eurasia to Africa, and then finally Eurasia to Australia to find out how this huge land mass could develop to be so much more advanced than the indigenous people of other continents. By doing this, Diamond can give the audience a clear view on his theories from a small scope. If he had just compared everything all at once with a macroscopic view, this would have confused the reader as they would have trouble following Diamond’s train of thought.

In order to carry out his compare and contrast, though, he uses hypophora to trace history back farther and farther. A good example of this is when he asks how Europe could dominate America so easily and he answers by saying they were more technologically advanced in the 1500s. Then, he asks, “But how did the world evolve to be the way that it was in the year A.D. 1500?” By continually asking the question “how,” he is able to, as he states it, “push the chain of causation back further,” and is able to find the initial causal points that spurred different rates of development 13,000 years ago.

Overall, by using hyper-focused compare and contrast and reverse chronological hypophora, Diamond is able to clearly convey his theories on why some cultures developed much faster than others and were able to conquer other cultures.

https://www.edge.org/conversation/jared_diamond-why-did-human-history-unfold-differently-on-different-continents-for-the

IRB #3 Post

For this marking period, I have chosen to read the book Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. It uses storytelling and analysis to teach readers how to think more productively, creatively, and more rationally to solve problems and "hack" life. I have chosen to read tis book since it will be very captivating and it is applicable to al aspects of life from sports to business. 

Book Cover

TOW #17: “Why the Voting Age Should Be Lowered to 16” by The Economist

In the article, “Why the Voting Age Should Be Lowered to 16,” The Economist discusses the growing problem of diminishing voter turnout rates in America within younger demographics and proposes the solution to lower the minimum voting age to sixteen years old. The article argues that this will help get people into the habit of voting at a younger age and push them to see it more as a duty than a choice.

While I do think this is not the perfect solution to this problem, this could be a step in the right direction for bringing up the voting rates of younger generations. In 2007, Australia became the first world power to lower the minimum voting age to sixteen years old. In effect, the voting percentage of Australian minors became larger than that of Australians ages nineteen to twenty-five. Also, during a general vote in Scotland, sixteen-year-olds were allowed to vote, also causing the voting percentage of minors to become larger than that of ages nineteen to twenty-five. I do agree that a lowering of the voting age can lead to the increase of voting participation and also push younger generations to get into the habit of voting while they are still living with their parents.

However, I do not think that allowing minors to vote is a smart solution to this problem since they are just too young. Many people this age would not be mature enough to come to a knowledgeable, independent decision and would most likely be influenced by who their parents voted for. Instead, I believe that the best solution to this problem of declining voter rates lies in the classroom education of government. If more students are fully informed about current civic and political issues, this would naturally spark their desire to vote.

While this author wants to solve a huge problem in the voting of this country, I do not believe that his solution is viable. It is too optimistic and ignores the fact that minors can be immature when it comes to voting.

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