Documentary: World's Scariest Drug Post 2

            Although it sometimes may not seem so, humans are extremely desirable beings that, more often than not, follow strong instincts to do something regardless of danger. This applies both to the scopolamine use in World’s Scariest Drug as well as the way people communicate today. We are sociable beings that thrive upon communicating and interacting with others. We look to convenience and speed, two things that technology has granted us. This comes with the changes that modes of communication have gone through to give us precisely those.

            This documentary came from the production of VICE, which calls itself “The Definitive Guide to Enlightening Information”. The topic of the documentary was a dangerous and deadly drug. Although it is obvious that money was invested into this project, the fact that this documentary was a viral video made it possible for this to be put into, rather than rejected for a more “clean” or “noble” topic should it have been made a larger production movie or film. This use of viral videos that are free (all that’s needed is the internet) reflects societal “common media”. Throughout history, the medium through which most people communicated changed with increases in technology. Early history reveals the popularity of first oral exchange of tales and information, which then led to letters, television, and now the Internet through which email, videos, and especially social networking have come about.

            Society was reflected doubly throughout the documentary, both in information provided as well as the rhetorical devices used. As Duffy (the director and main person in the documentary) traveled around Bogota, Colombia, viewers noticed how cars constantly lined the streets, how quickly Duffy gathered information about “the Devil’s Breath”, and even how there was certainly no shortage of brothels in Bogota. The best phrase to describe this content would be “fast-paced”. This idea also manifests itself in the presentation of this material and its medium. As a viral video, anyone (who is above a certain age given the restrictions it has placed) can access the video with simply a click. Thus, society (and people’s) desire to have convenience and speed can be found in the way we communicate with one another.

            This new modern form of communication, through videos and easily accessed online media, have given individuals new options to add and change rhetorical devices that individuals have at their disposal. Through use of visual and video, Duffy incorporated many more elements into his “story”. The colors, music, and even identity protection of certain individuals in the film all demonstrated how it was EASIER to express his ideas through rhetoric. There also was little confusion or deviation. Compared to books and story-telling, which requires an active role for the listener or reader to create the world that is being described, videos can literally “show, not tell”. Which is a good thing, because if a picture is worth a thousand words, then what does a video make?

Documentary: The World's Scariest Drug Post 1

1. World’s Scariest Drug (Documentary Exclusive). Dir. Ryan Duffy. Perf. Ryan Duffy. VICE, 2012. Film.

The world of drugs has always been a disturbing place, but it seems that the “new” scopolamine has brought a new, frightening level to the possibility of drug-related crimes. Known as “The Devil’s Breath” in Colombia, scopolamine is a drug similar to rohypnol, also known as “rufies”, in that it removes memory of an incident after using drug, but more chillingly, the victim remains him/herself. The victim is still awake and conscious; however, he or she is subject to the whims of any suggestion without resistance. Ryan Duffy of VICE goes to Bogota, Colombia to learn more about “the Devil’s Breath” in the cocaine capital of the world.

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Duffy, the director and main person in the documentary, explores the dark and dangerous streets of Bogota, Colombia. His growing apprehension and suspicion of the horrors surrounding scopolamine manifest themselves in the myriad of rhetorical devices used.  To explain most of the conflicts, Duffy utilizes voiceover and describes Colombia and its troubles, referring to it as “the cocaine capital of the world”. Through actually a rather straightforward script, Duffy makes the story all the more chilling; his blunt assessments do not attempt to hide the stories surrounding scopolamine. He constantly foreshadows to the next event, keeping viewers engaged and further perturbed by this “Devil’s Breath”.

            The lighting of “World’s Scariest Drug” also plays a role in telling the story. Almost the entire documentary is shot in low light or near darkness; even the happier scenes such as eating in fancy restaurants is done by candlelight and large shadows. Use of limited lighting depicts a both literally and figuratively “shady” world surrounding scopolamine. The only exception to this is when Duffy and the rest of his team is inspecting and observing the scopolamine plant, the Borrachero Tree. Perhaps this rhetorical choice was made to depict the natural origins as seemingly harmless when in reality it is a dangerous plant, increasing the deception that is the theme of using scopolamine.

            The parts of the documentary that quite literally spoke the greatest volume were the victim (and chillingly user-against-others) testimonies. Several rhetorical devices all served to add to the potency of these portions and added to the message that scopolamine wasn’t merely a strong drug: it was equivalent to death and total loss of control. Captions were provided when the people spoke in their native Colombian. Camera angles often directed it so that the viewers were looking directly at the faces of those speaking, but the speakers were looking off to the side or someone else. They were always close-ups, but sometimes the faces were blurred for identity protection. All of this emphasized the logical conclusion that you don’t even want to mess with this drug. The native languages, having the speakers not look at the camera, and sometimes having blurred faces combine to create a sense of distance and lack of believability. Even Duffy describes the stories as “camp fire horror stories you’d hear when you were younger”. However, viewers suddenly and rather forcefully come to the conclusion that all of this is real when it dawns upon them that those are actual people who have lived and survived through the terrible experience. The manner (either fearful, cold-blooded, or simply still confused) in which the recorded Colombians described their experiences with the drug leave no room for doubt: scopolamine is equivalent to death: if not physical, then a dying of emotional and mental capabilities.

3rd MP Independent Reading: Sections 2 and 3

                To finish up the third marking period, I decided to finish the remaining two sections of my IR Lord of the Flies by William Golding for my Article of the Week. In a dramatic and harrowing conclusion to the boys’ steady fall into anarchy, Golding displays the powerful theme of that inherent in every human being is an evil and primal urge for violence: that within each individual is the Lord of the Flies.

                The use of character and the sense of character development are integral in Golding’s interpretation of this theme. Standing as antitheses of one another are Ralph and Jack. Throughout the story, Ralph stands as the natural leader who adheres to civilization and community, as well as the remaining source of “reality” many of the boys on the island have. On the opposite spectrum of rationality and civilization stands Jack, whose desire for power and authority drive him to savagery, whose willingness to torture and use of manipulation to control the other boys makes him a model of innate evil within each person. Where Golding’s theme of evil manifests into the story is when Ralph, Piggy, and other supposedly more rational children also similarly engage in violent rituals of primal actions and even kill another individual, Simon. That all of the boys, even Ralph himself, become more and more violent as time carries on implies that eventually the evil within each individual cannot be avoided and always comes out.

                The most important symbol that plays the largest role in Lord of the Flies are the “Beast” and the actual “Lord of the Flies”. Golding, though portraying Jack as the primary antagonist against Ralph, writes the story to note that the unnamed “Beast” is the center of all the problems that sprout between the boys on the island. First interpreted as a large snake, this concept of the beast (as it does remain a concept for a long time) feeds the paranoia and fear of the island boys. The turning point of the story is when, at night, Ralph, Jack, and Roger (who is similar to Jack) see a shadowy silhouette and hears flapping. Running away in terror, they are convinced that the beast actually exists, when it is simply the body of a dead parachutist who fell upon the island when his plane was attacked. Simon, who is often considered to be even a Jesus-like figure in this novel, realizes this fact but is then killed when he attempts to tell the other children, who are engaged in their frightening rituals. This means that the “beast” that all the boys have been fearing for so long is actually nothing but their own instincts and fear, that they manipulate the world around them to fit their frights and perceptions. The beast is the manifestation of their innate evils.

Geico Commercials: Rhetorical Question

                Commercials fill our daily lives with essentially structured arguments that attempt us to purchase or use certain products. To do this, companies use humorous ways to ensure that we as customers remember them. The Geico Car Insurance Commercials are no exception. Through use of constant rhetorical questions and warrants, they firmly establish that we shouldn’t even have to ask or question whether or not “switching to Geico could save us 15% or more on car insurance”.

                The video presents a series of several Geico commercials that have the same individual (who appears to be the first James Bond) walking up to the camera from a simple backdrop, and asking that same question: “Could switching to Geico really save you 15% or more on car insurance?” He then proceeds to draw an analogy to this, following up this question with one involving something ridiculous or famous, such as “Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?” or “Did the Waldens take way too long to say goodnight?” The scene then switches to one proving the validity of the previous statement in an obviously exaggerated and blown up form, and then (usually with a humorous overtone or implication) the commercial restates that switching to Geico really can save you 15% or more on car insurance”.

                As mentioned earlier, these commercials created for the general public and those who need car insurance have within each a basic Toulmin structure for argument. For example, the claim is that switching to Geico saves you 15% or more on car insurance. The ground for this is that this saving of money is as true and obvious as, say, Charlie Daniels being good at the fiddle. The warrant to back these grounds and claim is that there is no doubt that Charlie Daniels plays a mean fiddle, and thus connects back to the claim and warrant.

The Onion: Best Part of Gay 12-Year-Old's Day Half Hour Spent Eating Lunch Alone on Staircase

                In the world of news reporting and journalism, The Onion presents the necessary comedic relief from the often drowning styles and intimidating amount of content that there is in the news. It is also known to take unusual or controversial stances on topics and makes them lighthearted and almost always inappropriate to some degree. The Onion’s “Best Part of Gay 12-Year Old’s Day Half Hour Spent Eating Lunch Alone on Staircase” is no exception to this trend.

                The article gives a special report on the daily habits and interests of gay seventh grader Ben McElroy. After being incessantly tormented for his high voice and feminine traits, Ben says his favorite part of the day is when he gets to sit by himself, alone, on a staircase. The Onion examines his habits that he displays throughout that half hour lunch, including humming to himself for several minutes, and laying out his lunch so that he can move through it piece by piece, a ritual that he carries out with much greater ease now that he is in his solitude.

                What always makes The Onion a joy to read is that its content and rhetoric go hand in hand, yet the topic itself is so absurd and treated so seriously that it adds greatly to the humor rhetoric present in the article. By using traditional methods of journalism, such as citing statistics and pulling quotes from the center of the article, but then applying it in ways that undermine the seriousness of the article are trademarks of this satirical news source. For example, The Onion cites that Ben has “been called a faggot 43 times this month”. The specificity with which such a statistic is stated usually is given only to “important” articles. When pulling quotes from Ben, The Onion writes how Ben states “I’d come here on weekends if they’d let me”. Such specific yet obviously ridiculous aspects of this article add to the humorous rhetoric of The Onion.

Chevy SuperBowl Ad: "Happy Grad"

                An integral application of rhetoric is in today’s advertising. A synthesis of both visual and textual/audio rhetoric, television ads surprisingly enough provide basic arguments that are effective because of their comedic nature. Chevy’s “Happy Grad” is no exception to this.

                The scene consists of parents congratulating their son on graduation. The gift they had given their son (based on the bow on it) was a mini-refrigerator; however, an ironically parked Chevy Camaro right next to it gives the son the impression that his parents had given him the yellow Camaro as a gift.  In total exultation and celebration, the son explodes in happiness as he tells random people, his friends, and even marries supposedly his girlfriend in what he declares, crying, as “the best day of his life”. During all of this, the parents patiently wait to tell him, believing that his craze will eventually die down as it just seems to heighten. The commercial ends when we watch a Mr. Johnston drive off in the Camaro that actually belongs to him. The graduate looks to his parents in total, comically extreme shock.

                By rhetorically analyzing “Happy Grad” for argument, we find the basic structure of Toulmin within this advertisement. The major claim of this advertisement is that if you buy your graduate a Chevy Camaro for graduation, he will go insane with happiness. This is backed by the grounds provided in the advertisement: Chevy suggests that your sons or daughters will too blow up with happiness upon receiving a Chevy Camaro. The grounds and claim are put under a rather sketchy warrant, but one that is humorous because of it. The warrant states that graduates and most likely people in general will go berserk if they were to receive a Chevy Camaro as a gift. 

IRB: Lord of the Flies Reading Section 1

                The first four chapters of Lord of the Flies presented an overarching theme of premonition and tension. William Golding makes it clear to us that the fragile bonds and friendships created by characters within the story are about to sever, and violently at that.

                The two strongest elements of rhetoric and fiction that Golding expands upon are character and setting. Upon the island that the British boys land on, the two leaders of them emerge as Jack and Ralph. From a rhetorical and fictional standpoint, the two boys are foils of one another. Jack, as the leader of the choir boys, represents irrational action, drive, exhilaration, and living in the moment. This is best displayed when he foils their chance of rescue by not having the signal fire up (as it was his duty to) while a boat passed by; he was too busy hunting a pig, a violent act he glorifies in a macabre way. On the opposite spectrum stands Ralph. As the (un)official leader of them all, he presents (as also backed by Piggy, an intelligent fat boy who despite Ralph’s thoughts is actually very important to him) rationality, calm action, wisdom, and natural leadership skills that depend upon respect and not fear. This connects to the theme of breaking bonds and friendships because the readers clearly see that as time passes, the distance between these two leaders are increasing and suggest the possibility of separation.

                Setting is also important to Golding in Lord of the Flies. The entire premise of the story centers on a group of young boys (who, as British, are supposed to be more civilized) who crash land upon a deserted island and must fend for themselves. An integral part of the setting is the isolation that leaves the boys alone, and with it, fear. Created first by a young boy on the island, there is a mental fear of what is known as the “beastie”. It starts as a simple myth, of an unusually large snake that prowls the forests of the island, but as time progresses and the boys start realizing the dangers surrounding their life on the island, becomes a more tangible fear, particularly among the “littluns”, children under the age of 6. This fear is eventually used by Jack to his advantage, as this irrationality fits perfectly with his symbolism and representation of the savage that exists in all men, even children.