TOW #3: Organ Donor Ad

Even in today's world with innovative, ground-breaking medical technology, a need for organs is still a top priority. Each day, an average of 18 people die for lack of availability of organs. Every 10 minutes, a name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list. So what does that have to do with the people not in need of an organ? This simple advertisement explains the importance with two subjects, and two sentences. With a simple background and little text, the photograph draws the eye into the young girl next to the trash can. The juxtaposition used in this ad exaggerates the difference between organs that will become useless, or organs that can go to this sad, sick girl. The ad appeals to pathos by using the girl and portraying her face to be very sad and needy. Targeting young adults to elders, No person would want to give their organs to the trash over a sick little girl. Elderly people have a strong feelings towards little children, so this ad could effectively change their mind and become a donor with the little time they have left. Another powerful aspect that grabs the viewer's attention is the content of the text. The "you decide" part makes the viewer feel as if the decision to save the girl's life is in their hands. That feeling is effective in getting the viewer to do something about the girl's life, which leads into the purpose of this advertisement. The purpose is to convince more people to become organ donors. By doing this, they can save lives and put their soon-to-be useless organs to good use. I believe this ad is very effective in achieving its purpose. The little girl's face looks so needy, I suddenly feel awful for the world having an insufficient supply of organs to save lives. The simplicity of the ad leaves me with a deep, aching desire to help. I do not want my organs becoming useless in that trash can, I want my organs to do good for the world. I want my organs to save a life. This ad effectively makes me want to become an organ donor.



http://donatelife.net/understanding-donation/statistics/ 

TOW #2: How Shootings Stigmatize People Living With Mental Illness

In light of the recent Washington shooting, fear, anger, and sorrow has emerged. Unfortunately for Americans, these feelings are nothing new. The previous few mass shootings such as the Navy Yard, Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech, are responsible for the stereotype created about people with mental illnesses. Michael J. Fitzpatrick writes about his views on this subject. Being the executive director for National Alliance of Mental Illness, he believes Americans stigmatizing against people who live with a mental illness escalates the problem. Centering around the topic of mass shootings, the article opens with the use of pathos, describing how these tragedies affect Americans. The author then goes to explain the amount of Americans troubled by a mental illness. He backs himself up with statistics, establishing the appeal of logos. He also uses a counter-agument so no holes could be poked in his own argument. The past shootings have been mental individuals turning to violence, but he kills that reasoning by putting in perspective how many Americans are living with a disorder and how it is not so uncommon to have one, but the violence is uncommon. Fitzgerald continues to establish his purpose that there should be no stereotype against people with mental illness. In a deeper purpose, he is trying to prove that the reactions of the American people from these tragedies stimulate more tradgedies. People living with an illness go into hiding with the fear of being discriminated against. This can recede their progress at becoming healthier. It is very unlikely that people dealing with mental health issues respond with violence, but because of America's reactions, the people who need help the most cannot receive that help. I believe Fitzgerald accomplishes his purpose and proves that the stigma against sick people needs to end. The use of logos strongly back up his claims and the use of pathos makes me want to do something to stop these tragedies. He establishes his credibility by noting his position in the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Like Fitzgerald says, Stigma cannot win in this race, or else things will not get better.

TOW #1 - Article: If We Can't Have 'Face Time,' At Least We Have FaceTime

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-krug/if-we-cant-have-face-time-at-least-we-have-face-time_b_3916379.html?utm_hp_ref=technology&ir=Technology

Since the new millennium, the question asked everywhere: "is technology ruining our society?" According to Huffington Post writer and frequent blogger Jamie Krug, technology is doing quite the opposite. In the context of a world continuously stating the negatives of technology, no one focuses on the positives. Debates go on everyday about the cyber-crazed society, and Jamie Krug writes this to put her opinion in. She opens the post with a humorous line about her child publicly asking when Daddy is coming home. The humor and use of pathos opens the readers views of the topic up so they are not one-sided about the situation. Krug explains that because of her husband's job, the kids never get to see him before they go to bed. Instead of face time before bed, physically being with each other, the kids FaceTime their dad, the newly innovative tool to virtually have a live video chat. With this tool, the kids can always say goodnight to their father, even when he is miles away. It also brings the family together. Since their grandparents live far, it is a way to interact virtually face to face instead of just communicating over the phone. Her purpose is to support the opinion that technology has many positives for our world, and it is bringing people together, not separating them. I believe Krug did a good job of achieving her purpose. She uses many real life examples of how technology has impacted her life for the better. She touches on her special needs son who has trouble communicating but does a better job interacting when the conversation is face to face. This is a prime example of how technology has benefitted her life.

IRB intro post #1- Mirroring People

The independent reading book I chose to read this marking period is called Mirroring People by Marco Iacoboni. This is a book on the science of mirror neurons and psychology of how humans connect with each other through empathy. The author is a leading neuroscientist explaining the science of our "smart cells" in our brain allowing us to understand others. I chose this book because I am into neurology and psychology. This specific book jumped out to me because it is groundbreaking, new research capable with our modern technology and researchers. It is easily relatable and interesting to me because it is dealing with the science of humans. By reading this book, I hope to gain a better scientific knowledge of how and why humans can empathetically feel others through neurons.