TOW #28 - Born A Crime (Part I)

In Trevor Noah’s autobiography titled Born A Crime, the comedian recalls his childhood and his life having grown up as the son of a white father and black mother during Apartheid in South Africa. This is where the title of the autobiography stems from, as a marriage between blacks and whites was strictly illegal at this time, technically making his birth a crime. In order to convey the struggles growing up in South Africa at this time, in the first half of his book, Noah utilizes personal anecdotes tied with informal diction.

In the opening chapters of the autobiography, Noah begins to explain the relationships and the people living around him during his early childhood. In addition to this, Noah speaks of the conditions within South Africa where he was living. He tells that “everyone in the township bought things in minute quantities because nobody had any money. You couldn’t afford to buy a dozen eggs at a time, but you could buy two eggs because that’s all you needed that morning.” (Noah 41). By including this information about the living conditions of the region where he lived, Noah reveals to the reader how difficult it was for people to survive on a daily basis. For many people living within the US today, we do not even bat an eye when we go to the grocery store to buy what we consider our essentials for the week or longer. Meanwhile, these people living within South Africa during this period could not even afford to buy eggs for more than a day.

Continuing on throughout the biography, Noah speaks to the reader in a way that seems informal. He uses short sentences with language that is not very complex, seen with “I ate like a pig. The way I ate I should have been obese.” (Noah 77). With such simple phrasing, Noah is able to tell his story to a wider array of readers as it easier for more people to read and comprehend. Another result of this informal writing is that it has a sort of friendly tone that allows the reader to connect with Noah better and ultimately be more willing to listen to and consider the struggles that he talks of.

Overall, so far I am very interested in Trevor Noah’s biography! It is ridiculous to think of all of the ways that life in this region differs from what I know and from what I grew up with. As a result, I have become more considerate of the many things that I take for granted in life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy to read book that is definitely interesting. I cannot wait to complete the second half of this autobiography.

TOW #27 - iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 107 Seconds

Following their usual schedule, the tech-giant Apple Inc released the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in early September. The device came filled to the brim with all sorts of new features that were brand new to Apple devices. As with all of their products, Apple’s marketing team released a series of images and videos in order to advertise the advancements. One video in particular titled “iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 107 seconds” displays many of the new features in a creative and engaging way. In order to build interest for the product within this commercial, Apple employs a fast upbeat soundtrack, as well as quick moving text.

As soon as the advertisement opens, a fast paced percussion beat begins, roping the viewer in right from the start. While this music may seem on the surface to simply a song that the marketing theme thought was interested. In reality, this fast paced beat serves as an allusion to the world that we live in today. Due to the advancements brought by technology, society now thrives on speed and being able to transfer data and accomplish tasks quickly. The quickness of the music serves as a sign that the iPhone 7 will be able to deliver this speed that the public is attempting to achieve in their everyday phone usage. This ultimately will mean for more functionality for the user and will likely cause more viewers to want to try the device first hand with the chance of potentially purchasing it.

In addition to the choice in music, the ad is also able to grab the attention of the viewer through the inclusion of the very fast moving text. The text that does appear on screen includes all of the information that a potentially consumer may want to know, including new hardware features, new design choices, and of course new software features. Not only is the text informative to a viewer, it also works in a similar way that the tempo of the music does. The rapidity of the text with so much information shows the viewer that the number of features packed into such a small device seems to be nearly limitless. With so much information on what makes the product great according to Apple, the advertisement is able to convince a consumer to take a closer look at the new phone.

Overall, I do believe that Apple’s advertisement for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus was very effective in the way that it attempts to convince the viewer to seek more information about the device. I believe that Apple’s marketing team consistently does a good job with their work and they did not fail to disappoint here either.

TOW #26 - The French Disconnection

After the great controversy of the 2016 presidential election in the United States, France is experiencing a similar bout of controversy in the battle for leadership within their own country with many of the people split just like the American people. One of the candidates, Marine Le Pen, is a member of the far right National Front party. Le Pen’s campaign is also similar to Trump’s due to the vow to “make France free again” and considering a “Muslim travel ban”. Despite the great fear that exists surrounding the close-campaign, Kamel Daoud of the New York Times says otherwise.

On April 21st, the news source published an article written by Daoud in which he claims that Marine Le Pen will not become president of France. In order to support his view, Daoud reflects on the history of the National Front party and her tactics thus far.

In more recent years, the National Front has been associated with fear mongering among the French people and by supplying a voice to those who are in fear. Daoud rather boldly claims that “the National Front exists to arouse fear, not to govern.” (Daoud 4). Through the use of such a bold statement, Daoud attempts to sway the opinion of his readers, playing with the own fears that they may have about the government. In a time where political discourse is more prominent than ever, it is not difficult to believe that such a claim is true. While this may not be the most effective way to convince an audience, it certainly does work.

To go along with this idea of inspiring fears and playing on anxieties, La Pen has often spoken out about the rise of immigration and terrorism that has occurred in France. A sensitive topic around much of the Western world, the people who are living in fear within France are finding a voice to rally behind. While this would seem like a sure-fire way for her to secure the role of president, La Pen has spoken with many falsehoods in order to bolster her position. The mainstream politics within France completely go against this, believing that democracy will improve and that it does not need to be radically changed.

Overall, I did not find Daoude’s article to be very effective. It mostly seems to be personally opinionated with very little factual basis to reinforce his claims. I also cannot be sure that La Pen will not become president, seeing as the same thing happened with Trump. I do hope, however, that she does not.

IRB Introduction #4 - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah

For my fourth and final IRB of the 2016-2017 school year, I will be reading Trevor Noah’s, Born A Crime. The book follows actor and Daily Show host Trevor Noah and his growing up in South Africa towards the ending of apartheid there. The title of the book is derived from his birth being a crime as his father was white and his mother black - this was highly illegal at the time in South Africa. He tells the readers of his life in the time following apartheid and the struggles that he overcame struggling with the idea that in the eyes of the law, he was never supposed to exist. I believe that this sounds like a truly compelling story and I am excited to have the chance to read it!

TOW #25 - Recycling Electronic Waste Responsibly: Excuses Dwindle

Virtually everyone today uses electronics in some way or another, whether it be a cell-phone, a TV,  or a computer. But what happens when these electronics grow old and stop functioning correctly? Well, the user will replace them with newer tech, but where do the old electronics go? - Often times, they irresponsibly go to a landfill. On December 31, 2014, Molly Wood, frequent writer for the New York Times, wrote an article concerning E-Waste, its effects and ways to properly dispose of it. In order to inform the public of how to manage E-Waste, Wood employs relatable language as well as testimony from renowned sources.

Wood opens her article by explaining the issue as it exists, that is, explains what E-Waste is. In order to appeal to the reader, she uses unifying and relatable language stating, “maybe you replaced old electronics over the holidays or you’re just sweeping out the old and ushering in the New Year [...] For everyone’s sake, including Mother Nature’s try to get rid of your old technology the right way.” (Woods 1). Through her implementation of words such as “you” and by describing likely situations, Wood is able to show the reader how they can be contributing to this issue. Tying who is affected to this idea is more likely to make the reader brought to more attention. As a result of this, the reader may feel a sort of call to action to change the way they are acting, thus putting a stop to the production of as much E-Waste. Furthering these ideas, Wood includes statements from experts on the topic.

Through the inclusion of expert testimony on E-Waste, Wood is able to further describe the effects of the pollution. Speaking with James Kao, the CEO of a recycling company in California, called GreenCitizen, Kao said, “If you don’t know where the material goes, you could be thinking you’re doing the right thing, but it ends up being put on a ship and contributing to global dumping.” (Woods 6). By including statements such as those from Kao, Woods may cause people to realize that they are unaware of the ways that they may actually be affecting the rest of the world. For many, throwing something in the trash is a way of throwing away your problem, but this is not the case. In many cases, E-Waste is left in a landfill to deteriorate for hundreds of thousands of years, polluting the environment.

Ultimately, I do agree with Woods and that it is essential that E-Waste is correctly disposed of. Thankfully, many recycling centers and even stores like Best Buy now offer E-Waste recycling programs in order to properly dispose of this waste to reduce the environmental impact of getting rid of old electronics.

TOW #24 - Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival (Anderson Cooper) Part II

In his memoir titled, Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival, Anderson Cooper, a journalist having mostly worked with CNN, recounts the many times that he has been on the scene of, as the title says, war, disaster, and the struggle of people for their survival within these conditions. Writing in order to provide a new first person perspective of these major events to readers, Cooper was inspired to create his memoir after Hurricane Katrina. He is able to provide this perspective through his employment of testimony from others who have experienced the results of storms and personal anecdotes.

Cooper spends a large portion of his memoir talking about his experience surrounding Hurricane Katrina as this was a massive disaster that had major impacts on the lives of thousands of people. He writes of his interactions with a woman named Brandy Farris, a realtor for the company Century 21. She tells Cooper that following Katrina, there was a massive increase in the amount of people looking to buy property in New Orleans, sight unseen, even if the properties were underwater. “I’ve been doing real estate for twenty years, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” (Cooper 178).  Through his inclusion of the testimony from Farris, Cooper is able to show that some people unfortunately will take advantage of those who are affected. This is a side of a disaster that most people probably would not think of or consider. As a result, Cooper is able to provide an entirely new perspective to the reader, one that shows the destructiveness of storms and other disasters, not just to the physical world, but to the people there as well.

Nearing the end of the memoir, Cooper begins to wrap up his stories from Katrina. He speaks of walking through the streets and seeing the progress that had been made on the revival of New Orleans. He writes, “I head over to the house where a month ago they found the bodies of Edgar and Christina Bane and their two sons, Carl and Edgar Junior.” (Cooper 198). While this statement, may merely seem grim, it reveals a significant aspect of the results of a major disaster. Cooper obviously has been exposed to many disasters in his time as a reporter and this sort of occurrence, the discovery of dead, is likely a frequent occurrence. His nonchalant reaction to returning to the site however reveals that he has essentially been desensitized. This is why he is able to continuously visit the site of disaster. He shows the reader that these disasters also affect others indirectly through emotional damage, as seen with himself.

Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Cooper’s memoir as it provided me with a newfound perspective on major natural and manmade disaster in a sense that I would not have thought before. As a result, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone that is interested in memoirs or autobiographies and especially anyone who is a fan of Anderson Cooper in particular. I am glad that I had the chance to read this book and am looking forward to my next IRB.

TOW #23 - Are We Raising Racists?

On March 14th of 2017, the New York Times published an article written by Jennifer Harvey, an op-ed contributor for the paper, on the ideas of racism in the growing youth of the world. The article comes at a time when racial tensions in the United States are at a seemingly all time high, with supporters of Donald Trump taking his messages to the extreme as seen with alt-right supporting groups. In order to display the effects of these messages on the youth, Harvey utilizes personal anecdotes and uses current world examples. In the opening sentences of her text, Harvey describes her daughter learning about George Washington in her elementary school. However, the school provides a very one dimensional version of history that paints men like Washington as completely peaceful and freedom loving heroes, which truly is not the case. When Harvey told her daughter that many political figures, including Washington, owned slaves, her thoughts changed completely. This is quite significant as it displays the ineffectiveness of education of the youth on historical topics like racism. It is absolutely essential that children are not only taught of the peace and freedom that people once fought for, but it is extremely important that children are also taught of the immense suffering that so many ethnic groups have endured throughout history. To complement the issues of racism within the youth, Harvey also explains the various sources that children are now exposed to. It unfortunately seems to be nearly everyday that news breaks about the vandalism of a Jewish cemetery, the burning of a mosque, or attacks against specific racial groups. With children today being exposed more and more often to these sorts of behaviors, it is possible that they will begin to believe that this is an acceptable form of behavior. For this reason, we cannot allow for these ideas to grow within the most influenceable minds in the world. We must show the youth that ideas of racism are absolutely NOT acceptable. Overall, I do believe that Harvey was able to effectively start a push for this idea as a parent in modern society. I also believe that is of the utmost importance that this message is continually spread.