Election 2008

Every four years politicians and parties utilize every medium of communication to persuade citizens. They try from different angles to demonstrate that they are the best choice, the best candidate for the respective position and that their opponent doesn’t give the size. They have different publicity agencies working overtime, developing strategies and saturating the communication media with propaganda. This year there are four different parties “Partido Popular Democratico” (PPD), “Partido Nuevo Progresista” (PNP), ”Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño” (PIP) and “Puertorriqueños por Puerto Rico” (PPR). It is crystal clear that we were and still spectators of a huge “fight” between parties, especially between the PPD and the PNP; evident media battles through radio and TV commercials.

At the beginning we were able to see that the PPD, through commercials, respond the attack PNP propaganda which took advantage of the accusations of the currently governor, Anibal Acevedo. However while they fought back those accusations they also used the medium to improve the image of the candidate for the governor position, Anibal Acevedo. After that, they started to use commercials to create a negative image of Luis Fortuño, an example is the commercial that express that he is currently being managed like a puppet by some people of within his party, by Thomas Rivera Schatz for example. As a direct consequence the PNP place Anibal as a liar using pieces of the debate 2004 where he was saying things and promising things that for a reason he couldn’t fulfill after assume his position as governor. Right now PPD message creates the need of a change in which they should have full control of the executive, senate and legislature ; creating the image that he will do better if the people vote to give him a group of his own party, he needs that support in order to “make the real change”. Within few days before the election we can see that both parties have change most of their commercials, where the majority are trying to demonstrate a view of progress and a better future. In some of them they are trying to integrate the youngster to the movement using elements that they like, an example is the music.

While the PPD and the PNP throw themselves with everything in an interactive campaign in which they answer, sometimes within minutes, each other the PIP and the PPR use their commercials to present part of their convictions, beliefs and part of their platform. Some critics discussed with Davila Colon the quality of some of the commercials where they concluded that the PPR was delivering commercials with higher quality, less expensive than the others; but at the same time with a concrete message. This is because there are focusing in a simple concise message without creating controversies, not being and ideological party his composition integrates persons that believe in the commonwealth, independence and statehood and that they should unify and vote “for them for Puerto Rico”.

These have being a very dirty play between the two major parties, the PPD and PNP, both have lost their posture and have treated themselves without respect. People have to make a choice, but before doing that they have to open their minds, they have to avoid having a blind fanatic mind, so they can think with sanity and good sense. They have to put on a balance and decide what they want and need in order to have a better future, for our country, for our families and for ourselves. It is hard to choose when they all are using rhetoric in their discourses and try to persuade the people that are suffering. But to be an excellent politician you have to be more than a good orator you have to work for the best of his country. We are facing a unique election with four parties, three of them ideological, with great exposure and appealing to the economic situation but also to the ideals creating and excellent struggle not easily to be analyzed. Some pessimists may think that we should pick the one that is going to harm the less our society and our economy. Even thought is our time to decide!

Positive effects of technology in child's education

Computers are a virus that is not only infecting our homes but also our schools. Nowadays, there is no way that a student living at this time and part of the world would survive the competition without a computer. What thing does the computer provides to the education of young people that makes it so important?

In Puerto Rico, there are private schools, like Radians, that during the previous years has being incorporating computer as fundamental equipment for the development of the future professional. This private school as well requires that every student should have a laptop, even the elementary students. Laptops integration improve student motivation and engagement with schoolwork, also influence classroom interaction among other things.Teacher’s duty is to train students with skills of research and also how to be skeptical, they should be cautious with the information they found on the internet.

On the other side we have public schools, were the computers are rare to be found and with the technology changing so fast they can’t maintain the pace. This is a great disadvantage; the kids of the public system don’t have access to most of the technology, to the internet and to the information but they are curious and they are finding the ways to overcome it, visiting friends, family even going to different universities in order to get in the net and workout their school projects.

The internet provides, to students, access to a huge amount of information, information that is only few minutes away. There is no need for student to wait their parent to take them to the library; there is a degree of kid’s individualization. Computers an interactive tool that is also amusing, entertains, is an excellent motivator, for students, to look beyond what they see and to satisfy their curiosity by looking and searching for information. People says that kids from this generation born knowing, but obviously this is not true. The thing is that they possess the information right in front of them on a screen, while back in the past child remained with their doubts inside them, ignorant.

In the Electronic Literacy reading the author mention the importance of modern technology in order to have, in the future, what the society is asking for: more symbolic-analytic minds. These types of persons are characterized by being skeptical, curious and creative, they are the new generation of professionals and those who do not take the train on time are being left behind.

Computers have shown that they are excellent tools for the education of the next symbolic-analytical minds. However, there are some concerns about the excessive use of computers and like every thing in excess, can be dangerous. In order to have effective results we must implement a balanced education where computers are teacher’s supplemental instrument. But it is essential that as well teacher teach how to sum, it is important to instruct how to use the computer and the internet for educational purposes. Computers may be use as extraordinary tools; but still tools, our minds and knowledge has to be mainly in our brain. So most important is to maintain a healthy equilibrium between our tool information and our knowledge. So being skeptical but open to new information and/or technologies is our major objective. Being able to synchronize all this is a challenge but our kids are ready to assume it. They are sons and daughters of this technology; they are growing surrounded by it, they are capable of integrate it as an important part of themselves. Youngsters feel comfortable with it, is natural.

Young students are having the opportunity that many generations before didn’t have, the opportunity to learn about computer as much as we know about typewriter. Is this revolution the beginning of a new world? I guess it is.

Rhetoric

I don’t know what rhetoric is, at least, I didn’t knew until I get to the university. Also I didn’t have an idea of what rhetoric implies, if it was good or evil, where it comes from, or even its function in society. But readily after I was able to listen and read about the concept, I realize that rhetoric is impartial, can be use for creation or destruction. That is older and even stronger than anyone I knew and I will ever know. But the most important things that I learned are those presented here.

From the ancient Greece to nowadays the art of speeches and persuasion, rhetoric, has been and still is one of the greatest instrument that man has acquired and taken advantage from. Back time in Greece, this ability was used mainly intended to help citizens plead their petition in the court of law. But these days, rhetoric is employ everywhere: in politics, law, humanities, public relation, science, journalism, history and among a wide range of fields. It is inevitable to notice how it has transcended for so many centuries. Explaining why it is adjudicated so many different definitions containing diverse purposes, still, maintaining the fundamental character that focus on how words are crafted.

There is an extensive list of definition about what is rhetoric, but one that is powerful is a definition given by Plato. Plato says: “Rhetoric is the art of winning the soul by discourse”. This is a definition that is beyond our eyes, it let us know what should be rhetoric and how you should feel when a discourse, like this, is heard. It recollects the main idea of the meaning; it is a speech with the aim to reach the people in order to touch the audiences’ heart and persuade. Rhetoric is considered an art because is“[…] an expression that is appealing to the sense or emotion of a human individual” and because is a skill as a result of learning and practice. Even though rhetoric comes from the Greek word rhetorike, “speech art”, it does not imply that is a “purely oral art form” instead is the art of writing and speaking. The importance of writing in rhetoric is that it permits the improvement of the work. Writing “did not reduce orality but enhanced it making possible to organize the principles or constituents of oratory into a scientific art,[…]”. It makes rhetoric what it is.

In arguments, rhetoric is highly used and seen. An argument is “a form of discourse in which the writer or speaker tries to persuade an audience to accept, reject, or think a certain way about a problem that cannot be solved by scientific or mathematical reasoning alone.” Its primary objective is to persuade the receptor with the help of elements like structure, evidence and the utilization of appeals. The three types of appeals: ethos, pathos and logos; were establish by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, and are part of what rhetoric implies. Rhetoric studies the ability of effective communication along with the emotional impact and the content. Helping the society to communicates with others in a call to collectively confront any obstacle.

Once, the U.S Supreme Court of Justice, Louis D. Brandeis said: “Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”. People and the society must use their voice and their tools to break with the chains that won’t let them develop and progress. There is nothing to fear when you are prepared with: a pattern of reasoning, relevant evidence and has the motives to fight against the injustices and/or against erroneous point of views. It is evident that rhetoric arises mainly in open and democratic societies where freedom of speech is a privilege that everybody has. An example, the United State of America first amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, [… ] and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”. This provides the society the opportunity and the autonomy to express themselves and to defend their rights as Martin Lutherking Jr. did, in the discourse “I have a Dream”. There is no doubt that this speech was and still is an example of a contemporary rhetorical discourse that keeps reaching and moving hearts, even though 45 years have passed. Unfortunately, in places were the free of speech is just an aspiration, rhetoric may not be the best option to persuade a mass about the fails of the society including the government and the religion.

We may see rhetoric in many ways, from different angles, with similar descriptions or/and definitions; but we have to understand the impact it has over the listeners. This skill, being as effective use of speech, as it is, and in hands of an unscrupulous person may generate negative reactions. It can be an insincere or untruthful language. Society has to evolve in his education in order to not only create great orators but also strong minds educated to understand and recognize the impact of rhetoric. I believe that Rhetoric evolves independently of the different discourses that may be written, but in accordance with the wisdom of the minds. I believe is a living form of art with great potentiality, an important tool which should be use with great responsibility and diligence. But, independently of this concept, we should be clever receptors, with critic ear and an educated mind in order to avoid hostile manipulations. As a consequence of the essential relation between orator and listener, adjustments are required in order to maintain the rhetoric.

I dare to say that rhetoric is an instrument strong not only as the first amendment of U.S. Constitution but even stronger, like the right to live and breath. It is a weapon that is available for everyone, used by many and unknown by others. Hopefully in the future everybody will make notice that they are human beings with eyes, mouth, ears and the most important part, brain, where they can reason and respond. In the same way rhetoric was develop long time ago with an objective, we were created also with the possibility of making valuable the art of rhetoric.

References

Some Definitions of Rhetoric. Retrieved September 11, 2008,
from Stanford University Department of English Web site:
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/english/courses/
sites/lunsford/pages/defs.htm

U.S. Constitution: First Amendment. Retrieved September 11,
2008, from FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business Web site:
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/ constitution/amendment01/

Nordquist, R. .Definitions of Rhetoric in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Retrieved September 11, 2008, from About.com, a
part of The New York Times Company Web site:
http://grammar.about.com/od/rhetoricstyle/a/clasdefrhetoric.htm

Burton G.O. What is rhetoric?. Retrieved September 11, 2008,
from Brigham Young University Web site:
http://rhetoric.byu.edu/encompassing%20terms/rhetoric.htm

Art. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from Dictionary.com Web
site: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/art

Ong W.J. (1988). The orality of language. In New Accents (Ed), T.,
Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. (pp.
5-15). New York: Methuen.

The nature and process of argument. (pp. 3-11).