More handpicked essays just for you.
environmental problems caused in the oil sands of alberta
The impact of the oil crisis on the US economy
oil price effect on economy essay
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Even though it is the world’s grimiest form of petroleum, tar sand oil has recently moved onto the list of nature resources. In most cases, it takes more energy to produce than the oil yields in return, but Canada has a plethora of these reserves now open to our new technologies. The Keystone XL oil pipeline was purposed in 2008 to connect refineries in Alberta, Canada to plants in the Gulf of Texas; otherwise, it would not be economically feasible due to the cost of transporting. The production of the pipeline would create jobs and lessen the U.S.’s dependency on other countries’ oil but at a great risk to the environment. The decision is up to the president, who is supposed to make up his mind in the first half of this year. In the article “No to Keystone. Yes to Crazy.” Thomas Friedman tries to persuade readers to make noise over the Keystone XL oil pipeline. To do this, he uses emotional imagery that tugs at our need to feel safe and to aggress. Ultimately, either for or against it, this article is successful in provoking an emotional response. Friedman’s article states that he hopes the president will turn it down, but he doesn’t think he will. As a result, he wishes “Bill McKibbin and his 350.org coalition go crazy. I’m talking chain-themselves-to-the-White-House-fence-stop-traffic-at-the-Capitol kind of crazy” (Friedman). He explains that if we make a big enough fuss over the pipeline we might get global responses to climate change. In his view, we have a rare advantage of a second-term Democratic president who is trying to create more jobs, but he also has an environmental counsel to keep happy. He writes, “So cue up the protests, and pay no attention to people counseling rational and mature behavior” (Friedman). ... ... middle of paper ... ...e tired into our “craving to be powerful” (Fowles). Overall, “No to Keystone. Yes to Crazy.” Is successful because it stirs up talk of the pipeline, which is exactly what Friedman wants. It angers us and gives a sense of importance and urgency for both sides of the argument. The way in which he goes about constructing his argument adds to the general cause. He lists some of the pros along with the cons to give an impression of the bigger picture and to insure he is not being biased. Still, his reasoning is presented rationally and locally. In the end, Friedman has got me crazy over the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Works Cited Friedman, Thomas. “No to Keystone. Yes to Crazy.” nytime.com. The New York Times. 9 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Fowles, Jib. "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals." Conversations. New York: Pearson Education, 2006. 261-84. Print.