In his provocative article “Green Guilt”, Stephen T. Asma elaborates the sources behind why civilians of Western culture feel passionately guilty about the current norm of environmentalism. Asma’s purpose of such text is to inform readers that Western culture is taking environmentalism to the extreme by developing guilt with an association of not living a valued “green life”. Stephen Asma achieves his analysis to the audience of vast environmentalists by emphasizing this extreme guilt and self-loathing through the rhetorical appeal of pathos and ethos -- as well as using diction and tone to support his evidence.
“Not too long ago, at a party, a friend confessed in a group conversation that he didn’t really recycle. It was as if his casual
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comment had sucked the air out of the room” (25). Asma describes the outrage that the guests at the party felt as they learned that their friend did not recycle. He points out how no one should feel such guilt and shame after such a small confession about not recycling. Using the emotion of guilt, Asma effectively conveys his own personal narrative to appeal to the audience’s emotional sensibilities. By appealing to pathos, he established a state of reception for the audience’s ideas. Whether it may be agreeing with his argument or submissively denying it, Asma’s effectiveness of relying on a narrative to portray his points of view allows the environmental supporters to identify with them as well. Asma also notes how the feelings of resentment are deeply grounded in Western culture because of our inheritance of Judeo-Christian values. He frequently mentions how these emotions are universal among all people but they are “comparatively extreme” in the Western culture because of our tendency to feel unconstructive. “Instead of religious sin plaguing our conscience, we now have the transgressions of leaving the water running, leaving the lights on, failing to recycle, and using plastic grocery bags instead of paper” (26). Using the appeal to Ethos, Asma frequently gains credibility Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th- century German philosopher, who considers that people turn to an ideal God because of our feelings of guilt, which stem from bottled up emotions of aggression that are turned inward. He later then applies Nietzsche’s values by stating, “We need a belief in a pristine environment because we need to be cruel to ourselves as inferior beings, and we need that because we have these aggressive instincts that cannot be let out” (27). Asma contrasts extreme environmentalism to the most destructive forms of religious guilt.
He compares moral annoyance on to an “apocalyptic fear-mongering that previously took the shape of repent or burn in hell, but now it is recycle or burn in the ozone hole” (27). Asma uses metaphors to mock the comparison between religion versus environmentalism. His article advocates for an ideology that is not as dominated by these feelings of guilt and believes that we should “lighten our fervor to more reasonable levels.” Asma’s comparison to religious extremities and environmentalism creates diction among what the audience may value or not agree with. By pursuing such controversy, Asma’s points of view allow the audience to take thought on the parallels between their aggression and self-reflection, as well as the green marketing ploys made to persuade the members of the modern society. Throughout Asma’s argument, he frequently uses a diction to lead to the humorous tone of his submissive counterargument. He mentions that we may not be able to punch the people we want to punch in real life, so we turn our aggression to the retrobates of TV land. Comparing a “joyful hatred” to such TV shows may justify the defense of our own “virtue and orthodoxy”. The diction created by the specific word choice allows the diction to affect the overall tone of the article -- satirical with a slight serious approach. If he were to use different words, it would be less effective. His metaphorical explanation also appeals to pathos because it represents another set of emotional feelings the audience feels. By mentioning the common appeal to modernized television, Asma enables the audience to connect on a personal level to a controversy that is not related to environmentalism, but is similar in a way that it makes everyone feeling guilty all feel the
same. To wrap up Asma’s argument, he ends his article with the question: “Do we really need one more humorless religion?” (29). His question contradicts with the audience in a satirical way. Asma ends his argument by suggesting that we “temper our fervor to more reasonable levels.” His thesis suggests that we by all means help save the planet, but do so in a more natural, less religious way. Asma successfully expresses on how to go about this tactful approach by ending his article with the suggestion the allows the reader to reflect upon themselves. His consideration of a line drawn between religious conviction and personal belief successfully counteracts an opposing audience’s mindset in a way that disputes the ideological norms of living a truly valued green lifestyle.
Alfred M Green wrote and presented a speech about encouraging the blacks that striving to enlist in the army is worth it. He includes historical and religious allusion, political diction, and juxtaposition. Although it's understandable that you don’t feel patriotic, Green argues that striving to enlist in the army is worth it because it will prove patriotism, and we will prove our argument of justice and equality because we deserve it. Also, we will fight to prevent those values from disappearing in the South. He wants his audience to feel motivated, encouraged, and inspired, to feel and want his audience to believe in the same values as him, to make a change which is to enlist in the army.
The writer starts of the anti-environmentalists section by setting a mockery tone and explaining that the side arguing sees their opposing side as inferior. The writer sets it up so that the anti-environmentalists argue in a very childish manner. They use words like “enviros” an “wackos”. The superior state allows them to exaggerate on the characteristics of these conservationists. The anti-environmentalists openly accuse the environmentalists of always looking for power. He exaggerates their policies to make them sound hungry for power. Next, the writer becomes incongruent and tries to get people on his side by saying that these men and women are trying to pass laws and become very powerful to take control and transform this country.
In the journal of Environmentalism as Religion, Paul H. Rubin discuss about how environmental is similar to religion. Rubin want everyone to know that the environment and religion are somehow similar in a way, which they both have belief system, creation stories and original sin.
“Thoughts in the Presence of Fear” is a manifesto written by Wendell Berry, dated October 11, 2001. It is a post-September 11 manifesto for environmentalists. Berry uses terms such as “we” and “they” as he expresses his ideas, regarding how our optimism for a “new economy” was founded upon the labors of poor people all over the world. I will conduct a rhetorical analysis of four sections of Berry’s manifesto; Sections XI, XII, XIII, and XIV; and discuss his use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Berry uses pathos more often in his paper, to instill feelings of guilt and fear in his readers. While many areas of his paper can be thought of as logos, Berry makes little use of ethos.
During the time of the Civil War, the United States was divided on many issues; one of the issues being the issue of slavery. The North was fighting against the heinous act of imprisoning someone for life for self-gain and the South was fighting to preserve this heinous act. The North needed all the warriors of freedom as possible, which is why Alfred M. Green gave a speech in Philadelphia in April 1861 to get his fellow African Americans to join the union and fight be the warriors of freedom that the North needed them to be in this fight against slavery. But, there is a problem in recruiting people to leave their lives and go fight in a gruesome war -- people fear for their lives. To avoid this fear and get African Americans to fight in this war, Green utilizes two unionizing rhetorical strategies in order to dismantle this fear
McKibben’s writing style makes it difficult for readers to truly understand the argument he presents; therefore, they are gullible to accepting his opinions. McKibben embarks on a rampage in this article, seeming to continuously ramble on with concepts that fly over the average person’s head. He uses words such as “Class C forest,” “A-2 forest,” “peak-load electricity,” “geothermal drilling,” and “hydrogen sulfide emissions.” McKibben must not be thinking of his audience because for the audience to grasp his argument thoroughly he needs to define these concepts well. If he were writing for a science magazine in which his audience would be well educated in environmental issues, his writing style would be accepted. But this article appeared in Rolling Stone where the audience is not educated on these issues. His bitter and intense voice makes the reader feel as if th...
The purpose of any text is to convey the criticisms of society, with V for Vendetta and Animal Farm being chief examples of this statement. Through their use of allusion, symbolism and representation, they portray many of society's flaws and imperfections. Such an imperfection includes the illustration of how totalitarian governments abuse the power they have acquired for their own gain, harming the people they are sworn to serve and protect. Through this abusive self-gaining government, we all are liable to become victims of consumer culture caused by the blind obedience to advertising and propaganda, being unable to form or voice an opinion of our own. But this lack of opinion can be at fault because of our own apathy, the ignorance and slothfulness that is contributed to the role we play in our society and the importance of that role's ability to motivate and inspire change.
“The Coddling of the American Mind” is a persuasive article written by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt about the increased use of trigger warnings. As all persuasive writing does, the authors used logos, ethos, and, especially, pathos to convince their readers of how unnecessary and possibly harmful the use of trigger warnings can be. In “Coddling of the American Mind”, authors Lukianoff and Haidt try to sway their readers with facts and logic, or the rhetorical appeal known as logos. The most obvious use of logos is the list of Common Cognitive Distortions listed at the end of the article; this list provides helpful information for the reader, as well as makes the authors seem knowledgeable. Definitions for words such as “microaggression”
The environment in America today is far from Eden, but there is a valiant battle being fought by many to return the earth to a more "natural" state. Green and clean is the preferred vision of the future1. This trend towards environmental awareness, or environmentalism, is a prominent theme in today’s American society. Politics, industry, marketing, and media all use the environment as a means to sell themselves. With such a high profile, it seems almost unbelievable that there was a time when the word environment was little known or not used. However, the period was not so long ago. Even before World War II nature was referred to as wilderness and wilderness existed to serve humans2. The shift from nature existing to serve humans to humans protecting the environment was not a very complex project, but rather one of many small influences and their resulting effects. Hence, the rise of environmentalism in American society is the result of gradual social changes, which created a shift in social values.
In 1989, seventy five percent of Americans identified themselves as environmentalists, and the number has continued to grow since then (Walls 1). Environmentalism is now the most popular social movement in the United States, with over five million American families donating regularly to environmental organizations (Walls 1). Environmentalists today focus on what kind of world they hope to see in the future, and largely deal with limiting pollution and changing consumption rates (Kent 1 and 9). Modern environmentalists also have much different issues than those Carson’s America faced. With climate change becoming more threatening each year, protection of the natural world is needed more than ever. Pollution has caused the warmest decade in history, the deterioration of the ozone layer, and species extinction in extreme numbers (Hunter 2). It not only threatens nature, but also human populations, who already suffer from lack of clean water and poisoning from toxic chemicals (Hunter 16). Unlike environmental actions in the 1960’s, which were mostly focused on protection, a massive increase in pollution has caused efforts to be focused on environmental restoration (Hunter 16). Like in the time of Silent Spring, environmentalists are not only concerned with one country. Protecting the environment remains a global issue, and every nation is threatened by the
During the seventies, media played a vital and crucial role in conducting the behavior and perspective of the people. Environmentalists also contributed in providing a solution to improve the conditions of the environment and call for government action instead of holding the individual responsible. Imperatively, anyone with ecological, political or social interest and its correspondence with society will benefit from Dunaway’s meticulous article and noteworthy experience in the field of
For as long as we have lived some business has been known to destroy the earth’s natural environment for their own selfish reasons, without showing any concern of who or what might be affected from their decisions. Environmental conscience means to have a sense of what is right and wrong with in the environment. In the article “Business and Environmental Ethics” by W. Michael Hoffman debates that business has a moral obligation to develop an environmental conscience and to participate in solving environmental problems. In the film ‘The Corporation” it argues that it is not even possible for a corporation to develop an environmental conscience at all. In this essay I will explain how W. Michael Hoffman argue his position and why the film “The
“Unless humanity is suicidal, it should want to preserve, at the minimum, the natural life-support systems and processes required to sustain its own existence” (Daily p.365). I agree with scientist Gretchen Daily that drastic action is needed now to prevent environmental disaster. Immediate action and changes in attitude are not only necessary for survival but are also morally required. In this paper, I will approach the topic of environmental ethics from several related sides. I will discuss why the environment is a morally significant concern, how an environmental ethic can be developed, and what actions such an ethic would require to maintain and protect the environment.
Ecological theories and environmental ethics are reciprocally and dynamically linked. Inquiry into this thesis can provide epistemological and ethical insights for ecologists and environmental philosophers. First, for ecologists it clarifies that environmental ethics is not purely a normative corpus that we should adopt under the pressure of an environmental crisis. Ethical conceptions participate in the genesis and evaluation of ecological theories. Second, environmental philosophers have tended to focus on how ecological sciences could inform environmental ethics. I emphasize, in turn, that it is valuable to analyze and to discuss how ethical conceptions can and do inform ecological sciences.
There has been a tremendous attention from EU scholars about environmental policy. Since the 1970’s there has been numerous environmental crises and the emergency of an environmental, social movement in several European countries, but even after green politics in Europe quietened and environmental policy gained a ‘normal’ status in the “acquis communautaire”, this attention never subsided.