Rhetorical Analysis Of When Online Shaming Goes Too Far

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In recent discussions pertaining to public shaming, the use of online media has captured the attention of many as these events have become more common in the span of the last ten years. Some people who have participated in this global discussion have adopted the position that despite the intent of social media users, publicly shaming others can create unexpected and detrimental consequences for those who are shamed on such a massive scale. One supporter of this view is Jon Ronson, who in the TED Talk “When Online Shaming Goes Too Far” (July 2015), explores two instances of public shaming and the impacts they've produced in two people's lives. On the other hand, some have argued that this issue could easily be solved by taking …show more content…

Through this, I will be exploring the several instances highlighted in both Ronson's and Biddle's articles that express what the basis for online media shaming entail and the effects of public shaming for those who have been shamed on such a large scale. To encourage discussion about this ever-evolving topic, I will also be incorporating ideas from each author's perspective and analyzing how their rhetorical strategies have helped their argument in regard to online media …show more content…

For children, I guess it was just a lot easier to simplify it and call it cyber bullying. Instead of settling their problems face to face, youth jumped to their devices to “blast” one another about rumors they heard or started themselves. This was oh so common in high school, where one clique would begin to subtweet another clique to publically announce their issues to their hundreds sometimes even thousands of followers. The practice of subtweeting or badmouthing someone without specifically tagging them, drew in students who had no dog in the fight to input their opinion on the situation. From there, things usually tend to spiral out of control where one party is being repeatedly attacked by several other Twitter accounts at once. Although this is mostly seen with incredibly outspoken adolescents, this type of shaming isn’t just reserved for that demographic. From celebrities to everyday people, older adults are beginning to join the social media platform of their choice whether it be to strengthen their brand or to connect and keep up with family and friends they don’t get to see as often as they would like. This new age of intriguing media has the same implications for all, public shaming is a real and can happen to any user at any

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