Culture Code Lesson 5: Chapters 7 and 8
One. Based on American experiences with consumer goods, what is the Code for quality?
We read on page 133, that the American Code for quality is IT WORKS.
This is from imprinting, early experiences in which we were “let down” by a product that failed. For example, I owned a 1999 Volvo S70 GLT that cost me 11K in repairs from the years I owned it, which was 2001-2007. I will never buy a Volvo again. In fact, I will never buy a European car.
On the other hand, the author claims that perfection represents the end of a process.
Americans don't like the process to end, so they'd rather have imperfection, the author claims.
There can be no perfection for the American consumer because products are constantly evolving. That is part of our consumer madness, always needing better and better things.
We read we are less impressed with perfection because we have a negative code for perfection. According to Rapaille, “The Culture Code for perfection is DEATH” (134).
Since for Americans, life is movement, there must be constant change and evolution in consumer products.
Rapaille makes this claim: We as Americans are adolescent and don’t want to be responsible for holding high standards of perfection, as the Japanese are. Our pioneer spirit shies away from perfection and prefers rugged, messy adventure.
To be frank, Rapaille did not convince me of this claim. I know lots of Americans, myself included, who have high standards of perfection in our consumer goods, including cars.
Perhaps Rapaille is trying to force this chapter into his theory about Americans. Perhaps this is a weakness in Rapaille's book.
Further, we read that Americans find perfection boring. Again, I know lots of Americans, myself included, who prefer the "boredom" of perfection to a consumer product that has reliability problem.
Consumer Code for Americans
Our Code for consumerism is planned obsolescence, knowing that the old thing will be replaced with the new. Therefore, perfection cannot exist because products get better and better. This is unconscious, Rapaille reminds us (137).
Americans Love Service
Another Code for American consumerism is SERVICE. The Korean car company Hyundai has addressed this American trait with a 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty resulting in dramatically increased US sales.
There is an implicit anti-Americanism in this claim. It appears Rapaille is implying that Americans are spoiled queens who need to be pampered. Is this true or an ugly American stereotype?
Two. What is the Code for feeding at the buffet?
Rapaille, from France, was astonished at American eating habits at buffets. They stuffed all kinds of foods on their plates, inhaled the food, and rushed back to the buffet table for more and more food. The vision was sickening and off-code for Rapaille but definitely on-code for Americans.
He noticed that he is a lover of wine but does not drink it to get drunk, yet Americans “go out to get drunk” in the way they go to buffets to binge themselves into sick fullness. In other words, Rapaille saw a parallel between these two binge behaviors.
Bingeing is driven by anxiety and depression, not codes.
So far, according to the author, Americans are arrogant, imperious gluttons with poor taste.
Three. What is “filling up the tank” mean to Americans?
“Filling up the tank” means the following:
quick
abundant
food diversity overload for efficiency (stuffing as many ingredients as possible on a plate for expedience)
In contrast, the French prefer small portions. In fact, an empty plate and wine glass are considered vulgar. This is also true in Iran.
The goal in American eating is to say, “I’m full” whereas the goal in French eating is to say, “That was delicious.”
This may be partly true, but it seems like an oversimplification. I think we can all agree that many Americans, perhaps most, desire food that allows them to say, "That was delicious."
Perhaps Rapaille's anti-American caricature is seeping through once again.
Four. What are the causes behind Americans’ love of the all-you-can-eat buffet?
America’s humble beginnings—poor and hungry—created a farmer mentality of eating. Fill my plate, please.
Farmers are the beginning of America's history. They wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning and eat steak, eggs, potatoes, pancakes, waffles, French toast, orange juice, milk, coffee, cream, donuts, pastries, etc., and then seven hours later it's time for lunch.
American hunger is so instinctive that Rapaille compares us to predators eating our prey with great urgency before competition comes to take it from us. American hunger compels us to eat like animals in case there is a long famine ahead of us.
We are engaged in Reptilian eating.
Further, we read that on an emotional or limbic level, Americans associate food with Mother’s unlimited love. If this is true, then HomeTown Buffet is a giant Food Momma.
In contrast, Italian culture, influenced by its aristocratic roots, shuns overeating as harmful to being able to appreciate taste.
Here we have another anti-American claim: Americans are feral creatures incapable of enjoying food as an eating experience. We don't eat, in Rapaille's judgment: We feed.
Five. What do Americans love more than eating?
Movement, being on the go, staying ahead of the competition.
In America, if you’re not moving, if you’re not doing something, if you’re not active, you’re not alive.
Therefore, our Food Code is fast food. We love fast food, protein bars, eating in cars, eating in classrooms, etc.
Food is FUEL for movement (146).
Americans spend more money on fast food than higher ed, computers, software, and new cars, movies, books, magazines, newspapers, and videos combined (146).
In 1970, Americans spent 6 billion on fast food. Today Americans spend over 100 billion on fast food.
In America, food is Code for ACTION.
In contrast, in France Code for food is pleasure. In Japan, food is Code for perfection.
In France, alcohol is Code for enjoyment and celebration.
In America, alcohol is Code for rebellion against authority, “being naughty,” intoxication, and reckless, violent behavior.
Going out to get drunk is uniquely American.
Sadly, alcohol is associated with violence.
“The American Culture Code for alcohol is GUN” (151).
Rapaille writes, “Think of the Old West Saloon and the recurring image of people getting drunk and getting into gunfights . . .” (152).
Essay Three: The Culture Code
Option A
One camp believes Rapaille is a marketing genius who uses invaluable psychological insights to gain codes that unlock the power of consumerism and as a result he is worth his huge asking price as a consultant. However, another camp esteems Rapaille as little more than a fraud who recycles the same archetypal “codes” and stereotypes and as a result he has no “secret sauce” to make him worth all the money he makes. In a 1,000-word essay, typed and double-spaced, support, refute, or complicate one of the assertions above.
Be sure to use Toulmin model of argumentation and have a Works Cited page with no fewer than three sources.
Option B
In a 1,000 word essay, compare Clotaire Rapaille's vision of an adolescent America with Joseph Epstein's similar vision in his essay "The Perpetual Adolescent." Be sure to follow comparison essay guidelines for structure and transitions.
Option C
In a 1,000-word essay, typed and double-spaced, support, refute, or complicate the assertion that The Culture Code evidences that marketing and advertising are evil agencies preying on anthropology, sociology, human psychology, the unconscious, the reptilian, and neuroscience to manipulate people into becoming helpless consumers. Be sure to use Toulmin model of argumentation and have a Works Cited page with no fewer than three sources.
Thesis statements or claims go under four different categories:
One. Claims about solutions or policies: The claim argues for a certain solution or policy change:
America's War on Drugs should be abolished and replaced with drug rehab.
We should hire Rapaille for our marketing firm because his track record evidences ____________, ____________, _______________, and ___________________.
Two. Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that a person, thing, policy or event caused another event or thing to occur.
Social media has turned our generation into a bunch of narcissistic solipsists with limited attention spans, an inflated sense of self-importance, and a shrinking degree of empathy.
Advertising, especially the kind made popular by that mountebank Rapaille, contributes to the degradation of society because _____________, ________________, _______________, and ___________________.
While some of Rapaille's methods are indeed manipulative, the insights in his book The Culture Code give us a penetrating insight into human nature with invaluable outcomes, which include _________________, ________________, _________________, and ___________________.
Three. Claims of value: These claims argue how important something is on the Importance Scale and determine its proportion to other things.
Global warming poses a far greater threat to our safety than does terrorism.
While Rapaille is a clever cultural critic who affords us invaluable insights into culture codes, the damage incurred from his colossal marketing manipulations does far more damage than any insights we gleam from his writings.
Four. Claims of definition. These claims argue that we must re-define a common and inaccurate assumption.
In America the notion of "self-esteem," so commonly taught in schools, is in reality a cult of narcissism. While real self-esteem teaches self-confidence, discipline, and accountability, the fake American brand of self-esteem is about celebrating the low expectations of mediocrity, and this results in narcissism, vanity, and sloth.
I'm sick of Rapaille's "codes," which are just a gimmick. What he is really selling is nothing more than cultural stereotypes evidenced by _______________, ___________________, ____________________, and _________________________.
Thesis with Concession Clause
While Author X is guilty of several weaknesses as described by her opponents, her argument holds up to close examination in the areas of _________________, ______________, _____________, and ______________.
Even though author X shows weakness in her argument, such as __________ and ____________, she is nevertheless convincing because . . .
While author X makes many compelling points, her overall argument collapses under the weight of __________, ___________, ___________, and ______________.
Brainstorm of list of topics and thesis statements that are relevant to the essay.
Most writers need to get the bad stuff out of the way, so there’s no shame in coming up with five bad thesis statements before getting to a good one. That’s a natural course of events.
Always make sure your thesis addresses the essay prompt.
Your thesis is a single sentence that drives your whole essay. The thesis in argumentation is often called your claim.
Generally speaking, a thesis is the main argument or controlling idea of your essay. It makes a claim that intellectually sophisticated, challenging to common assumptions, compelling, and can is supportable with evidence.
The more obvious a thesis, the less compelling it is to write. The more a thesis reaches for insight or challenges common assumptions, the more compelling and sophisticated it is.
Bad thesis:
Smartphones are a nuisance in the class.
Better thesis
Rather than ban students from using their smartphones in the class, college instructors should integrate these and other personal technological devices into their classroom teaching.
Writing an introduction to your essay
Before transitioning from your introduction to your thesis, you should look at some effective introduction strategies:
Briefly narrate a compelling anecdote that captures your readers’ attention.
State a common false argument or false perception that your essay will refute.
Offer a curious paradox to pique your readers’ interest.
Ask a question that your essay will try to answer.
Use a fresh (not overused) quotation or parable to stir your readers’ interest.
How to Set Up a Counterargument in Your Rebuttal Section (The Templates)
Some of my critics will dismiss my claim that . . . but they are in error when we look closely at . . .
Some readers will 0bject to my argument that . . . However, their disagreement is misguided when we consider that . . .
Some opponents will be hostile to my claim that . . . However, their hostility is unfounded when we examine . . .
Integrating Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism
Summarizing Sources
“A summary restates the main idea of a passage in concise terms” (314).
A typical summary is one or two sentences.
A summary does not contain your opinions or analysis.
Paraphrasing Sources
A paraphrase, which is longer than a summary, contains more details and examples. Sometimes you need to be more specific than a summary to make sure your reader understands you.
A paraphrase does not include your opinions or analysis.
Quoting Sources
Quoting sources means you are quoting exactly what you are referring to in the text with no modifications, which might twist the author’s meaning.
You should avoid long quotations as much as possible.
Quote only when necessary. Rely on summary and paraphrase before resorting to direct quotes.
A good time to use a specific quote is when it’s an opposing point that you want to refute.
Using Signal Phrases or Identifying Tag to Introduce Summary, Paraphrase, and Quoted Material
According to Jeff McMahon, the grading rubric in English classes is used in such a way by instructors that soon there will be no such thing as an “easy” or “hard” professor. They’ll all be the same.
Jeff McMahon notes that the grading rubric in English classes is used in such a way by instructors that soon there will be no such thing as an “easy” or “hard” professor. They’ll all be the same.
The grading rubric in English classes is used in such a way by instructors, Jeff McMahon observes, that soon there will be no such thing as an “easy” or “hard” professor.
The grading rubric in English classes is used in such a way by instructors that soon there will be no such thing as an “easy” or “hard” professor, Jeff McMahon points out.
Lesson on Evaluating Your Sources (adapted from The Arlington Reader, fourth edition)
We use sources to establish credibility and to provide evidence for our claim. Because we want to establish credibility, the sources have to be credible as well.
To be credible, the sources must be
Current or up to date: to verify that the material is still relevant and has all the latest and possibly revised research and statistical data.
Authoritative: to insure that your sources represent experts in the field of study. Their studies are peer-reviewed and represent the gold standard, meaning they are the sources of record that will be referred to in academic debate and conversation.
Depth: The source should be detailed to give a comprehensive grasp of the subject.
Objectivity: The study is relatively free of agenda and bias or the writer is upfront about his or her agenda so that there are no hidden objectives. If you’re consulting a Web site that is larded with ads or a sponsor, then there may be commercial interests that compromise the objectivity.
Checklist for Evaluating Sources
You must assess six things to determine if a source is worthy of being used for your research paper.
The author’s objectivity or fairness (author is not biased)
The author’s credibility (peer reviewed, read by experts)
The source’s relevance
The source’s currency (source is up-to-date)
The source’s comprehensiveness (source has sufficient depth)
The author’s authority (author’s credentials and experience render him or her an expert in the field)
Warning Signs of a Poor Online Source
Site has advertising
Some company or other sponsors site
A political organization or special interest group sponsors the site.
The site has many links to other biased sites.
Example of Biased "Sources"
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