09/17/2024

Frederick Douglass Lecture #1 Fall 2024

1A Essay 2: Frederick Douglass Champions African-American History 

The Purpose of Essay 2:

You will examine Frederick Douglass as the Northstar of African-American history to address the claim that teaching African-American history is a form of anti-American, “woke” indoctrination by examining Frederick Douglass’ rigor in presenting the truth of American history. By studying Frederick Douglass’ life, you can interrogate common assumptions about freedom, democracy, and social justice. You can study Frederick Douglass’ witness to slavery as an antidote to the American revisionist myth of the Lost Cause, which perversely celebrates slavery as a blessing by God ruined by “Northern aggression against state rights.” You can also study Frederick Douglass’ life as an exemplar of discipline, literacy-fueled transformation, continual self-improvement, and commitment to helping others overcome what Jordan Peele calls the Sunken Place. In sum, the life of Frederick Douglass is a repudiation of false claims and Strawman arguments that depict African-American history in a derogatory manner to silence African American voices.  

For Essay 2, choose one from the following:

Choice A: Frederick Douglass Lifted Others Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we are well advised to look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. Based on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave (available as a PDF online) and Clint Smith’s essay “Monuments to the Unthinkable,” write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass and learning about Germany’s post-World War II moral reform is a way of learning about racial injustice that avoids the aforementioned pitfalls because Douglass’ life and Germany’s moral reform embody the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem a society’s past racial sins, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this assignment, I recommend two excellent books for further reading: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight and The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen. I also recommend the 2022 documentary Becoming Frederick Douglass. 

Resources you must use for Choice A:

Sample Outline for Choice A:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the arguments of those who oppose teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom because they claim these teachings are forms of political indoctrination based on woke ideology, CRT, and DEI resulting in an anti-American screed that encourages victimization and learned helplessness. 

Paragraph 2: Your thesis--address the claim that the real purpose of teaching racial injustice is to bypass politics and encourage Frederick Douglass' moral calling for all: To identify the Sunken Place, a state of despair based on dehumanization, so that we can lift each other to strengthen democracy for all people and to never repeat the sins of the past. 

Paragraphs 3-6: Your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraph 7: Your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 8: Your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis.

Works Cited page with a minimum of 4 sources

 

 

Choice B: Frederick Douglass and the movie Black Panther Point to a Way Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we can compare the themes in the 2018 Ryan Coogler movie Black Panther and Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. In this context, write an essay that compares the way we can learn the essence of African-American history in the movie Black Panther and the writings of Frederick Douglass. This comparison should address the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem America, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement so that we can find our “Inner Wakanda.” Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this essay, I recommend the following YouTube videos: “Black Panther: Symbolism Explained” and “Black Panther--Creating an Empathetic Villain.”

Resources you must use for Choice B:

Sample Outline for Choice B:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the arguments of those who oppose teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom because they claim these teachings are forms of political indoctrination based on woke ideology, CRT, and DEI resulting in an anti-American screed that encourages victimization and learned helplessness. 

Paragraph 2: Your thesis--address the claim that the real purpose of teaching racial injustice is to bypass politics and encourage the movie Black Panther's moral calling for all: To identify the Sunken Place, a state of despair based on dehumanization, so that we can lift each other to strengthen a Utopian Wakanda for all people and to repel the evils from "Outer Wakanda." 

Paragraphs 3-6: Your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraph 7: Your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 8: Your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis.

Works Cited page with a minimum of 4 sources

Choice C. Glory Vs. The Lost Cause

The Lost Cause is a perversion of African-American history, a fabrication that claims that God blessed slavery and that in the system of slavery, whites and blacks lived in peaceful harmony, but the evil North ruined this harmony through “Northern aggression” and the “violation of state rights.” Write an essay that addresses the claim that the Life of Frederick Douglass and the 1989 movie Glory provides an effective counter-narrative to the heinous mythologies behind The Lost Cause. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Resources you must use for Choice C:

Sample Outline for Choice C:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the arguments of those who oppose teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom because they claim these teachings are forms of political indoctrination based on woke ideology, CRT, and DEI resulting in an anti-American screed that encourages victimization and learned helplessness. 

Paragraph 2: Your thesis--address the claim that the real purpose of teaching racial injustice is to bypass politics and encourage Frederick Douglass' moral calling for all: To identify the Sunken Place, a state of despair based on dehumanization, so that we can lift each other to strengthen democracy for all people, reject historical revisionism such as The Lost Cause, and to never repeat the sins of the past. 

Paragraphs 3-6: Your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraph 7: Your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 8: Your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis.

Works Cited page with a minimum of 4 sources

Choice D. Misinformation Is the Enemy of the People 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that the misinformation that fuels The Lost Cause as interrogated by the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On” and the the lies of Alex Jones evident in the HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones makes a persuasive case that misinformation is the enemy of moral decency and a liberal democracy. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Resources you must use for Choice D:

  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave PDF.
  • The HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones (which requires a subscription fee unless I have time to show it to the class)
  • Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On”

Sample Outline for Choice D:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the arguments of those who oppose teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom because they claim these teachings are forms of political indoctrination based on woke ideology, CRT, and DEI resulting in an anti-American screed that encourages victimization and learned helplessness. 

Paragraph 2: Your thesis--address the claim that the real purpose of teaching racial injustice is to bypass politics and encourage Frederick Douglass' moral calling for all: To identify the Sunken Place, a state of despair based on dehumanization, so that we can lift each other to strengthen democracy for all people, resist weaponized misinformation and historical revisionism, and to never repeat the sins of the past. 

Paragraphs 3-6: Your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraph 7: Your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 8: Your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis.

Works Cited page with a minimum of 4 sources

Choice E. Condescension and Stereotyping

Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the way both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans and how this condescension can be a subtle cause of the Sunken Place.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Resources you must use for Choice E:

 

Outline for Choice E:

Paragraph 1: Write an extended definition of white liberal condescension and provide at least one salient example.

Paragraph 2: Your thesis: Explain how both movies present parallel illustrations of white liberal condescension and how this condescension is dehumanizing. 

Paragraphs 3-7: Analyze 5 similar examples of condescension and subtle denigration in the two movies. 

Paragraph 8: Your conclusion, a dramatic restatement of your thesis.  

***

Getting Ideas for Essay Option E from ChatGPT:

Both *Get Out* and *American Fiction* brilliantly expose white liberal condescension toward African Americans, each in its own unique way. Here are seven parallel themes that emerge from the films:

1. **Tokenization of Black Identity**: In *Get Out*, the Armitage family fawns over Chris as though his blackness is a fascinating artifact, with their obsession over his physical traits and cultural background. Similarly, in *American Fiction*, the publishing industry fetishizes Monk’s racial identity, urging him to write stereotypical stories that fit their expectations of Black culture, reducing him to a caricature of "Blackness."

2. **Superficial Support for Black Struggles**: *Get Out* shows the Armitages' fake allyship, as Dean Armitage insists he "would have voted for Obama a third time," using it to assert his "wokeness" without truly engaging in any meaningful way with the real struggles African Americans face. In *American Fiction*, liberal elites gush over surface-level, sensationalized depictions of Black suffering, while ignoring deeper, authentic narratives that would challenge their comfort zones.

3. **Performative Progressivism**: Both films show white liberals who outwardly embrace progressive values but ultimately perpetuate harmful racial dynamics. In *Get Out*, the Armitages host a party where guests, though polite, casually commodify Black people’s bodies and experiences for their benefit. *American Fiction* mirrors this as the publishing world demands Monk write the “right kind” of Black stories, ones that will make white readers feel good about themselves rather than challenge their preconceptions.

4. **Cultural Appropriation**: In *Get Out*, white characters like Jim Hudson covet Black bodies and talents, symbolizing a deeper desire to appropriate Black culture while stripping it of its humanity. *American Fiction* highlights a similar theme as white publishers commodify Black trauma for profit, pushing Monk toward a hyperbolic, exaggerated narrative they deem acceptable for their liberal audiences.

5. **Invisibility of Authentic Black Voices**: In *Get Out*, Chris's discomfort is repeatedly ignored or downplayed by white characters who are too busy projecting their own fantasies onto him. Likewise, in *American Fiction*, Monk’s authentic writing is dismissed as not “Black enough,” demonstrating how white liberal institutions silence or distort genuine Black perspectives to fit their own narratives.

6. **Exploitation of Black Pain**: Both films illustrate how Black pain becomes a spectacle for white liberal consumption. In *Get Out*, the Armitages and their friends exploit Chris’s existence for personal gain, literally hijacking his body for their desires. *American Fiction* critiques the literary world’s obsession with Black trauma, rewarding stories that focus on Black suffering, as long as it fits a palatable formula that keeps white readers entertained and reassured.

7. **Patronizing Control over Black Narratives**: In *Get Out*, the Armitages exert control over Black bodies under the guise of benevolent paternalism, deciding who deserves to be “saved” or uplifted. *American Fiction* reflects this dynamic in the publishing industry, where white editors and publishers dictate what kinds of Black stories get told, maintaining control over the narrative and relegating Black authors to fulfilling stereotypes rather than telling complex, nuanced stories.

Both films starkly reveal how white liberalism, despite its outward proclamations of support, often perpetuates a deeper, more insidious form of condescension and control over African Americans.

Why Do We Study African-American History?

  • We’re in a state of spiritual warfare.
  • The war is spiritual; it’s not theoretical or intellectual theories and intelligence have a lot to do with this war.
  • I don’t teach theories; I teach narratives because narratives are what move us. When I was a kid, Alex Haley's book-turned-into TV series Roots made us talk about African-American history during school recess. As a kid, reading biographies of African-American baseball players who lived in Jim Crow possessed my mind with American history. 
  • Narratives are what move us. 
  • The spiritual war today is about a clash of narratives and what these narratives say about people of color. There are racist trolls who live on various social media platforms. They say that people of color are the blame of all of society's ills--crime, immigration, unemployment, low wages, crumbling education, etc. On the other hand, there are the voices of real history that show people of color in a different light: For examples, we can look to Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Hercules Posey who represent individual excellence, toughness in the face of brutal obstacles, dignity, and the struggle for justice. This clash of narratives defines the spiritual warfare we live in. 
  • You won't find trolls having podcasts or posting on social media about Hercules Posey because he is the antithesis of the trolls' racist propaganda. 
  • When it comes to African-American history, there is a clash of narratives, which has intensified since the advent of social media.
  • There are authentic AA voices that give their history (Jordan Peele, Isabel Wilkerson, David Pilgrim, Donald Glover, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Frederick Douglass) and there are troll voices that spread the misinformation of The Lost Cause ("slavery wasn't so bad"), Replacement Theory (white dominance is withering and must be met with grievance and rage), and Scapegoating (blame people of color for economy, jobs, inflation, immigration, education, and crime).
  • We can say the Lost Cause, Replacement Theory, and Racial Scapegoating narratives exist deep on the social media grids. These narratives are sucking people into their rabbit holes at rapid speed and we are losing people to these false narratives. 
  • Trolls using the Internet perpetuate these false narratives.
  • The false narratives, racist memes, and tropes of today are nothing new to African-Americans. Many of my students have grandparents and great-grandparents who lived in the Jim Crow South. Their lives were immersed in these false narratives day and night. Many of my students’ families packed their bags, left the South, and moved to Los Angeles and other places in what has been called The Great Migration. 
  • Like a recurring cancer, these Jim Crow narratives have returned because of trolls working in various social media platforms.
  • There are troll voices that give false race narratives, which appeal to people with racist appetites. These trolls include SB, TC, AJ, QAnon, 4Chan, and the Proud Boys. 
  • The trolls have normalized racism and false narratives about race. Successful politicians are friendly with these trolls and they are not canceled. Just the opposite is happening. They’re doing well. These politicians have a base hungry for racist narratives and racist dog whistles. 
  • The spiritual warfare tends to be college educated on the side of authentic AA voices and the non-college educated on the troll voices.
  • The spiritual warfare has gotten worse since social media scaled around 2009. 
  • Since 2009, as the business model for YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms makes money by sucking people into the rabbit holes of extremism, people’s brains have been hijacked by extremism and conspiracy doctrines while those same people have rejected legacy media and major institutions such as the CDC. These same people refer to the United States government as "the deep state."
  • People with an appetite for troll narratives and conspiracy theories probably won't like Frederick Douglass' Narrative, Donald Glover's YouTube video "This Is America," or Jordan Peele's movie Get Out, which they will accuse of being an expressions of "Critical Race Theory."
  • America is polarized with college-educated living in their information silos and the non-college educated living in their silos. The latter tend to gravitate toward SB, TC, AJ, QAnon, 4Chan, the Proud Boys, etc. Many of these trolls' followers have been arrested for their role in the January 6 Insurrection at the Capitol. 
  • There are politicians, including state governors, who have outlawed the teaching of African-American history because they claim that such a history is part of a false doctrine called “Critical Race Theory” even when these very politicians push the same troll-driven narratives of The Lost Cause, Replacement Theory, and Racial Scapegoating. The Lost Cause rewrites slavery as "good thing"; Replacement Theory says that white people will no longer be the dominant race; Racial Scapegoating blames people of color for everything--the economy, inflation, education, jobs, immigration, crime, etc. 
  • By studying African-American history in the context of authentic African-American voices on one hand and racist trolls on the other, we are taking part in today's spiritual warfare.

***

Why do we study Jim Crow?

  • To resist the rewriting of history, which is designed to oppress the very people who suffered under Jim Crow.
  • Because rewriting history is morally abhorrent and always has malevolent designs. 
  • Because people are still rewriting history with malevolent intent today.
  • Because the racist ideas that fuel Jim Crow are alive today in an international cult of white nationalists who are dedicated to using social media to spread weaponized misinformation.
  • Because denying representation and silencing voices is morally bankrupt and denies us the truth about ourselves and about people who have been historically oppressed. 
  • Because Jim Crow gave inspiration and instruction to racists throughout the world, for example, Hitler learned segregation techniques from America’s Confederacy creator Jefferson Davis. 
  • Because a moral inventory is essential for society’s moral reform, a process that the Germans have successfully done in the aftermath of World War II. 
  • Historical revisionism kills democracy and inverts morality. For example, the revisionist history of The Lost Cause results in over 200 public schools being named after America's worst racist Jefferson Davis, and millions of Americans praise the criminals involved with the January 6 Insurrection as "American Patriots."
  • Because Jim Crow is built on troll culture and we need to build a society on critical thinking culture.

 

What Is Jim Crow 1.0?

Jim Crow was born of white southern resentment to losing the Civil War, losing slavery, and being told by the northerners that their way of life was evil. 

Full of resentment, white southerners scapegoated black people by crushing them with a series of cruel and often ridiculous laws that were enforced by violence. These oppressive laws in the words of Isabel Wilkerson constituted a “feudal caste system” with the privileged and servant classes. 

Jim Crow was a sneaky way white southerners brought back slavery “off the books” by making black people subject to violence and exploitation with no protection from the law. In other words, slavery was illegal but Jim Crow brought it back under another name. 

In other words, the Civil War did not end slavery; it merely shifted slavery into another form called Jim Crow. This shift is chronicled in Douglas A. Blackman’s book Slavery By Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II. 

Perhaps the best book ever written about Jim Crow from the point of view of African Americans is Isabel Wilkerson’s award-winning The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration in which six million African Americans fled the south to escape Jim Crow.

Wilkerson interviewed over 1,000 black Americans who lived in the terror of Jim Crow and fled for their lives to the Northern and Western states between 1915 and 1970. 

Over six decades, six million African Americans fled the Jim Crow south not knowing what was in store for them. By the end of the Great Migration, almost half of all the black Americans in the south were gone. They had no job, no place to live, no assurance of the means to survive, but they went anyway.

That should tell us just how bad Jim Crow was. “I don’t know what’s in store for me, but I’m getting the hell out.” Jim Crow was a 24/7 Torture Chamber. 

All they knew was one thing: Whatever they faced, it couldn’t be worse than living in the Jim Crow states. 

Characteristics of Jim Crow

One. Jim Crow didn’t allow black people to flourish.

In 1953, a black doctor Robert Joseph Pershing Foster got out of Monroe, Louisiana, and headed for California. Why? Because even though he was qualified in the highest medical procedures, the whites wouldn’t let him practice surgery. 

In the Jim Crow south, whites didn’t like to grant any rights to blacks that suggested that blacks were equal to them. Allowing a black man to practice surgery was just too much for the whites to bear. The mere suggestion that blacks were talented and intelligent was a scandal to white southerners and a threat to their carefully curated racist paradigm, so Dr. Foster got in his car and headed for California. 

Two. Jim Crow was a living hell.

Jim Crow was so hellish that it created The Great Migration, the greatest migration ever recorded in America, a migration that far exceeded the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, and yet the Great Migration, Isabel Wilkonson points out, is underreported. Not much is known about a migration that completely changed America, sending black people to urban cities in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and other major cities. 

Three. Jim Crow was a danger to black lives.

Isabel Wilkinson makes an astute observation: A lot of black people that we know about would not have existed except that their parents got out of the deadly Jim Crow south. She points out that James Baldwin, Michelle Obama, Miles Davis, Toni Morrison, Spike Lee, and Denzel Washington were “all products of the Great Migration” and might not exist but for the fact that their parents fled for their lives. 

Four. Jim Crow celebrated the myth of The Lost Cause.

The Lost Cause is a re-imagining of slavery as “a good thing” in which slave owners and slaves were happy in a bucolic paradise where whites and blacks “knew their place” and were blessed by God. Such heinous chicanery was embraced by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who published propaganda books to brainwash children in the Jim Crow public schools. 

The myth of the Lost Cause is so strong that to this day the great military heroes of the North who brought an end to slavery--Ulysses Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, George Henry Thoms, David Farragut are to this day hated and reviled in the south. 

Five. Jim Crow is a stain on American History that America has tried to sweep under the carpet.

Wilkinson understood that you couldn’t really understand the hell of Jim Crow unless you saw how black people reacted to it: Fleeing for their lives in a mass migration. She was astonished that before her book virtually nothing was written about the mass escape from Jim Crow. It’s as if historians are too ashamed of this chapter or not interested in it. Wilkinson has remedied that by writing a 550-page masterpiece about the subject. 

Six. Jim Crow’s tentacles reached into the smallest areas of black lives to create daily humiliations. Here are some:

  • Black children had to learn in separate schoolhouses, always rundown with no resources.
  • Black people had to sit in filthy waiting rooms at doctors’ offices while whites enjoyed clean waiting rooms.
  • When black people walked opposite direction a white person on the sidewalk, the black people had to step off the sidewalk and walk on the curb.
  • Black people had to give all the good parking spaces to white people. Whites parked close to stores. Blacks parked far away.
  • No matter how slowly a white driver was going in a car, a black driver was never allowed to pass the white person’s car. 
  • When a white person was at fault for a car accident involving a black driver, the fault always was assigned to the black driver. “You’re black so it’s your fault.”
  • Blacks and whites couldn’t play chess or checkers together because such a game suggested they were equal.

Seven. Jim Crow violated the Consitution.

As Wilkinson writes: “The South began acting in outright defiance of the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868, which granted the right to due process and equal protection to anyone born in the United States and it ignored the Fifteenth Amendment of 1870, which guaranteed all men the right to vote” (38). 

The North tried to grant rights to blacks in the south, but by the mid-1870s, Wilkinson observes, the North bailed on the south and stopped their oversight. 

Eight. Hostility towards blacks in the South was so acute that white politicians who fomented racism against blacks enjoyed popularity, which they leveraged for self-gain. 

When political leaders spoke of black people deserving violence, the white masses saw this as “open season” to commit any violence they wanted against blacks with impunity.

Nine. Lynchings of black people became an epidemic that was normalized and glorified by white southerners. 

In one of the most painful chapters to read in Wilkinson’s book, we read that a black man who was merely accused of looking at a white woman would be lynched. Petty crimes were always worthy of a lynching. 

These lynchings, which included beatings, hangings, and being burned alive, were watched by “festive crowds” who brought their children and let their toddlers sit on their shoulders to enjoy the spectacle. 

I’m reading this, and I’m thinking I’d be part of the Great Migration myself. I would be urgent to leave the south. 

How frequent were these lynchings?

Wilkinson writes: “Across the South, someone was hanged or burned alive every four days from 1889 to 1929, according to the 1933 book The Tragedy of Lynching.”

According to Dr. David Pilgrim, there were 4,730 lynchings that we know about but no doubt many more. 

***

6 causes of the Sunken Place

  1. Physical abuse and violence 
  2. Docile role or persona
  3. Pseudo religious definition as subhuman designed to to serve whites
  4. Erasure of culture and history
  5. Severed from family
  6. Erasure of language

Three Phases of Racism as a Tool of Oppression:

  1. Cynical Use of Religion: Pseudo-Religious Phase: a theory to justify slavery
  2. Propaganda Phase: nonstop weaponized misinformation to reinforce segregation
  3. Revisionist Phase, retell the history; say it wasn't so bad if it existed. Turn it into the Lost Cause. 

Posted at 01:58 PM | | Comments (0)

09/14/2024

Frederick Douglass Notes 9-14-24: 6 Causes of Sunken Place and 3 Phases

Frederick Douglass’ writings show us the 6 causes of the Sunken Place:

 

6 causes of the Sunken Place

 

  1. Physical abuse and violence 
  2. Docile role or persona
  3. Pseudo religious definition as subhuman designed to to serve whites
  4. Erasure of culture and history
  5. Severed from family
  6. Erasure of language

 

Three Phases of Racism as a Tool of Oppression:

  1. Cynical Use of Religion: Pseudo-Religious Phase: a theory to justify slavery
  2. Propaganda Phase: nonstop weaponized misinformation to reinforce segregation
  3. Revisionist Phase, retell the history; say it wasn't so bad if it existed. Turn it into the Lost Cause. 

Posted at 05:53 AM | | Comments (0)

08/31/2024

Follow Your Passion Lecture #3 Fall 2025

Finding Your Authentic Voice: The Brawler vs. The Peacemaker in Argumentative Writing

When we write, we strive to connect with our readers on an emotional level, and this connection is often achieved through our tone or rhetorical style. Just as musicians choose a genre that best expresses their identity—whether it’s jazz, rock, or hip hop—writers develop their unique style to convey their message effectively. But what if you’re still discovering your voice as a writer? How do you choose the style that best suits you?

If you’re unsure of your writing style, a good starting point is to consider two basic archetypes: The Brawler and The Peacemaker.

#### The Brawler: Bold, Bombastic, and Entertaining

The Brawler is a writer who doesn’t shy away from drama. They are bold, assertive, and often confrontational. The advantage of being a Brawler is that you’re more likely to grab the reader’s attention with your powerful, no-holds-barred approach. Famous Brawlers in writing include H.L. Mencken, Christopher Hitchens, and Molly Ivins—writers known for their sharp wit and unrelenting critiques.

However, being a Brawler has its drawbacks. You risk coming across as arrogant, pompous, or even dismissive. The desire to dominate the argument can sometimes overshadow the need for nuance and fairness, making your writing more about self-aggrandizement than clarity or insight. Social media, particularly platforms like Twitter, are teeming with Brawlers whose relentless pursuit of attention often wears thin over time.

Despite these pitfalls, a disciplined Brawler can be highly effective, delivering compelling and entertaining arguments that resonate with readers.

#### The Peacemaker: Calm, Reasonable, and Persuasive

In contrast, the Peacemaker takes a more measured approach. This writer is calm, clear-eyed, and fair-minded. The Peacemaker’s strength lies in their ability to build credibility through reasoned arguments and thoughtful consideration of opposing views. Writers like Jill Lepore, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Hua Hsu exemplify this style—persuading not through confrontation, but through clarity and subtlety.

Yet, the Peacemaker also faces challenges. Their writing can sometimes come across as too cautious, even bland. The desire to avoid conflict can result in arguments that lack the emotional punch needed to keep readers engaged. When taken too far, the Peacemaker’s gentleness can dilute the message, making it seem insipid or overly conciliatory.

However, when done well, the Peacemaker’s style can be deeply persuasive, offering a balanced and nuanced perspective that resonates with readers seeking thoughtful, well-rounded arguments.

#### Choosing Your Style: The Brawler or the Peacemaker?

So, which style is better? The answer is neither. The key is authenticity. Your writing should reflect who you are. If you’re naturally bold and assertive, the Brawler style may come naturally to you. If you’re more introspective and reasoned, the Peacemaker’s approach might be a better fit. In a world full of superficiality and noise, finding your authentic voice is what will ultimately connect with your readers.

### Argumentation in Action: The Brawler vs. The Peacemaker in Counterarguments

Let’s see how these styles play out in practice, particularly in the context of a counterargument-rebuttal section, a critical component of any strong argumentative essay.

#### Sample #1: The Brawler’s Take-No-Prisoners Approach

If you’re a fighter at heart, you might frame your counterargument-rebuttal like a UFC match, where you aim to knock out your opponents:

*"Cheerleaders for the mantra to ‘follow your passion’ will be appalled by my support of Cal Newport’s argument that encouraging students to follow their passion is a disservice, leading them down a dead-end path of disappointment and failure. ‘How dare you steal the love and passion from those students?’ they will cry. ‘How dare you encourage them to become soulless mercenaries chasing the money trail? You’re nothing but a capitalist pig!’ But these critics have invested so much emotion into the Passion Myth that they’ve become as dangerous as the myth itself. They misconstrue Newport’s argument, wrongly claiming that he’s against passion when, in fact, Newport advocates for a passion rooted in hard work and preparation. The biggest tragedy is that basing a career on fleeting adolescent passions prevents people from finding authentic, meaningful passion—the kind cultivated over time through trial, error, and the mastery of one’s craft. Let’s dismiss these Passion Cheerleaders and embrace Newport’s craftsman mindset to find a passion that truly matters."*

#### Sample #2: The Peacemaker’s Kind, Well-Mannered Approach

If you’re more inclined toward diplomacy, your counterargument-rebuttal might look like this:

*"It’s unfortunate that my opponents don’t share my support of Cal Newport’s argument that we should replace the Passion Hypothesis with the Craftsman Mindset. However, I believe I can alleviate their concerns by emphasizing that passion remains a key ingredient in the career search. What I’d like to clarify is the definition of passion—not as a fleeting emotion, but as something cultivated through trial and error, hard work, and focus over time. I hope we can come to a common understanding that Newport isn’t against passion, but rather advocates for replacing immature passion with a more mature, sustainable version."*

### Crafting a Strong Thesis: The Importance of Referencing the Author and Text

An effective thesis does more than just state an opinion; it ties your argument to the text and the author you’re discussing. This not only strengthens your credibility but also provides a clear foundation for your argument.

#### Poor Thesis Example Without Reference to Author or Text:

*"The mantra ‘follow your passion’ is dangerous because the definition of passion is vague, simplistic, and suggests an easy path to success."*

#### Improved Thesis Example With Author and Text Reference:

*"In his blog article ‘The Passion Trap,’ Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport argues that the mantra ‘follow your passion’ is dangerous not because passion is bad, but because its vague, simplistic definition suggests an easy path to success."*

### Conclusion: Finding Your Voice in Argumentative Writing

Whether you’re a Brawler or a Peacemaker, the key to effective argumentative writing is to be authentic. Your style should reflect your personality, allowing you to connect with your readers in a way that feels true to who you are. By grounding your arguments in strong thesis statements, engaging with opposing views through well-crafted counterarguments, and choosing a rhetorical style that suits you, you’ll be well-equipped to write persuasive, compelling essays that resonate with your audience.

***

Understanding and Utilizing Signal Phrases in Academic Writing

What is a Signal Phrase?

A signal phrase is a tool that transitions your reader smoothly from your own writing to a credible source, ensuring a seamless integration of external information into your essay. These phrases are crucial for introducing quotes, paraphrases, or summaries, and they help maintain the flow of your argument while providing clear attribution to the original source.

Why Are Signal Phrases Important?

Signal phrases are vital for several reasons:

1. **Smooth Transitions**: They guide your reader from your voice to the voice of your source, making the transition natural and avoiding any abrupt "jolts" in the flow of your essay.

2. **Establishing Credibility**: By using signal phrases, you not only show that you’re incorporating reputable sources but also emphasize that your writing meets the rigorous standards of academic scholarship.

3. **Contextualizing Information**: Signal phrases help to clarify why you’re including the cited material, whether it’s to agree, disagree, or present a nuanced perspective. This clarity makes your argument stronger and more persuasive.

#### How Do Signal Phrases Strengthen Your Essay?

Signal phrases do more than just transition smoothly—they also:

- **Establish Authority**: By introducing a source with a signal phrase, you can highlight the credentials of the author, enhancing the credibility of your argument.
- **Provide Context**: Signal phrases allow you to set up the citation by explaining its relevance to your argument, whether it's to support, refute, or expand on your points.
- **Enhance Clarity**: They ensure that your readers understand when you are presenting your own ideas and when you are referencing someone else’s work.

#### Examples of Signal Phrases in Action

**To Show Disagreement:**

"Contrary to Yuval Noah Harari's assertion that foragers lived superior lives to farmers, culture critic Will Day Brosnan counters: 'Elsewhere, I wondered the extent to which Harari was projecting an idealistic (even Rousseauian) vision of a noble savage on pre-state peoples.'"

**To Show Agreement:**

"Echoing my assertion that Harari’s Noble Savage mythology is misguided, Will Day Brosnan writes: 'Harari’s depiction of a foraging lifestyle, unencumbered by the complexities and worries of civilization, could be seen as reactionary atavism.'"

**To Show Added Support:**

"Further strengthening the argument that not all calories are equal, Gary Taubes in *Good Calories, Bad Calories* presents compelling statistics showing…"

**To Bridge a Quotation with Your Own Claim:**

"We are mistaken if we believe our purpose on Earth is to pursue happiness. As John Mellencamp starkly observes: 'I don’t think we’re put on this earth to live happy lives. I think we’re put here to challenge ourselves physically, emotionally, intellectually.'"

**To Present a Cautionary Point:**

"Futurist Yuval Noah Harari cautions that in the coming century, we may evolve from Homo sapiens into a kind of robot sapien, raising ethical questions about our future."

#### Where to Place Your Signal Phrase

Varying the placement of your signal phrase can add sophistication to your writing:

- **Beginning**: "Yale Law professor Daniel Markovits argues in his essay 'How Life Became an Endless Terrible Competition' that privilege, not merit, is the dominant force in acquiring power."
- **Middle**: "Racism, sexism, and worker exploitation were rampant during the Agricultural Revolution, claims futurist Yuval Noah Harari, who boldly states that 'the Agricultural Revolution was the greatest crime against humanity.'"
- **End**: "Harari provocatively declares that 'the Agricultural Revolution is the greatest crime against humanity' (144)."

#### Following Up on Your Signal Phrase

After introducing a quotation or paraphrase, it's essential to explain its significance:

- "Harari is essentially arguing that the Agricultural Revolution marked a turning point that led to widespread human suffering."
- "In other words, Markovits is making the case that the notion of a meritocracy is largely a myth perpetuated by those in power."

#### Key Takeaways for Using Signal Phrases Effectively

1. **Vary Your Language**: Avoid overusing phrases like "says" or "writes." Instead, use a variety of verbs to introduce your sources (e.g., asserts, argues, contends).
2. **Place Strategically**: Experiment with placing your signal phrases at different points in the sentence to keep your writing dynamic.
3. **Establish Credibility**: Include the credentials of your sources in the signal phrase to bolster the authority of your essay.
4. **Cite Correctly**: Ensure you are following MLA format for in-text citations, which you can find through resources like Purdue Owl.
5. **Analyze What You Cite**: Don’t just drop in a quotation—follow it up with your analysis to show how it supports your argument.

By mastering the use of signal phrases, you can elevate your writing, making it more engaging, authoritative, and persuasive in any academic context.

Here’s a list of 10 effective signal phrases, each followed by an example sentence that demonstrates its use:

1. **According to [Author/Source]**
- *According to historian Yuval Noah Harari, the Agricultural Revolution was "the greatest crime against humanity."*

2. **[Author/Source] argues**
- *Daniel Markovits argues that meritocracy is a myth, as wealth, not talent, often determines success.*

3. **As [Author/Source] explains**
- *As sociologist Sherry Turkle explains, our reliance on technology has diminished our ability to engage in meaningful face-to-face conversations.*

4. **[Author/Source] observes**
- *Psychologist Carol Dweck observes that a growth mindset, rather than fixed intelligence, leads to long-term success.*

5. **[Author/Source] asserts**
- *Journalist Malcolm Gladwell asserts that mastery of a skill requires at least 10,000 hours of practice.*

6. **[Author/Source] contends**
- *Economist Thomas Piketty contends that income inequality is the defining challenge of our time.*

7. **[Author/Source] suggests**
- *Cultural critic Susan Sontag suggests that our obsession with photography has altered the way we experience reality.*

8. **In the words of [Author/Source]**
- *In the words of Albert Einstein, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."*

9. **[Author/Source] emphasizes**
- *Environmental scientist Rachel Carson emphasizes the urgent need to protect our planet from pollution.*

10. **[Author/Source] points out**
- *Philosopher Peter Singer points out that our moral obligations extend beyond our immediate communities to include the global poor.*

These signal phrases are versatile tools that help integrate quotes, paraphrases, and summaries smoothly into your writing, establishing credibility and providing context.

Review of Signal Phrases:

### Understanding and Using Signal Phrases

Signal phrases are essential tools in academic writing. They help transition the reader smoothly from your own voice to the voice of an expert or source you’re citing. By using signal phrases effectively, you establish credibility, provide context, and maintain the flow of your argument. Here’s how you can master the use of signal phrases.

#### What is a Signal Phrase?

A signal phrase introduces a quotation, paraphrase, or summary from another source. It indicates to the reader that you’re about to reference someone else’s work, which helps create a smooth transition between your ideas and the evidence you’re presenting.

#### Why Use Signal Phrases?

Signal phrases are crucial because they:
1. **Establish Authority:** By mentioning the source’s credentials, you reinforce the reliability of the information.
2. **Provide Context:** Signal phrases often include details that help the reader understand why the cited material is relevant.
3. **Smooth Transitions:** They prevent the reader from feeling jarred when moving from your voice to the cited material.

### Examples of Signal Phrases

**1. As a counterpoint to X,**
- *Example:* As a counterpoint to the optimistic view of social media’s benefits, John Smith argues that these platforms often exacerbate loneliness and anxiety.

**2. As a counterargument to my claim that X,**
- *Example:* As a counterargument to my claim that technology always enhances productivity, Jane Doe suggests that constant connectivity can actually decrease focus and efficiency.

**3. Giving support to my rebuttal that Writer A makes an erroneous contention, Writer B observes that . . .**
- *Example:* Giving support to my rebuttal that John Locke’s theory is flawed, Samuel Johnson observes that Locke’s assumptions about human nature are overly simplistic.

**4. Concurring with my assertion that X,**
- *Example:* Concurring with my assertion that education reform is necessary, Dr. Sarah Lee points out that current policies are outdated and fail to address the needs of modern students.

**5. Further supporting my contention that X,**
- *Example:* Further supporting my contention that climate change is accelerating, Professor James Green cites recent data showing a significant rise in global temperatures over the past decade.

**6. Writer X chronicles in her book. . . . As she observes:**
- *Example:* Historian Mary Davis chronicles in her book *The Fall of Empires* the factors that led to Rome’s decline. As she observes: “The overexpansion and lack of fiscal discipline were key contributors to the empire’s collapse.”

**7. The acclaimed best-selling writer, history professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari excoriates the Agricultural Revolution as "the greatest crime against humanity."**
- *Example:* The acclaimed best-selling writer, history professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari excoriates the Agricultural Revolution as "the greatest crime against humanity," arguing that it led to social hierarchies and widespread suffering.

**8. Lamenting that his students don't enjoy his music playlist in the writing lab, college English instructor Jeff McMahon observes in his blog *Obsession Matters*:**
- *Example:* Lamenting that his students don't enjoy his music playlist in the writing lab, college English instructor Jeff McMahon observes in his blog *Obsession Matters*: "Two-thirds of my students in writing lab don't hear my chill playlist over classroom speakers because they are hermetically sealed in their private earbud universe content to be masters of their own musical domain."

**9. "The Agricultural Revolution is the greatest crime against humanity," claims celebrated author and futurist Yuval Noah Harari in his best-selling book *Sapiens* (144).**
- *Example:* "The Agricultural Revolution is the greatest crime against humanity," claims celebrated author and futurist Yuval Noah Harari in his best-selling book *Sapiens* (144).

**10. Racism, sexism, worker exploitation, and pestilence afflicted the human race during the Agricultural Revolution, claims celebrated futurist Yuval Noah Harari, who goes on to make the bold claim that "the Agricultural Revolution was the greatest crime perpetrated against humanity."**
- *Example:* Racism, sexism, worker exploitation, and pestilence afflicted the human race during the Agricultural Revolution, claims celebrated futurist Yuval Noah Harari, who goes on to make the bold claim that "the Agricultural Revolution was the greatest crime perpetrated against humanity."

### Purpose of Credentials in Signal Phrases

Including credentials in your signal phrases helps establish the authority of your sources. By referencing an author’s background or expertise, you give more weight to the information being presented. For instance:

- *Example:* The acclaimed best-selling writer, history professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari excoriates the Agricultural Revolution as "the greatest crime against humanity."

This phrasing not only introduces Harari’s statement but also highlights his credibility as an expert in history and futurism.

### Placement of Signal Phrases

Signal phrases can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Varying the placement helps avoid monotony and keeps your writing engaging.

- **Beginning:** “The Agricultural Revolution is the greatest crime against humanity,” claims celebrated author and futurist Yuval Noah Harari.
- **Middle:** Racism, sexism, worker exploitation, and pestilence afflicted the human race during the Agricultural Revolution, claims celebrated futurist Yuval Noah Harari.
- **End:** "The Agricultural Revolution is the greatest crime against humanity," claims celebrated author and futurist Yuval Noah Harari in his best-selling book *Sapiens* (144).

### Explaining the Cited Material

After presenting the quoted, summarized, or paraphrased material, it’s essential to explain its significance to your argument. Use transitions like:

- **Example:** “Writer X is essentially saying that...”
- **Example:** “In other words, X is arguing that...”
- **Example:** “By using these statistics, X is making the point that...”

### Conclusion

Mastering the use of signal phrases enhances your writing by establishing credibility, providing context, and ensuring smooth transitions between your ideas and your sources. By varying the placement and style of your signal phrases, you can create more dynamic and persuasive essays.

An excellent video on signal phrases and MLA in-text citations:

 

Crafting a Strong Thesis: The Importance of Referencing the Text and Author

When writing a thesis, it’s crucial to reference the author and text to establish authority and context. A thesis that lacks these references often falls flat, failing to convey the necessary depth and credibility. Let’s explore how you can strengthen your thesis by incorporating references to both the author and the text.

Example of a Weak Thesis

**Weak Thesis:**
The mantra “follow your passion” is dangerous not because passion is bad but because the definition of passion is vague, simplistic, and suggests an easy path to success.

This statement lacks context and fails to engage with the broader conversation about passion and career choices. It doesn’t tell the reader who is making this argument or why it matters.

#### Improved Thesis with Author and Text Reference

**Improved Thesis:**
The mantra “follow your passion,” Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport argues in his blog article “The Passion Trap,” is dangerous not because passion is bad but because the definition of passion is vague, simplistic, and suggests an easy path to success.

By mentioning Cal Newport and his specific work, this thesis gains clarity, authority, and relevance. It signals to the reader that the argument is grounded in established research and positions the writer within an academic conversation.

#### Another Example of an Improved Thesis

**Another Example:**
In his best-selling book *So Good They Can’t Ignore You*, Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport argues persuasively that the mantra “follow your passion” is dangerous not because passion is bad but because the definition of passion is vague, simplistic, and suggests an easy path to success.

This thesis further strengthens the argument by referencing both the author and the specific text, making it clear that the writer is engaging with Newport’s ideas in a substantive way.

### Sample Thesis Statements with Author and Text References

**Sample #1:**
While it should be self-evident that the over-simplistic mantra “follow your passion” for a career choice is fatuous, dangerous, and inaccurate, Cal Newport does us a great service by disemboweling this odious cliché because its sheer popularity has wreaked havoc on many college students, steering them away from the craftsman mindset and the complex, convoluted path that finding a true passion often requires—a path paved with blood, sweat, and tears.

**Sample #2:**
My issue with Cal Newport’s argument isn’t that it’s wrong; rather, my concern is that he has simply eviscerated one cliché and replaced it with another, presenting a self-help book filled with predictable platitudes about hard work, tenacity, and focus, which merely swaps out the passion myth for a new set of oversimplified ideals.

**Sample #3:**
Of course, “follow your passion” is a brainless, inane, and worthless slogan, which Newport rightly skewers with his rapier wit, but his roadmap to success fosters a false optimism about mastering a career—a path that requires the kind of privilege, educational foundation, and economic support that only a small fraction of Americans possess. His approach ignores the systemic inequalities that often derail even the most determined individuals.

**Sample #4:**
While the above writer correctly acknowledges that privilege and economic support can increase one’s chances of success, this truth doesn’t negate Newport’s argument that anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can benefit from embracing the craftsman mindset over the empty notion of “following your passion.”

**Sample #5:**
Cal Newport offers a timely corrective to a society addicted to dopamine and superficial “passion” by dismantling the dangerous idea that we need to find a passion that perfectly aligns with our personality. Instead, he advocates for a more reliable path to success—discovering what we’re good at, elevating those skills to the realm of excellence, and having the patience to navigate the inevitable trial-and-error process before truly finding our footing.

### Conclusion

Incorporating the author and text into your thesis not only clarifies your argument but also anchors it within the context of an ongoing academic conversation. This approach enhances your essay’s credibility and helps you engage more deeply with the material, ultimately leading to a more compelling and persuasive argument.

 

Understanding the Difference Between Fake Passion and Real Passion

As I was discussing Cal Newport’s critique of the "Follow Your Passion" mantra with some of my students, I realized just how challenging this topic can be. It’s taken me five years of teaching this concept to truly grasp its depth, and today, I want to share that understanding with you.

When Newport warns against "following your passion," it’s important to recognize that he’s not dismissing passion altogether. Instead, he’s urging us to distinguish between fake passion and real passion.

#### Fake Passion

So, what exactly is fake passion?

- **Fake passion** is the fleeting interest that fades away after a few weeks.
- **Fake passion** is claiming you're passionate about something but never putting in the time or effort to make it a reality.
- **Fake passion** is like the person who says they love their spouse but forgets their anniversary.

Fake passion is all talk and no action. It’s a shallow commitment that lacks the substance needed to fuel true success.

#### Real Passion

On the other hand, what defines real passion?

- **Real passion** is showing up and doing the work consistently, even on days when you don’t feel like it.
- **Real passion** is continuously investing time in refining your skills and making constant improvements.
- **Real passion** is preparing yourself to achieve mastery in your craft.

Real passion understands the high stakes of life and is guided by mentors who provide the wisdom to succeed and avoid self-sabotage.

In this context, one student brought up Beyoncé as an example. There’s no doubt that Beyoncé is passionate about her art, but her passion is backed by relentless preparation. She’s not just passionate in theory—she’s committed to her craft through rigorous training, voice lessons, nutrition, dance, choreography, and marketing. Her success is no accident; it’s the result of real passion paired with professional-level preparation.

### Your Life Is About Constant Preparation

#### Building Momentum

When you consistently prepare and work hard, you create momentum. It’s like feeling the wind at your back—not because you’re lucky, but because you’ve set yourself up for success. Comedian Ron Funches once told Joe Rogan that his late-night comic inspiration only comes after a full day of writing. Without that day of drudgery, the spark of creativity wouldn’t have happened.

Hard work gives you a sense of control, confidence, and pride. It attracts like-minded people into your life and helps you avoid the “energy vampires” who drain your motivation. This mindset, once established, builds momentum that propels you forward.

But beware of complacency. If you relax for too long, entropy will set in. Entropy—a philosophical concept—refers to the natural tendency for things to fall apart, for order to give way to chaos, and for our highest selves to devolve into our lowest forms. This is why it’s crucial to stay focused, disciplined, and prepared. Entropy should serve as a constant reminder of the dangers of self-neglect and the importance of continuous effort.

### Conclusion

Remember, passion is an essential part of happiness and fulfillment, but without hard work and preparation, passion is just a paper tiger. As one of my students aptly put it, "Preparation is the true voice of passion." Well said.

This is the key takeaway: Real passion isn’t just about what you feel; it’s about what you do, how you prepare, and the effort you consistently put in to achieve mastery.

***

 

ChatGPT Response to Essay Prompt #1

### The Danger of "Follow Your Passion": Why the Craftsman Mindset is a Better Path to Success

In today’s society, the mantra "follow your passion" is often heralded as the ultimate career advice. Countless motivational speakers, career coaches, and even celebrities champion this idea, suggesting that if you simply find and pursue your passion, success and fulfillment will naturally follow. However, as Cal Newport argues in his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his article “The Passion Trap,” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto," this well-meaning advice can be dangerously misleading. Newport’s critique is further supported by Ali Abdaal in his video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why," where he echoes Newport’s concerns and advocates for a shift towards the craftsman mindset—a focus on developing skills and creating value over the pursuit of passion alone. While some may argue that passion is essential to drive one’s career, a closer examination reveals that the craftsman mindset provides a more reliable and sustainable foundation for long-term success and satisfaction.

### The Myth of Passion as a Career Compass

The idea that we should "follow our passion" suggests that each of us has a pre-existing, clearly defined passion just waiting to be discovered and that this passion should dictate our career choices. However, as Newport points out, this belief is not only simplistic but also potentially harmful. Newport argues that the concept of a singular passion is a myth for most people. He cites research indicating that very few people have a clear passion from a young age, and those who do often find that their interests change over time. This reality contradicts the notion that passion is a stable foundation upon which to build a career.

Moreover, the emphasis on finding a passion before starting a career can lead to paralysis and dissatisfaction. Many individuals become so focused on identifying their "true passion" that they fail to take meaningful steps towards career development. Newport calls this the "passion trap," where the search for passion becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Instead of exploring various interests and developing skills, individuals may waste valuable time waiting for a passion that may never materialize.

### The Craftsman Mindset: A Superior Alternative

In contrast to the passion-driven approach, Newport advocates for what he calls the craftsman mindset. This mindset prioritizes the development of rare and valuable skills over the pursuit of pre-existing passions. Newport argues that by focusing on becoming exceptionally good at something, individuals are more likely to find fulfillment and success in their careers. The craftsman mindset encourages people to take a proactive approach to their work, seeking opportunities to improve and excel, rather than waiting for passion to strike.

Ali Abdaal supports this view by highlighting how mastery and expertise can lead to passion, rather than the other way around. He explains that as individuals develop competence and receive positive feedback in their field, they often begin to feel passionate about their work. This process of cultivating passion through skill development is more reliable and grounded in reality than the pursuit of a nebulous, pre-existing passion.

The craftsman mindset also emphasizes the importance of creating value in the workplace. Newport argues that instead of asking "What can the world offer me?" individuals should ask "What can I offer the world?" This shift in perspective encourages people to focus on how they can contribute meaningfully to their field, which in turn makes them more valuable to employers and more satisfied with their work. By cultivating expertise and providing value, individuals are more likely to secure job opportunities and achieve long-term success.

### Counterargument: The Role of Passion in Motivation

Critics of Newport’s argument might contend that passion is a crucial motivator in achieving excellence and that without passion, work can become monotonous and uninspiring. They may argue that passion drives individuals to overcome obstacles, persevere through challenges, and achieve greatness in their chosen field. Without passion, they claim, one might excel technically but lack the emotional engagement needed to innovate and push boundaries.

### Rebuttal: Passion as a Byproduct of Mastery

While it is true that passion can be a powerful motivator, Newport and Abdaal suggest that this passion does not need to precede skill development. Instead, passion can emerge as a byproduct of mastery. When individuals invest time and effort into developing their skills, they often find that their work becomes more engaging and fulfilling. This growing competence and the recognition that comes with it can ignite a passion that is far more sustainable and deeply rooted than the fleeting emotions often associated with the pursuit of a pre-existing passion.

Furthermore, the craftsman mindset does not disregard the importance of passion altogether. Instead, it redefines how passion is cultivated. By focusing on skill acquisition and creating value, individuals can build a career that is both meaningful and motivating. This approach ensures that passion is based on tangible achievements and real-world contributions, rather than abstract desires.

### Conclusion

Cal Newport’s argument that "follow your passion" is dangerous career advice is a necessary corrective to the oversimplified and potentially harmful messages that dominate popular culture. While passion is often seen as essential for career success, Newport and Abdaal make a compelling case that passion should not be the starting point. Instead, they advocate for the craftsman mindset, which prioritizes skill development, value creation, and the cultivation of passion through mastery. This approach offers a more realistic and effective path to career success, one that is rooted in hard work, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. By adopting the craftsman mindset, individuals can build careers that are not only successful but also deeply fulfilling.

***

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Essay

Weaknesses

1. **Overused, Stock Expressions and Language Choices:**
The essay relies heavily on phrases and expressions that are commonly used in writing generated by AI models like ChatGPT. Examples include "a more reliable and sustainable foundation," "focus on developing skills and creating value," and "a necessary corrective." These expressions, while not incorrect, are generic and lack the originality and personal touch that distinguishes high-quality student writing. This language often comes across as formulaic, making the essay feel more like a well-crafted template rather than a piece of writing with a unique voice.

**Why This Matters:**
Overused expressions can make an essay seem impersonal and disconnected from the writer's true voice. They can also make the writing appear superficial, as if the writer is relying on pre-packaged phrases rather than deeply engaging with the material. To elevate the essay, students should strive to use language that reflects their own thinking and perspective, avoiding clichés and stock phrases whenever possible.

2. **Lack of Evidence Using Quotations, Paraphrases, and In-Text Citations:**
The essay presents ideas and arguments that align with Cal Newport’s views but fails to back these points up with concrete evidence from Newport’s works or from the supporting video by Ali Abdaal. There are no direct quotations, paraphrases, or in-text citations that anchor the arguments in the original texts. This absence of specific evidence weakens the essay’s credibility and makes it less persuasive.

**Why This Matters:**
In academic writing, especially at the college level, it is crucial to demonstrate engagement with the sources being discussed. This not only shows that the writer has done their research but also allows the reader to verify and understand the basis of the writer’s arguments. Without quotations or paraphrased material that are properly cited, the essay reads like a summary rather than a critical analysis. Students should incorporate specific references to Newport’s articles, videos, and other relevant sources to strengthen their arguments.

3. **Generic Engagement with Cal Newport:**
The essay engages with Cal Newport’s ideas in a manner that is somewhat generic and surface-level. It outlines his main points but does not delve into a deeper analysis or critique. The writing lacks a strong authorial presence, meaning the writer’s own insights and interpretations are not as prominent as they should be. This makes the essay feel more like a Wikipedia entry, summarizing Newport’s work rather than critically engaging with it.

**Why This Matters:**
A college-level essay should go beyond simply summarizing an author’s work. It should engage with the material in a way that showcases the writer’s unique perspective, offering critical analysis, interpretation, and sometimes even questioning the author’s conclusions. This deeper engagement not only demonstrates a higher level of thinking but also makes the essay more compelling and original. Students should aim to bring their own voice and critical insights into the discussion, rather than simply echoing the ideas of the author.

### Conclusion

While the essay provides a clear overview of Cal Newport’s argument against following one’s passion, it falls short in several key areas. The use of generic, overused language, the lack of concrete evidence and citations, and the superficial engagement with Newport’s ideas all contribute to an essay that, while structurally sound, does not reach its full potential in terms of depth, originality, and academic rigor. To improve, students should focus on developing their own voice, incorporating specific evidence from their sources, and engaging more deeply with the material they are analyzing.

***

The Useful Purposes Achieved by the Essay

1. **The Response Provides a Good Outline:**
The essay serves as a strong framework for organizing ideas and arguments. It clearly delineates the main points: introducing the topic, discussing the myth of passion as a career compass, presenting the craftsman mindset as a superior alternative, addressing counterarguments, and concluding with a reaffirmation of Newport's stance. This structure is essential for developing a well-organized and coherent essay. Students can use this outline to build their own essays, ensuring that they cover all necessary aspects of the argument in a logical sequence.

2. **The Response is an Effective Pre-Writing Exercise:**
The essay functions as an excellent pre-writing exercise by helping to crystallize the main arguments and supporting points before diving into the more detailed writing process. It allows students to think through their position on Newport's argument and the supporting evidence they will need to incorporate. By engaging with the material in this way, students can better prepare themselves for the actual drafting process, reducing the likelihood of writer's block and ensuring that their final essay is more focused and persuasive.

3. **The Response Provides a Clear Summary of Newport's Argument:**
The essay effectively summarizes Cal Newport’s argument against the "follow your passion" mantra and in favor of the craftsman mindset. It distills the core ideas from Newport’s videos and articles, making them accessible and easy to understand. This clarity is crucial for readers who may not be familiar with Newport’s work. The essay serves as a helpful introduction to his ideas, which can then be expanded upon with more detailed analysis and evidence in the final essay.

4. **The Prose Shows the Importance of Clarity of Expression:**
The essay’s prose is straightforward and clear, demonstrating the importance of communicating ideas in a way that is easy for readers to follow. Clarity of expression is vital in academic writing, as it ensures that complex ideas are conveyed without confusion. This essay models how to present arguments in a direct and accessible manner, which is particularly useful for students who are learning to write more sophisticated essays. Clear writing not only helps the reader understand the argument but also strengthens the writer's credibility.

### Conclusion

The essay response serves multiple valuable purposes in the context of essay writing. It provides a well-structured outline that can guide the writing process, acts as a pre-writing exercise to clarify ideas, offers a concise summary of Newport's argument, and exemplifies the importance of clear and effective communication. These elements are crucial for developing a strong, persuasive argumentative essay, making the response a useful tool for students as they prepare to engage more deeply with their writing assignments.

***

I rewrote the ChatGPT prompt:

Write an argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates Cal Newport’s claim from his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his online article “The Passion Trap” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto" and Ali Adbaal's YouTube video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why" that the career advice to follow your passion is dangerous and should be replaced by the craftsman mindset. Be sure to have a counterargument-rebuttal paragraph before your conclusion. For the above writing prompt, use my writing style as a college writing instructor, use in-text citations and signal phrases, and give valid URLs for external sources used. Try to avoid stock phrases. 

This is an example of cheating on a college essay. I don't give you these instructions to cheat for college writing. I give you these instructions to help you effectively use ChatGPT for business, personal, and money-making enterprises, not college. For college writing, ChatGPT is a great editing and rewriting machine; it's a dishonest and ineffective "writing out of thin air machine."

ChatGPT Response:

 

### The Danger of "Follow Your Passion": Why the Craftsman Mindset is a More Reliable Path to Success

The phrase “follow your passion” has become a ubiquitous piece of career advice, promoted by motivational speakers, career counselors, and even celebrities as the key to achieving success and happiness. However, this well-meaning guidance can be dangerously misleading, as argued by Cal Newport in his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his article “The Passion Trap,” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto." Ali Abdaal, in his video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why," supports Newport’s critique and advocates for a more sustainable approach: the craftsman mindset. This mindset emphasizes the development of skills and the creation of value over the pursuit of passion alone. While some may argue that passion is essential for driving one's career, a closer examination reveals that the craftsman mindset offers a more reliable and practical foundation for long-term success and satisfaction.

### The Myth of "Passion" as a Career Compass

The popular belief that we should "follow our passion" suggests that each person has a pre-existing, clearly defined passion waiting to be discovered and that this passion should dictate career choices. However, as Newport argues in "The Passion Trap," this belief is both simplistic and potentially harmful. He asserts that the notion of a singular, lifelong passion is a myth for most people, supported by research showing that very few individuals have a clear passion from a young age, and those who do often see their interests evolve over time (Newport, 2012). This reality undermines the idea that passion is a stable foundation on which to build a career.

Moreover, the emphasis on finding a passion before starting a career can lead to paralysis and dissatisfaction. Newport terms this the "passion trap," where the search for passion becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Instead of taking meaningful steps toward career development, individuals may waste valuable time waiting for a passion that may never materialize (Newport, 2012). This is further supported by Ali Abdaal, who points out that waiting for a passion can prevent people from exploring various interests and developing the skills necessary for success (Abdaal, 2021).

### The Craftsman Mindset: A Superior Alternative

In contrast to the passion-driven approach, Newport advocates for what he calls the craftsman mindset. This mindset prioritizes the development of rare and valuable skills over the pursuit of pre-existing passions. Newport argues that by focusing on becoming exceptionally skilled at something, individuals are more likely to find fulfillment and success in their careers (Newport, 2012). The craftsman mindset encourages a proactive approach to work, where individuals seek opportunities to improve and excel, rather than waiting for passion to strike.

Abdaal echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that mastery and expertise can lead to passion, rather than the other way around (Abdaal, 2021). He explains that as individuals develop competence and receive positive feedback in their field, they often begin to feel passionate about their work. This process of cultivating passion through skill development is more grounded in reality than the pursuit of a nebulous, pre-existing passion.

The craftsman mindset also stresses the importance of creating value in the workplace. Newport suggests that instead of asking "What can the world offer me?" individuals should ask "What can I offer the world?" This shift in perspective encourages people to focus on how they can contribute meaningfully to their field, making them more valuable to employers and more satisfied with their work (Newport, 2012). By cultivating expertise and providing value, individuals are more likely to secure job opportunities and achieve long-term success.

### Counterargument: The Role of Passion in Motivation

Critics of Newport’s argument may contend that passion is a crucial motivator in achieving excellence and that without passion, work can become monotonous and uninspiring. They might argue that passion drives individuals to overcome obstacles, persevere through challenges, and achieve greatness in their chosen field. Without passion, they claim, one might excel technically but lack the emotional engagement needed to innovate and push boundaries.

### Rebuttal: Passion as a Byproduct of Mastery

While it is true that passion can be a powerful motivator, Newport and Abdaal argue that this passion does not need to precede skill development. Instead, they suggest that passion can emerge as a byproduct of mastery. As individuals invest time and effort into developing their skills, they often find their work becomes more engaging and fulfilling (Newport, 2012; Abdaal, 2021). This growing competence and the recognition that comes with it can ignite a passion that is far more sustainable and deeply rooted than the fleeting emotions often associated with the pursuit of a pre-existing passion.

Furthermore, the craftsman mindset does not disregard the importance of passion altogether. Rather, it redefines how passion is cultivated. By focusing on skill acquisition and creating value, individuals can build a career that is both meaningful and motivating. This approach ensures that passion is based on tangible achievements and real-world contributions, rather than abstract desires (Newport, 2012).

### Conclusion

Cal Newport’s critique of the "follow your passion" mantra is a necessary corrective to the oversimplified and potentially harmful messages that dominate popular culture. While passion is often seen as essential for career success, Newport and Abdaal make a compelling case that passion should not be the starting point. Instead, they advocate for the craftsman mindset, which prioritizes skill development, value creation, and the cultivation of passion through mastery. This approach offers a more realistic and effective path to career success, one that is rooted in hard work, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. By adopting the craftsman mindset, individuals can build careers that are not only successful but also deeply fulfilling.

### References

Abdaal, A. (2021). *Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why.* YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHsOQT9f6XE

Newport, C. (2012). *The Passion Trap.* calnewport.com. http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/10/16/the-passion-trap-how-the-search-for-your-lifes-work-is-making-your-working-life-miserable/

Newport, C. (2012). *The Career Craftsman Manifesto.* calnewport.com. http://calnewport.com/blog/2012/09/18/the-career-craftsman-manifesto/

Newport, C. (2016). *Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion.* YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwOdU02SE0w

 

 



 

 



 

 

Posted at 09:44 AM | | Comments (0)

Follow Your Passion Lecture #2 Fall 2024

Learning to Rewrite with ChatGPT:

If you want to learn how ChatGPT can effectively elevate your writing, copy and paste either a paragraph or an essay and then write the following instructions to ChatGPT:

Instruction #A:

Rewrite the above and correct for grammar, sentence structure, usage, diction, and use an academic tone suitable for a college-level essay. 

Then copy and paste the same text of your own writing again and put the following instructions for ChatGPT:

Instruction #B

Rewrite the above and correct for grammar, sentence structure, usage, diction, and use rigorous argumentation and salient rhetoric suitable for a college-level essay. 

 

***

 

Did ChatGPT produce significantly different revisions? Did you notice any significant revisions from your original version? Did ChatGPT make the revision process fun by adding a sense of surprise and discovery? 

***

 

Here are four counterarguments and rebuttals to the claim that Cal Newport's critique of the Passion Hypothesis is persuasive:

Counterargument 1: Passion is Essential for Motivation
**Argument:** Critics might argue that passion is a crucial motivator in achieving excellence and without it, work can become monotonous and uninspiring. They may contend that passion drives individuals to overcome obstacles, persevere through challenges, and achieve greatness in their chosen field. Without passion, one might excel technically but lack the emotional engagement needed to innovate and push boundaries.

**Rebuttal:** While passion can be a powerful motivator, Newport suggests that passion does not need to precede skill development. Instead, passion can emerge as a byproduct of mastery. When individuals invest time and effort into developing their skills, they often find that their work becomes more engaging and fulfilling. This growing competence and the recognition that comes with it can ignite a passion that is far more sustainable and deeply rooted than the fleeting emotions often associated with the pursuit of a pre-existing passion.

Counterargument 2: The Passion Hypothesis is Valid for Some Careers
**Argument:** Some critics might argue that the Passion Hypothesis is valid for certain careers, particularly in creative fields where passion and personal expression are crucial to success. For instance, artists, writers, and musicians often cite passion as the driving force behind their work, suggesting that without it, their creativity and innovation would suffer.

**Rebuttal:** Newport acknowledges that passion can play a role in certain careers, but he argues that even in creative fields, the craftsman mindset is more important. Mastery of one’s craft often leads to a deeper, more enduring passion. Newport's critique of the Passion Hypothesis is not about dismissing passion altogether but about challenging the notion that it should be the starting point for career decisions. He suggests that regardless of the field, developing rare and valuable skills should take precedence over a vague sense of passion.

 Counterargument 3: Passion is Necessary for Long-Term Fulfillment
**Argument:** Another counterargument might be that passion is necessary for long-term fulfillment in a career. Critics could argue that without passion, individuals might eventually burn out or feel unfulfilled, leading to a lack of satisfaction in their work. They may claim that passion is what sustains individuals through difficult times and keeps them engaged over the long haul.

**Rebuttal:** Newport counters this by arguing that long-term fulfillment is more reliably achieved through the craftsman mindset. When individuals focus on building and honing their skills, they gain a sense of achievement and purpose that is more enduring than the fleeting emotions associated with passion. Moreover, Newport suggests that passion can develop over time as a result of deep engagement with one's work, rather than being the initial spark. This cultivated passion, grounded in expertise and value creation, is likely to be more sustainable and fulfilling in the long run.

Counterargument 4: The Craftsman Mindset Ignores the Importance of Personal Values
**Argument:** Critics might argue that the craftsman mindset places too much emphasis on skill development and value creation while ignoring the importance of personal values and alignment with one's work. They may claim that without a passion-driven approach, individuals risk becoming highly skilled in areas that do not align with their core values, leading to a disconnect between their work and personal identity.

**Rebuttal:** Newport does not dismiss the importance of personal values but rather emphasizes that alignment with one's work can emerge through the process of mastering a craft. By developing expertise and creating value, individuals can find or even create roles that align with their values and personal identity. Newport argues that the craftsman mindset actually allows for a deeper connection between work and values because it focuses on doing meaningful work that contributes to something larger than oneself. This approach ensures that personal fulfillment is tied to real accomplishments and contributions rather than the elusive pursuit of a pre-existing passion.

Enhancing Cal Newport’s Argument: Distinguishing Between Types of Passion

Cal Newport compellingly argues that the advice to “follow your passion” can be perilous when charting a successful career path. However, his argument could be strengthened by clarifying what we mean by "passion." Not all passions are created equal. Some forms of passion lay a solid foundation for success, while others can lead to disastrous outcomes.

Introducing Two Types of Passion

To refine Newport’s perspective, let’s distinguish between two distinct types of passion:

1. **Ferocious Passion**
2. **Hakuna Matata Passion**

Ferocious Passion: A Foundation for Success

**Ferocious Passion** is deeply rooted in a love for family and driven by ideals larger than oneself. It embodies resilience, purpose, and a commitment to something greater. Let me share two powerful examples of Ferocious Passion.

**Example 1: Kong’s Journey**

In 1991, I met Kong, a straight-A pre-med student with a remarkable story. As a child in Cambodia, Kong endured the horrors of the Khmer Rouge. At eight years old, he survived a harrowing ordeal when his father, a professor, pushed him onto a raft to save his life. While drifting to Thailand, Kong witnessed his father’s execution in the distant forest. Despite these traumatic experiences, Kong moved to Texas with relatives and later to California to pursue his education.

What stood out about Kong was his ferocious ambition and genuine kindness. He was profoundly grateful to be alive and inspired by his father’s courage. Kong’s relentless drive to honor his father’s sacrifice and his unwavering determination to succeed exemplify Ferocious Passion. His character repels negative traits like laziness and vanity, making him a beacon of resilience and purpose.

**Example 2: Evelyn’s Dedication**

In 2010, I taught Evelyn, an eighteen-year-old from South Korea. Evelyn possessed the maturity and poise of someone much older. Her parents had sacrificed everything—homes, lucrative jobs, and luxury cars—to provide her and her sister with an American education. Evelyn felt a profound sense of duty to honor her parents’ sacrifices by excelling academically.

Evelyn’s unwavering focus and deep sense of responsibility highlight her Ferocious Passion. Her strength of mind and mature dedication ensure that her career will continue to advance, driven by a purpose larger than herself.

#### Hakuna Matata Passion: The Dangerous Myth

In contrast to Ferocious Passion, there exists an inferior type of passion that Cal Newport warns against. Let’s call this **Hakuna Matata Passion**, inspired by the Swahili phrase meaning “no worries.” This myth suggests that life should be easy and stress-free, encapsulated in slogans like “Follow your bliss” and “Follow your passion.”

**Why Hakuna Matata Passion Is Dangerous:**

1. **Unrealistic Expectations:** Hakuna Matata Passion fosters unrealistic ideas about happiness and success. Believing that passion alone can lead to effortless happiness often results in frustration and failure.

2. **Embracing Reality:** Renowned therapist Phil Stutz advises that to overcome inertia and depression, one must leave the comfort zone—the "Warm Bath" of Hakuna Matata. Instead, we must accept three harsh truths:
- **Life is Pain:** Struggles and hardships are inherent to existence.
- **Life is Uncertainty:** The future is unpredictable and ever-changing.
- **Life Requires Constant Work:** Success demands continuous effort and dedication.

**The Paradox of Embracing Reality:**

Surprisingly, accepting these harsh realities replaces the illusion of Hakuna Matata Passion with Ferocious Passion. By acknowledging that life involves pain, uncertainty, and hard work, we develop a deeper, more resilient form of passion. This shift leads to genuine happiness and success, grounded in reality rather than unrealistic expectations.

Conclusion: Embrace Ferocious Passion for True Success

Cal Newport’s critique of “following your passion” is insightful, but distinguishing between Ferocious Passion and Hakuna Matata Passion enhances his argument. Ferocious Passion, rooted in love, purpose, and resilience, provides a robust foundation for a successful career. In contrast, Hakuna Matata Passion, with its naive expectations of effortless happiness, can lead to disappointment and failure.

By cultivating Ferocious Passion—embracing challenges, building strong character, and committing to meaningful goals—we pave the way for true fulfillment and success. Let us move beyond simplistic notions of passion and adopt a more nuanced understanding that fosters lasting achievement.

***

1A Essay 1 Building Block 2

Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph to gain credibility with your readers by showing them you have considered opposing views to your thesis or claim. Use at least one signal phrase to address quoted or paraphrased material. 

Crafting a Strong Counterargument-Rebuttal Section

In any well-constructed argumentative essay, simply providing compelling support for your thesis is not enough. To truly persuade your reader, you must also engage with opposing viewpoints through a counterargument-rebuttal section. This demonstrates that your argument has been rigorously tested and has withstood scrutiny from multiple perspectives.

### Why Is the Counterargument-Rebuttal Section Necessary?

A counterargument-rebuttal section is essential for two key reasons:

1. **Credibility:** Addressing potential objections to your argument shows that you’ve considered multiple angles and are not simply presenting a one-sided view. This enhances your credibility as a writer.

2. **Strengthening Your Argument:** By anticipating and refuting counterarguments, you not only defend your thesis but also reinforce it, making your overall argument more persuasive.

### How to Structure a Counterargument-Rebuttal

Here’s a step-by-step approach using tried-and-true templates:

1. **Introduce the Counterargument:** Start by acknowledging the opposing view. Use a sentence structure like, “Some people may object to my point X, but they fail to see Y,” or “It is true as my opponents say that my argument fails to acknowledge the possibility that Y, but I would counter-argue by observing that….”

2. **Concede Where Necessary:** Sometimes, it’s strategic to concede a small part of the counterargument to show fairness and depth. For example, “Some people will take issue with my argument X, and I will concede their point to some degree. However, on balance, my argument X still stands because…”

3. **Refute the Counterargument:** After acknowledging the opposing view, present a well-reasoned rebuttal. This is where you dismantle the counterargument, showing why your thesis still holds stronger merit.

### Example of a Counterargument-Rebuttal Paragraph

Let’s apply this structure to a debate about the dangers of following the “Follow your passion” mantra:

**Counterargument:** My opponents might argue that dismissing the idea of “following your passion” could lead to a life of drudgery and soulless work, where individuals choose careers purely for financial gain, thereby becoming “soulless robots” who are disconnected from their true selves. They may claim that passion is essential for personal fulfillment and without it, people might lead empty, unfulfilled lives.

**Rebuttal:** While it’s true that passion plays a crucial role in personal satisfaction, this perspective overlooks the importance of developing passion through mastery and hard work. Following a fleeting passion without considering the reality of skill development and market demand often leads to frustration and failure. By cultivating a craftsman mindset—where one focuses on acquiring valuable skills—individuals can build a sustainable career that not only fulfills their financial needs but also fosters genuine passion and purpose over time. Therefore, the idea that we should abandon the craftsman mindset in favor of a passion-first approach is not only misguided but also potentially harmful.

### Crafting Counterarguments and Rebuttals to Cal Newport's Critique of the Passion Hypothesis

When building a persuasive argument, it’s essential to anticipate and address counterarguments. This practice not only strengthens your position but also demonstrates that your argument has been thoroughly tested against opposing views. Let’s explore some common counterarguments to Cal Newport’s assertion that “following your passion” is misguided and dangerous, and how we can effectively rebut them.

#### Counterargument #1: “Steve Jobs is a Success Story Because He Followed His Passion”

**Rebuttal:**
Contrary to popular belief, Steve Jobs’ success did not stem from simply following his passion. As Cal Newport argues, Jobs became successful because he seized an opportunity and developed a unique set of skills that made him valuable. The passion Jobs later exhibited wasn’t the starting point; it was the result of years of hard work, mastery, and honing his craft.

Let’s be clear:

- **Following your passion is a lie.**
- **Following your passion is a canard.**
- **Following your passion is the kiss of death.**
- **Following your passion is an empty cliché spewed by sanctimonious, brain-dead mediocrities.**

Newport’s key point is that Steve Jobs became passionate *after* he mastered his craft, *after* he honed his talent, *after* he developed unique skills that allowed him to lead a world-dominating tech company. Passion wasn’t the spark that ignited his career; it was the flame that grew from the fuel of relentless effort and skill development.

#### Counterargument #2: “You Need Passion as a Motivating Spark to Achieve Greatness”

**Rebuttal:**
Cal Newport challenges this idea by pointing out that most people don’t know what their passion is from the outset. True passion is not something that magically appears; it’s something that evolves over time as you become more skilled and proficient in your work. Newport emphasizes that passion takes time—it’s cultivated through “deep work,” which involves focused, undistracted effort on your craft.

In other words, passion isn’t a starting point; it’s a byproduct of mastery.

#### Counterargument #3: “Without a Dream Job, You’ll Become a Soulless Cog in a Machine”

**Rebuttal:**
The notion of finding a “dream job” is a fallacy, according to Newport. Happiness in a career is not about landing a dream job but about achieving mastery in your work. Newport’s research suggests that it’s the time spent on the job and the mastery of your craft that leads to job satisfaction, not the pursuit of a so-called dream position.

The idea that finding your passion will lead you directly to happiness is a childish myth. The reality, as Newport explains, is that passion follows mastery—not the other way around. The pursuit of a dream job without the foundation of hard-earned skills and experience is more likely to lead to disappointment than fulfillment.

#### Counterargument #4: “Passion is the Seed That Grows Into Mastery”

**Rebuttal:**
Cal Newport argues that this belief is fundamentally flawed. You don’t start with passion and build mastery; rather, you build mastery and then, perhaps, passion follows. Newport’s insight is that passion is a side effect of mastering your craft, not the precursor to it.

This echoes the wisdom of Viktor Frankl, who advised against aiming for happiness directly. Instead, he suggested pursuing a life of purpose and meaning, with happiness as an unintended byproduct. Similarly, Newport advises us to replace the pursuit of passion with a focus on preparation and deep work.

### A Defense of Newport’s Position Against Critics

Critics may argue that Newport’s rejection of the Passion Hypothesis is merely replacing one set of clichés with another. They might say that Newport’s emphasis on hard work, tenacity, and the craftsman mindset is just another self-help mantra. However, this critique misses the mark.

While it’s true that privilege and economic support can play a role in one’s career success, Newport’s point is that these factors don’t diminish the value of cultivating expertise through deep work. Regardless of one’s starting point, adopting a craftsman mindset—focused on skill development and mastery—offers a more reliable path to career satisfaction than the hollow pursuit of passion.

Another criticism is that Newport’s approach ignores systemic inequalities that can hinder success. While it’s undeniable that privilege can provide a leg up, Newport’s principles of mastery and deep work remain valuable across different economic and social backgrounds. The craftsman mindset empowers individuals to maximize their potential, regardless of external circumstances.

### Conclusion: The Importance of Testing Your Argument Against Opposing Views

In any strong argumentative essay, a counterargument-rebuttal section is essential. It shows that your thesis has been rigorously tested and that you have considered opposing views. By thoughtfully addressing counterarguments and providing well-reasoned rebuttals, you demonstrate the robustness of your position. Whether you adopt the bold, assertive style of the Brawler or the calm, reasoned approach of the Peacemaker, the key is to engage with opposing views in a way that strengthens your argument and persuades your audience.

Final Thoughts

A well-executed counterargument-rebuttal section doesn’t just neutralize opposing views; it actively strengthens your own argument. By thoughtfully engaging with counterarguments, you showcase the robustness of your thesis and enhance the overall persuasiveness of your essay. Remember, the stronger and more credible the counterargument you address, the more powerful your rebuttal will be, leading to a more convincing and compelling essay overall.

***

### Crafting a Persuasive Thesis: Insights from Cal Newport's Critique of the Passion Myth

When developing a thesis, it's crucial to ensure that it possesses several key qualities. A successful thesis should avoid the obvious, steer clear of clichés, be instructive, and elevate the reader to a higher level of understanding. It should also demonstrate ambition, be supportable with evidence, and have a clear purpose that passes the “So What?” test. Additionally, a well-crafted thesis must be appropriately scaled for the essay’s length and have the power to unify the entire argument.

#### Examples of Effective and Ineffective Thesis Statements

Let’s consider some examples of thesis statements, ranging from weak to strong, in response to Cal Newport’s critique of the “Follow Your Passion” mantra:

1. **Weak Thesis Examples:**
- *"I’m done with Cal Newport."*
- **Why it’s weak:** This statement is vague and lacks depth. It doesn’t provide a clear direction or purpose.
- *"Why should I take career advice from a dude who teaches computer science?"*
- **Why it’s weak:** This is dismissive and doesn’t engage with Newport’s arguments. It’s more of a personal gripe than a thoughtful critique.

2. **Moderate Thesis Examples:**
- *"I’m a huge Cal Newport fan."*
- **Why it’s moderate:** While it shows a clear stance, it’s too broad and lacks specificity.
- *"After reading Cal Newport’s essays about the danger of passion, I’m drinking the Kool-Aid."*
- **Why it’s moderate:** This has more engagement but still lacks depth and clarity in terms of argument.

3. **Stronger Thesis Examples:**
- *"I support Cal Newport’s rejection of the Passion Myth."*
- **Why it’s strong:** This statement is clear and shows a definite stance, but it could benefit from more specificity.
- *"I am offended by Cal Newport’s rejection of ‘follow your passion’ as the main impetus for forging your career."*
- **Why it’s strong:** This is a clear counter-stance but needs further development to explain why.

4. **Advanced Thesis Examples:**
- *"I support Cal Newport’s rejection of the Passion Myth because _____________, ______________, ___________, and _________________."*
- **Why it’s advanced:** This format lays the groundwork for a well-structured essay, outlining the reasons that will be explored.
- *"I am offended by Cal Newport’s rejection of ‘follow your passion’ as the main impetus for forging your career because _______________, ______________, ________________, and ____________________."*
- **Why it’s advanced:** Similar to the previous example, this thesis prepares the reader for a detailed exploration of the writer’s reasons.

5. **Comprehensive Thesis Example:**
- *"While I concede that Newport’s critique of superficial passion has many true points, I find that Cal Newport’s argument that we replace passion with the craftsman mindset is saddled by several problems. First, he passionately argues that we should be passionate about being craftsmen—thereby contradicting himself. Second, deeply rooted passion often propels us into the craftsman mindset, a scenario Newport fails to acknowledge. Third, Newport creates a false binary by suggesting we must choose between passion and the craftsman mindset, when in fact, both can coexist. Finally, if Newport is serious about being a craftsman in his own arguments, he needs to better define ‘passion,’ as not all passion is equal. Passion from an immature person is inferior to that from someone with maturity and a strong work ethic. Newport should practice what he preaches and be more precise in his definitions."*
- **Why it’s comprehensive:** This thesis is nuanced, acknowledges counterpoints, and sets up a detailed argument that will guide the essay.

6. **Balanced Support for Newport’s Argument:**
- *"While Newport could better define passion to improve his argument, he generally does a service by disavowing people of the infantile illusions of the passion myth and advocating for a craftsman mindset. First, he is correct that success is not a simple, straight path—career trajectories are often zigzagged and influenced by passion, failure, ambition, and opportunity. Second, he rightly points out that the passion myth can lead to unrealistic expectations about careers and happiness. Third, he emphasizes the importance of becoming a ‘dream employee’ over endlessly searching for a ‘dream job.’"*
- **Why it’s effective:** This thesis supports Newport’s argument while acknowledging areas for improvement, making it balanced and insightful.

### Conclusion

Crafting a powerful thesis requires clarity, ambition, and a strong sense of purpose. Whether you agree with Cal Newport’s critique of the Passion Myth or not, your thesis should set the stage for a well-structured argument that engages with opposing viewpoints and leads the reader through a logical, persuasive exploration of the topic. By refining your thesis to include specific claims and counterarguments, you ensure that your essay will not only inform but also resonate with your audience.

***

### Finding Your Authentic Voice: The Brawler vs. The Peacemaker in Argumentative Writing

When we write, we strive to connect with our readers on an emotional level, and this connection is often achieved through our tone or rhetorical style. Just as musicians choose a genre that best expresses their identity—whether it’s jazz, rock, or hip hop—writers develop their own unique style to convey their message effectively. But what if you’re still discovering your voice as a writer? How do you choose the style that best suits you?

If you’re unsure of your writing style, a good starting point is to consider two basic archetypes: The Brawler and The Peacemaker.

#### The Brawler: Bold, Bombastic, and Entertaining

The Brawler is a writer who doesn’t shy away from drama. They are bold, assertive, and often confrontational. The advantage of being a Brawler is that you’re more likely to grab the reader’s attention with your powerful, no-holds-barred approach. Famous Brawlers in writing include H.L. Mencken, Christopher Hitchens, and Molly Ivins—writers known for their sharp wit and unrelenting critiques.

However, being a Brawler has its drawbacks. You risk coming across as arrogant, pompous, or even dismissive. The desire to dominate the argument can sometimes overshadow the need for nuance and fairness, making your writing more about self-aggrandizement than clarity or insight. Social media, particularly platforms like Twitter, are teeming with Brawlers whose relentless pursuit of attention often wears thin over time.

Despite these pitfalls, a disciplined Brawler can be highly effective, delivering compelling and entertaining arguments that resonate with readers.

#### The Peacemaker: Calm, Reasonable, and Persuasive

In contrast, the Peacemaker takes a more measured approach. This writer is calm, clear-eyed, and fair-minded. The Peacemaker’s strength lies in their ability to build credibility through reasoned arguments and thoughtful consideration of opposing views. Writers like Jill Lepore, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Hua Hsu exemplify this style—persuading not through confrontation, but through clarity and subtlety.

Yet, the Peacemaker also faces challenges. Their writing can sometimes come across as too cautious, even bland. The desire to avoid conflict can result in arguments that lack the emotional punch needed to keep readers engaged. When taken too far, the Peacemaker’s gentleness can dilute the message, making it seem insipid or overly conciliatory.

However, when done well, the Peacemaker’s style can be deeply persuasive, offering a balanced and nuanced perspective that resonates with readers seeking thoughtful, well-rounded arguments.

#### Choosing Your Style: The Brawler or the Peacemaker?

So, which style is better? The answer is neither. The key is authenticity. Your writing should reflect who you are. If you’re naturally bold and assertive, the Brawler style may come naturally to you. If you’re more introspective and reasoned, the Peacemaker’s approach might be a better fit. In a world full of superficiality and noise, finding your authentic voice is what will ultimately connect with your readers.

### Argumentation in Action: The Brawler vs. The Peacemaker in Counterarguments

Let’s see how these styles play out in practice, particularly in the context of a counterargument-rebuttal section, a critical component of any strong argumentative essay.

#### Sample #1: The Brawler’s Take-No-Prisoners Approach

If you’re a fighter at heart, you might frame your counterargument-rebuttal like a UFC match, where you aim to knock out your opponents:

*"Cheerleaders for the mantra to ‘follow your passion’ will be appalled by my support of Cal Newport’s argument that encouraging students to follow their passion is a disservice, leading them down a dead-end path of disappointment and failure. ‘How dare you steal the love and passion from those students?’ they will cry. ‘How dare you encourage them to become soulless mercenaries chasing the money trail? You’re nothing but a capitalist pig!’ But these critics have invested so much emotion into the Passion Myth that they’ve become as dangerous as the myth itself. They misconstrue Newport’s argument, wrongly claiming that he’s against passion when, in fact, Newport advocates for a passion rooted in hard work and preparation. The biggest tragedy is that basing a career on fleeting adolescent passions prevents people from finding authentic, meaningful passion—the kind cultivated over time through trial, error, and the mastery of one’s craft. Let’s dismiss these Passion Cheerleaders and embrace Newport’s craftsman mindset to find a passion that truly matters."*

#### Sample #2: The Peacemaker’s Kind, Well-Mannered Approach

If you’re more inclined toward diplomacy, your counterargument-rebuttal might look like this:

*"It’s unfortunate that my opponents don’t share my support of Cal Newport’s argument that we should replace the Passion Hypothesis with the Craftsman Mindset. However, I believe I can alleviate their concerns by emphasizing that passion remains a key ingredient in the career search. What I’d like to clarify is the definition of passion—not as a fleeting emotion, but as something cultivated through trial and error, hard work, and focus over time. I hope we can come to a common understanding that Newport isn’t against passion, but rather advocates for replacing immature passion with a more mature, sustainable version."*

### Crafting a Strong Thesis: The Importance of Referencing the Author and Text

An effective thesis does more than just state an opinion; it ties your argument to the text and the author you’re discussing. This not only strengthens your credibility but also provides a clear foundation for your argument.

#### Poor Thesis Example Without Reference to Author or Text:

*"The mantra ‘follow your passion’ is dangerous because the definition of passion is vague, simplistic, and suggests an easy path to success."*

#### Improved Thesis Example With Author and Text Reference:

*"In his blog article ‘The Passion Trap,’ Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport argues that the mantra ‘follow your passion’ is dangerous not because passion is bad, but because its vague, simplistic definition suggests an easy path to success."*

### Conclusion: Finding Your Voice in Argumentative Writing

Whether you’re a Brawler or a Peacemaker, the key to effective argumentative writing is to be authentic. Your style should reflect your personality, allowing you to connect with your readers in a way that feels true to who you are. By grounding your arguments in strong thesis statements, engaging with opposing views through well-crafted counterarguments, and choosing a rhetorical style that suits you, you’ll be well-equipped to write persuasive, compelling essays that resonate with your audience.

 

 

Posted at 08:42 AM | | Comments (0)

06/25/2024

Fall 2024 Essay Prompts and Building Blocks, 6-26-24

Fall 2024 1A Essay Prompts

 

1A Essay 1: Is Following Your Passion Bad Career Advice?

The Purpose of Essay 1:

The purpose of your first essay is to explore the potential dangers and weaknesses of following your passion at the exclusion of other factors to achieve success. In what ways is following your passion dangerous? In what ways is the notion of passion a meaningless cliche? Why do such meaningless cliches become influential? What kind of audience hunger

 for these empty platitudes? How is Cal Newport’s idea of the craftsman mindset offered as an antidote to the dangers of following your passion? What moral considerations should be factored into cultivating a craftsman mindset? 

To explore these questions, you can choose from one of the following 2 prompts:

Choice A:

In a 1,200-word essay that adheres to current MLA format and provides a minimum of 4 sources for your Works Cited page, write an argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates Cal Newport’s claim from his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his online article “The Passion Trap” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto" and Ali Adbaal's YouTube video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why" that the career advice to follow your passion is dangerous and should be replaced by the craftsman mindset. Be sure to have a counterargument-rebuttal paragraph before your conclusion. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B:

In a 1,200-word essay, address the claim that the Netflix movie The Founder, about McDonald’s Fast-Food King Ray Kroc's rise is a cautionary tale about following Cal Newport’s notion of the craftsman mindset without a moral compass. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.  

 

1A Essay 2: Frederick Douglass Champions the Real Version of African-American History 

The Purpose of Essay 2:

You will examine Frederick Douglass as the Northstar of African-American history to address the claim that teaching African-American history is a form of anti-American, “woke” indoctrination by examining Frederick Douglass’ rigor in presenting the truth of American history. By studying Frederick Douglass’ life, you can interrogate common assumptions about freedom, democracy, and social justice. You can study Frederick Douglass’ witness to slavery as an antidote to the American revisionist myth of the Lost Cause, which perversely celebrates slavery as a blessing by God ruined by “Northern aggression against state rights.” You can also study Frederick Douglass’ life as an exemplar of discipline, literacy-fueled transformation, continual self-improvement, and commitment to helping others overcome what Jordan Peele calls the Sunken Place. In sum, the life of Frederick Douglass is a repudiation of false claims and Strawman arguments that depict African-American history in a derogatory manner to silence African American voices.  

For Essay 2, choose one from the following:

Choice A: Frederick Douglass Lifted Others Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we are well advised to look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. Based on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave (available as a PDF online) and Clint Smith’s essay “Monuments to the Unthinkable,” write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass and learning about Germany’s post-World War II moral reform is a way of learning about racial injustice that avoids the aforementioned pitfalls because Douglass’ life and Germany’s moral reform embody the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem a society’s past racial sins, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this assignment, I recommend two excellent books for further reading: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight and The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen. I also recommend the 2022 documentary Becoming Frederick Douglass. 

 

Choice B: Frederick Douglass and the movie Black Panther Point to a Way Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we can compare the themes in the 2018 Ryan Coogler movie Black Panther and Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. In this context, write an essay that compares the way we can learn the essence of African-American history in the movie Black Panther and the writings of Frederick Douglass. This comparison should address the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem America, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement so that we can find our “Inner Wakanda.” Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this essay, I recommend the following YouTube videos: “Black Panther: Symbolism Explained” and “Black Panther--Creating an Empathetic Villain.”

Choice C. Glory Vs. The Lost Cause

The Lost Cause is a perversion of African-American history, a fabrication that claims that slavery was blessed by God and that in the system of slavery, whites and blacks lived in peaceful harmony, but the evil North ruined this harmony through “Northern aggression” and the “violation of state rights.” Write an essay that addresses the claim that the 1989 movie Glory provides an effective counter-narrative to the heinous mythologies behind The Lost Cause. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice D. Misinformation Is the Enemy of the People 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that the misinformation that fuels The Lost Cause as interrogated by Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On” and the the lies of Alex Jones evident in the HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones makes a persuasive case that misinformation is the enemy of moral decency and a liberal democracy. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice E. Condescension and Stereotyping

Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the way both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans and how this condescension can be a subtle cause of the Sunken Place.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

 

1A Essay 3: Is Social Media Manipulating Us?

The Purpose of Essay 3:

The purpose of Essay 3 is to interrogate the claim that social media is manipulating us and turning us into “thirsty” social media addicts. Is this claim true? Or is social media not the cause of our downfall? Is social media merely exposing the pathologies and mental frailties that are already there? Could it be that we are in the beginning stages of a Social Media Learning Curve and that our mental strain in the face of social media is both natural and predictable? 

To examine social media more critically, choose one of the following 3 prompts:

Choice A

Using as your sources the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid," and Sherry Turkle’s Ted Talk video “Connected But Not Alone," write a 1,200-word essay that explains the "nosedive" or mental breakdown of Lacie Pound in the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive." Did social media cause her “nosedive” or merely expose the “nosedive” that would have happened regardless? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Essay 4: Groupthink, Moral Compromise and Mass Hysteria

 

Choice A: Comparing two works of fiction, movies, or media content, develop a thesis about the connection between Groupthink, moral compromise and mass hysteria. 

 

For paragraph 1, define Groupthink and write about yourself or someone you know who succumbed to Groupthink resulting in a degree of self-destruction and moral compromise. 

 

For paragraph 2, your thesis, compare two works of fiction, movies, or media content. Be sure your thesis is demonstrable in that it presents at least 5 points of comparison so you can have at least 5 body paragraphs. 

 

Paragraphs 3-7 are your body paragraphs.

 

Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis. 

 

Your last page is your Works Cited page in MLA format. It should have a minimum of 5 sources. 

 

Here are a list of stories and movies you can use for your comparison:

 

  1. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  2. "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin 
  3. “The Country of the Blind” by H.G. Wells
  4. The 1976 movie Network
  5. The 1998 movie The Truman Show
  6. The 2019 documentary FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
  7. The Twilight Zone episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”



Fall 2024 1A Building Blocks

 

1A Essay 1 Option A Building Block 1 

 

In a 200-word paragraph, write about the conflict you have between passion and practicality in the context of your college major. Use at least two signal phrases to address content from the recommended online articles for Option A. 

 

1A Essay 1 Option B Building Block 1

 

In a 200-word paragraph, write a psychological profile of Ray Kroc based on your viewing of the Netflix movie The Founder. Use at least two signal phrases to address dialogue that is pertinent to your profile. 

 

1A Essay 1 Option A Building Block 2

 

Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph to gain credibility with your readers by showing them you have considered opposing views to your thesis or claim. Use at least one signal phrase to address quoted or paraphrased material. 

 

1A Essay 1 Option B Building Block 2

 

Write a 200-word paragraph, which will be your second paragraph, write your thesis or claim: This is the paragraph that addresses the claim that the Netflix movie The Founder, about McDonald’s Fast-Food King Ray Kroc's rise is a cautionary tale about following Cal Newport’s notion of the craftsman mindset without a moral compass. 

 

1A Essay 2 Option A Building Block 1

 

Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of Frederick Douglass’ interrogation of slavery’s inhumanity as rendered in his memoir. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that address Douglass’ memoir. 

 

1A Essay 2 Option B Building Block 1

 

Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of Frederick Douglass’ interrogation of slavery’s inhumanity as rendered in his memoir. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that address Douglass’ memoir. 

 

1A Essay 2 Option C Building Block 1

Write a 200-word paragraph that defines The Lost Cause. Be sure to cite credible articles in your definition and use no fewer than two signal phrases and quote or paraphrase credible sources for your definition. 

 

English 1A Essay 2 Option D Building Block 1

 

Write a 200-word paragraph that defines The Lost Cause. Be sure to cite credible articles in your definition and use no fewer than two signal phrases and quote or paraphrase credible sources for your definition. 

 

English 1A Essay 2 Option E Building Block 1

 

Write a 200-word paragraph that defines Jordan Peele’s Sunken Place in the context of the movie Get Out. Be sure to use at least two signal phrases that quote or paraphrase dialogue from the movie. 

 

English 1A Essay 2 Option A Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

 

English 1A Essay Option B Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

 

English 1A Essay Option C Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

 

English 1A Essay Option D Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

 

English 1A Essay Option E Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

English 1A Essay 3 Option A Building Block 1

 

Write a 300-word paragraph that compares how the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid” interrogate how social media manipulates us into a condition of stupidity, tribalism, and political polarization. 

 

Essay 1A Essay 3 Option A Building Block 2

 

Write your thesis paragraph and be sure to have at least 4 reasons in your paragraph that you’ll show support your claim. 

 

Essay 1A Essay 4 Option A Building Block 1

 

Write a 300-word introduction paragraph that defines Groupthink and write about yourself or someone you know who succumbed to Groupthink resulting in a degree of self-destruction and moral compromise. 

 

Essay 1A Essay 4 Option A Building Block 2

 

For your thesis paragraph, your thesis, compare two works of fiction, movies, or media content. Be sure your thesis is demonstrable in that it presents at least 5 points of comparison so you can have at least 5 body paragraphs.

 

*******

 

English 1C Essay Prompts                                                                                                               

1C Essay 1: How People Are Persuaded and Manipulated by Clever Storytelling

The Purpose of Essay 1: 

With subjects as varied as weight-loss management, tabloid misogyny, and the Silicon Valley Tech Grift, we want to interrogate the claim that people without critical thinking skills are all too easily persuaded and manipulated by clever storytelling, tropes, and memes. With this in mind, choose one of the following prompts for Essay 1:

Choice A: Is Losing Weight Based on a Fiction?

Consider the difficulty of losing weight as argued in Johann Hari’s “A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We’re Thinking About Obesity All Wrong,” Harriet Brown’s essay “The Weight of the Evidence” and Sandra Aamodt’s essay “Why You Can’t Lose Weight on a Diet”; consider the advantages of having disposable income to have access to Ozempic and similar drugs. Then write a 1,200-word argumentative essay that addresses the claim that losing weight and keeping it off is based on an over-simplistic narrative about self-agency, nutrition literacy, and self-discipline, regardless of our economic standing. Is this story of “staying in shape” based on truth or a myth that obscures inconvenient facts? Does the story of free will and healthy eating obscure society’s capitalistic machine that conspires to get you sucked into the addictive Industrial Food Complex and then transition to the Diabetes-Management Complex? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B: Interrogating Fantasy Narratives of Amanda Knox and Elizabeth Holmes

Analyze the witch-hunt-like persecution in the Netflix documentary Amanda Knox in which a young woman is victimized by a misogynistic legal system and a media enterprise that relies on misogynistic fantasies to sell a murder trial as salacious entertainment. Then analyze the rise and fall of grifter Elizabeth Holmes in the HBO Max documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley in which Holmes manipulates others and sells herself as a Steve Jobs-like super tech savior who comes to save the world. Then write a 1,200-word essay titled, “Fantasies of the Femme Fatale Archetype and the Tech Super Savior" in which you explore the way fantasies misled the public, resulting in mass deception, chaos, injustice, and ruined lives. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can include the assigned movies as 2 of the sources.

 

Essay 1 Option A Building Block 1:

Two Paragraphs:

Introduction Paragraph 

Based on your reading of Johann Hari’s “A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We’re Thinking About Obesity All Wrong,” Harriet Brown’s essay “The Weight of the Evidence” and Sandra Aamodt’s essay “Why You Can’t Lose Weight on a Diet,” write a 250-word paragraph that explains why losing weight and keeping it off is so fraught with difficulty. Be sure to use at least three signal phrases that introduce quoted or paraphrased material from your readings. 

Thesis Paragraph

Write your thesis that addresses the claim the claim that losing weight and keeping it off is based on an over-simplistic narrative about self-agency, nutrition literacy, and self-discipline, regardless of our economic standing. Is this story of “staying in shape” based on truth or a myth that obscures inconvenient facts? Does the story of free will and healthy eating obscure society’s capitalistic machine that conspires to get you sucked into the addictive Industrial Food Complex and then transition to the Diabetes-Management Complex? Be sure to have at least four reasons to support your thesis. 

Essay 1 Option B Building Block 1:

Two Paragraphs:

Introduction Paragraph 

Using credible sources, research the idea behind the Femme Fatale and how it ascribes both power and menace to women as the Femme Fatale in the context of the documentaries Amanda Knox and The Inventor. Based on your research, write a 250-word paragraph that defines the Femme Fatale in the context of the two documentaries. Be sure to have no fewer than three signal phrases that introduce quoted or paraphrased material for your paragraph. 

Thesis Paragraph

Write a thesis that addresses the claim that fantasies in Amanda Knox and The Inventor misled the public, resulting in mass deception, chaos, injustice, and ruined lives.

Essay 1 Option A Building Block 2

Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph that presents a compelling oppositional view to your thesis and interrogate that oppositional view with a rebuttal. 

Essay 1 Option B Building Block 2

Present a 200-word conclusion paragraph that explains how gender informed the myth-making behind the deception that surrounded the persecution of Amanda Knox and the aggrandizement of Elizabeth Holmes. 

 

1C Essay 2: Interrogating the False Avatars of Personal Transformation

 

Choice A “The Overcoat” and the 1988 movie Big

 

Gogol’s famous short story “The Overcoat” is about a marginalized isolated man, Akaky, whose new overcoat magically transforms him into another being. He becomes the object of envy and desire. Wearing the magical coat, Akaky is showered with maudlin enthusiasm and treated like a celebrity. He internalizes this sycophantic enthusiasm so that his giddiness and exuberance become unbridled and disconnect him from his powers of reason. Akaky’s transformation proves to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the coat gives him hope, self-confidence, and a renewed love of life. On the other hand, the coat instills in him an unexamined enthusiasm that makes him unhinged and demonstrates that the radical change that thrust him into public life was a change he was not ready for. Perhaps slower change accompanied by hard-fought wisdom would have been more in his self-interests. But this relatively rapid metamorphosis that Akaky enjoys as the result of a new overcoat seems to be a metaphor for the rapid change that afflicts many people. Some win millions in a lottery or an inheritance. Some take weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and get a new slender body. There are those suffering a midlife crisis who assuage their malaise by buying a new sports car. We can conclude therefore that the magical garment in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” represents a chimera for radical change and the hope for a new life, but upon interrogation this supposed change and hope is based more on a fever swamp of delusion than reality. In this context, write a 1,200-word essay that compares the false avatar of change in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” to the transformation in the 1988 movie Big. You might consider the following points of comparison: the hunger for transformation and identity; the loss of innocence; leaving the sheltered womb and confronting a brutal reality that contradicts our ideal image of happiness; and the unintended consequences of fulfilling our dreams. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 3 sources. You can use the story, the movie, and my Canvas lessons for your sources. 



Choice B “The Overcoat” and “Winter Dreams”

 

Gogol’s famous short story “The Overcoat” is about a marginalized isolated man, Akaky, whose new overcoat magically transforms him into another being. He becomes the object of envy and desire. Wearing the magical coat, Akaky is showered with maudlin enthusiasm and treated like a celebrity. He internalizes this sycophantic enthusiasm so that his giddiness and exuberance become unbridled and disconnect him from his powers of reason. Akaky’s transformation proves to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the coat gives him hope, self-confidence, and a renewed love of life. On the other hand, the coat instills in him an unexamined enthusiasm that makes him unhinged and demonstrates that the radical change that thrust him into public life was a change he was not ready for. Perhaps slower change accompanied by hard-fought wisdom would have been more in his self-interests. But this relatively rapid metamorphosis that Akaky enjoys as the result of a new overcoat seems to be a metaphor for the rapid change that afflicts many people. Some win millions in a lottery or an inheritance. Some take weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and get a new slender body. There are those suffering a midlife crisis who assuage their malaise by buying a new sports car. We can conclude therefore that the magical garment in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” represents a chimera for radical change and the hope for a new life, but upon interrogation this supposed change and hope is based more on a fever swamp of delusion than reality. In this context, write a 1,200-word essay that compares the false avatar of change in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” to the transformation Dexter Green seeks in “Winter Dreams.” You might consider the following points of comparison: the desire to feel whole and complete; ambition and social mobility; the hunger for transformation and identity; the unexamined appetite for validation, recognition, and veneration; the unintended consequences of fulfilling our dreams; the failure of the avatar (the overcoat and Judy Jones as the embodiment of Dexter’s “winter dreams”) to cure us of our essential loneliness, alienation, and brokenness.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 3 sources. You can use the two stories and my Canvas lessons for your sources. 



Choice C: “Winter Dreams” and “Gooseberries”

 

Addressing the quest for a happy and moral soul, Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations observes that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in the quest, he is the happy man.” Therefore, we can conclude that unhappiness and misery are the result of the maudlin disposition, which we can define as having the “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”--investing our emotions in the false avatars of personal transformation: idolizing people, things, and pleasure and investing our hopes in false cures or fraudulent panaceas for our ailments. The maudlin person invests so much emotion and thought in these meaningless enthusiasms that they cannot engage and connect in the real world with any meaning or coherence. Disconnected from life and others, the maudlin person seeks refuge in fantasies of the perfect life. The therapist and author Phil Stutz calls this imagined perfect life a “Moment Frozen in Time.” Constantly craving these Moments Frozen in Time, the maudlin person becomes drunk and intoxicated by these fantasies of perfection while real life passes them by. Unable to engage in the real world or find meaningful connections with others, the maudlin person retreats into a world of excessive, drunken, and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. Therefore, to be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality and misguided affections to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. All the while, they retreat more and more into Moments Frozen in Time. In the context of the maudlin personality type, write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that the two fictional characters Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” and Nicholai Ivanich in Anton Chekhov’s short story “Gooseberries” have squandered their time on Earth, have retreated into Moments Frozen in Time, aggrandized themselves into vainglorious narcissists, and disconnected themselves from the meaningful relationships that are necessary for a happy and fulfilled life because they have succumbed to the maudlin condition in which they have lavished excessive emotion for false idols, be they people or things. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 3 sources. You can use the two stories and my Canvas lessons for your sources. 

 

Essay 2 Option A Building Block 1

 

Addressing the short story “The Overcoat,” write a 300-word paragraph that analyzes Akaky’s journey into madness as a result of pursuing the overcoat as a false avatar of change. What contradictions does he encounter? What is the double-edged sword of his transformation? Be sure to use at least 3 signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from the story. 

 

Essay 2 Option B Building Block 1

 

Addressing the short story “The Overcoat,” write a 300-word paragraph that analyzes Akaky’s journey into madness as a result of pursuing the overcoat as a false avatar of change. What contradictions does he encounter? What is the double-edged sword of his transformation? Be sure to use at least 3 signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from the story. 

 

Essay 2 Option C Building Block 1

 

Addressing the short story “Winter Dreams,” write a 300-word paragraph that analyzes Dexter Green’s journey into madness as a result of pursuing Judy Jones as a false avatar of change. How does he fixate on maudlin and self-aggrandizing emotions rather than engage with reality? How does he squander time? How is he emotionally crippled by his fixation on Moments Frozen in Time? Be sure to use at least 3 signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from the story. 

 

***

 

Essay 2 Option A Building Block 2

 

For paragraph 2, write your thesis that compares the false avatar of change in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” to the transformation in the 1988 movie Big. You might consider the following points of comparison: the hunger for transformation and identity; the loss of innocence; leaving the sheltered womb and confronting a brutal reality that contradicts our ideal image of happiness; and the unintended consequences of fulfilling our dreams. 

 

Essay 2 Option B Building Block 2

 

For paragraph 2, write your thesis that compares the false avatar of change in Gogol’s “The Overcoat” to the transformation Dexter Green seeks in “Winter Dreams.” You might consider the following points of comparison: the desire to feel whole and complete; ambition and social mobility; the hunger for transformation and identity; the unexamined appetite for validation, recognition, and veneration; the unintended consequences of fulfilling our dreams; the failure of the avatar (the overcoat and Judy Jones as the embodiment of Dexter’s “winter dreams”) to cure us of our essential loneliness, alienation, and brokenness. 

 

Essay 2 Option C Building Block 2

 

For paragraph 2, write your thesis that addresses the claim that the two fictional characters Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” and Nicholai Ivanich in Anton Chekhov’s short story “Gooseberries” have squandered their time on Earth, have retreated into Moments Frozen in Time, aggrandized themselves into vainglorious narcissists, and disconnected themselves from the meaningful relationships that are necessary for a happy and fulfilled life because they have succumbed to the maudlin condition in which they have lavished excessive emotion for false idols, be they people or things.

1C Essay 3: The Manipulation of Young People

The Purpose of Essay 3:

You will be evaluating social influencers who peddle paranoid notions of “anxiety” and “trauma” and fashion companies who peddle FOMO and body dysmorphia to manipulate, control, and exploit young people. 

Choice A: FOMO and the Manipulation of Young People

Read Derek Thompson’s essay “How Anxiety Became Content” and watch the documentary Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max). Then 1,200-word essay that addresses the way Derek Thompson’s essay and the documentary show how young people are manipulated by FOMO (fear of missing out), a pathologized notion of anxiety, a pathologized notion of fashion, herd behavior, peer pressure, social status, and how the marketing of extremes is used to exploit, manipulate, and abuse young people. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources.   

For paragraph 1, write about how you were once manipulated into doing something as a result of desiring belonging, social status, and FOMO. 

For paragraph 2, summarize the major points in Thompson’s essay and the documentary.

For paragraph 3, your all-important thesis paragraph, write a claim that compares how social influencers market exaggerated maladies and Brandy Melville markets pathologized fashion resulting in a toxic, self-destructive culture. 

In terms of structure, your thesis might look something like this: 

“How Anxiety Became Content” and Brandy Hellville expose a toxic culture that manipulates and exploits young people by unscrupulously relying on _________________, _________________, _________________, and _____________________________, _________________________ 

Your body paragraphs, 4-8, would expound on the mapping components represented by the blank spaces that follow the above thesis structure. 

Because this essay analyzes the causes of a toxic culture and is more of an analysis essay than it is argumentative, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section.

Paragraph 9, your conclusion, is a powerful restatement of your thesis. 

Your last page is your Works Cited page in MLA format. You need 4 sources, the documentary, Thompson’s essay, and at least one of my modules from Canvas.

Choice B Consumer Body Shaming

Comparing the documentaries Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max) and White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (Netflix), write 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that both documentaries expose the way young people are manipulated by a cult-like culture of toxicity, body shaming, racially-biased beauty standards, and exploitation. Be sure to have an MLA-format Works Cited page with 4 sources. 

Essay 3 Choice A Building Block 1

Write a 250-word paragraph about how you were once manipulated into doing something as a result of desiring belonging, social status, and FOMO. This will be your introduction paragraph.

Essay 3 Choice B Building Block 1

Write a 250-word paragraph that summarizes the documentaries Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max) and White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (Netflix). Be sure to use at least three signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from the documentaries.

Essay 3 Choice A Building Block 2

Write a thesis that addresses the way Derek Thompson’s essay and the documentary show how young people are manipulated by FOMO (fear of missing out), a pathologized notion of anxiety, a pathologized notion of fashion, herd behavior, peer pressure, social status, and how the marketing of extremes is used to exploit, manipulate, and abuse young people.

Essay 3 Choice B Building Block 2

Write a thesis that addresses the claim that both documentaries Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max) and White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (Netflix) expose the way young people are manipulated by a cult-like culture of toxicity, body shaming, racially-biased beauty standards, and exploitation.

 

1C Essay 4 Cultural Appreciation Vs. Cultural Appropriation

The Purpose of Essay 4:

We will explore the idea that when we embrace cultural appreciation, such as the deep love for Mexican food, inevitably that appreciation will cross the line into appropriation. 

Choice A

For choice A, our fourth essay will be a 1,200-word argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates food and culture writer Gustavo Arellano’s claim in his essay “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food” and elsewhere that in the realm of food, especially Mexican food, we must step away from the Cult of Authenticity and embrace the idea that the greatness of Mexican food is related to its constant evolution from stealing, borrowing, synthesizing, and even culturally appropriating from one ethnic culture to another and that cuisines that fail to evolve lack relevance and vitality. 

Sample Outline:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” Or summarize the main ideas in the YouTube video “Cultural Appropriation Tastes Damn Good.”

Paragraph 2: Then transition to an argumentative claim in which you show support or repudiation of Arellano’s main ideas.

Paragraphs 3-6 would be your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraphs 7 and 8 would be your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 9 would be a powerful restatement of your thesis, which is your conclusion.  

Your last page would be your Works Cited page in MLA format and a minimum of 4 sources. 

 

Choice B: American Chinese Food

Based on the Ian Cheney documentary The Search for General Tso and the essays “Who’s Afraid of Chop Suey” by Charles W. Hayford, “More Than ‘Just Takeout’” by Cathy Erway, “‘Not Real Chinese’: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Our Respect” by Kelley Kwok, and “Searching for America with General Tso” by Jiayang Fan, write a 1,200-word argumentative essay that addresses the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is a story about surviving racism and xenophobia, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

 

Essay 4 Choice A Building Block 1

 

Two Paragraphs

For paragraph 1, summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” Use at least two signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from Arellano’s essay. 

 

For paragraph 2, write your thesis in which you support, refute, or complicate Arellano’s claim. 

 

Essay 4 Choice B Building Block 1

 

Two Paragraphs

 

In paragraph 1, summarize the reasons American Chinese food is sometimes held in low esteem. Use at least two signal phrases to introduce quoted or paraphrased material from the readings mentioned in the essay prompt. 

 

In paragraph 2, write your thesis in which you address the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is a story about surviving racism and xenophobia, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

 

Essay 4 Choice A Building Block 2

 

Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph that addresses your thesis. 

 

Essay 4 Choice B Building Block 2

 

Write a 200-word counterargument-rebuttal paragraph that addresses your thesis. 



 














Posted at 08:34 AM | | Comments (0)

06/09/2024

Fall 2024 Essay Prompts Fifth Revision 

Fall 2024 Essay Prompts Fifth Revision 

Revised & Polished Essay Prompts for Fall 2024

1A Essay 1: Is Following Your Passion Bad Career Advice?

The Purpose of Essay 1:

The purpose of your first essay is to explore the potential dangers and weaknesses of following your passion at the exclusion of other factors to achieve success. In what ways is following your passion dangerous? In what ways is the notion of passion a meaningless cliche? Why do such meaningless cliches become influential? What kind of audience hungers for these empty platitudes? How is Cal Newport’s idea of the craftsman mindset offered as an antidote to the dangers of following your passion? What moral considerations should be factored into cultivating a craftsman mindset? 

To explore these questions, you can choose from one of the following 2 prompts:

Choice A:

In a 1,200-word essay that adheres to current MLA format and provides a minimum of 4 sources for your Works Cited page, write an argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates Cal Newport’s claim from his YouTube video "Core Idea: Don't Follow Your Passion," his online article “The Passion Trap” and "The Career Craftsman Manifesto" and Ali Adbaal's YouTube video "Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice. Here's Why" that the career advice to follow your passion is dangerous and should be replaced by the craftsman mindset. Be sure to have a counterargument-rebuttal paragraph before your conclusion. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B:

In a 1,200-word essay, address the claim that the Netflix movie The Founder, about McDonald’s Fast-Food King Ray Kroc's rise is a cautionary tale about following Cal Newport’s notion of the craftsman mindset without a moral compass. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.  

 

1A Essay 2: Frederick Douglass Champions the Real Version of African-American History 

The Purpose of Essay 2:

You will examine Frederick Douglass as the Northstar of African-American history to address the claim that teaching African-American history is a form of anti-American, “woke” indoctrination by examining Frederick Douglass’ rigor in presenting the truth of American history. By studying Frederick Douglass’ life, you can interrogate common assumptions about freedom, democracy, and social justice. You can study Frederick Douglass’ witness to slavery as an antidote to the American revisionist myth of the Lost Cause, which perversely celebrates slavery as a blessing by God ruined by “Northern aggression against state rights.” You can also study Frederick Douglass’ life as an exemplar of discipline, literacy-fueled transformation, continual self-improvement, and commitment to helping others overcome what Jordan Peele calls the Sunken Place. In sum, the life of Frederick Douglass is a repudiation of false claims and Strawman arguments that depict African-American history in a derogatory manner to silence African American voices.  

For Essay 2, choose one from the following:

Choice A: Frederick Douglass Lifted Others Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter-argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we are well advised to look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. Based on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave (available as a PDF online) and Clint Smith’s essay “Monuments to the Unthinkable,” write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass and learning about Germany’s post-World War II moral reform is a way of learning about racial injustice that avoids the aforementioned pitfalls because Douglass’ life and Germany’s moral reform embody the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem a society’s past racial sins, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this assignment, I recommend two excellent books for further reading: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight and The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen. I also recommend the 2022 documentary Becoming Frederick Douglass. 

 

Choice B: Frederick Douglass and the movie Black Panther Point to a Way Out of the Sunken Place

In recent years, there have been critics of teaching slavery, Jim Crow and racial injustice in the classroom. These critics claim that such teachings have degenerated into biased and extremist political ideology that is intended to indoctrinate students into an anti-American mindset with America painted as the unredeemable devil; that this anti-American mindset encourages helplessness and victimization, and that this mindset has corrupted educational institutions so that rather than teach critical thinking, they foster “Woke” political indoctrination. However, some will counter argue that such renditions of African-American history are a perversion of real African-American history, which through ignorance or malice twist the essence of African-American history in order to attack it and silence African-American voices. These defenders of African-American history will posit that while it's true there are political dimensions to the study of African-American history, there are also spiritual, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. To truly understand African-American history, we can compare the themes in the 2018 Ryan Coogler movie Black Panther and Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. In this context, write an essay that compares the way we can learn the essence of African-American history in the movie Black Panther and the writings of Frederick Douglass. This comparison should address the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem America, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement so that we can find our “Inner Wakanda.” Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. For this essay, I recommend the following YouTube videos: “Black Panther: Symbolism Explained” and “Black Panther--Creating an Empathetic Villain.”

Choice C. Glory Vs. The Lost Cause

The Lost Cause is a perversion of African-American history, a fabrication that claims that slavery was blessed by God and that in the system of slavery, whites and blacks lived in peaceful harmony, but the evil North ruined this harmony through “Northern aggression” and the “violation of state rights.” Write an essay that addresses the claim that the 1989 movie Glory provides an effective counter-narrative to the heinous mythologies behind The Lost Cause. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice D. Misinformation Is the Enemy of the People 

Write an essay that addresses the claim that the misinformation that fuels The Lost Cause as interrogated by Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On” and the the lies of Alex Jones evident in the HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones makes a persuasive case that misinformation is the enemy of moral decency and a liberal democracy. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice E. Condescension and Stereotyping

Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the way both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

 

1A Essay 3: Is Social Media Manipulating Us?

The Purpose of Essay 3:

The purpose of Essay 3 is to interrogate the claim that social media is manipulating us and turning us into “thirsty” social media addicts. Is this claim true? Or is social media not the cause of our downfall? Is social media in fact merely exposing the pathologies and mental frailties that are already there? Could it be that we are in the beginning stages of a Social Media Learning Curve and that our mental strain in the face of social media is both natural and predictable? 

To examine social media more critically, choose one of the following 3 prompts:

Choice A

Using as your sources the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma,  Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid," and Sherry Turkle’s Ted Talk video “Connected But Not Alone," write a 1,200-word essay that explains the "nosedive" or mental breakdown of Lacie Pound in the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive." Did social media cause her “nosedive” or merely expose the “nosedive” that would have happened regardless? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B

Comparing the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid," write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that technology is dehumanizing us by manipulating us with cheap and easy dopamine and other insidious techniques that leave us emotionally and spiritually impoverished. Are there not other sources beyond social media of “cheap and easy dopamine”? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Essay 4: Groupthink, Moral Compromise and Mass Hysteria

 

Choice A: Comparing two works of fiction, movies, or media content, develop a thesis about the connection between Groupthink, moral compromise and mass hysteria. 

 

For paragraph 1, define Groupthink and write about yourself or someone you know who succumbed to Groupthink resulting in a degree of self-destruction and moral compromise. 

 

For paragraph 2, your thesis, compare two works of fiction, movies, or media content. Be sure your thesis is demonstrable in that it presents at least 5 points of comparison so you can have at least 5 body paragraphs. 

 

Paragraphs 3-7 are your body paragraphs.

 

Paragraph 8 is your conclusion, a powerful restatement of your thesis. 

 

Your last page is your Works Cited page in MLA format. It should have a minimum of 5 sources. 

 

Here are a list of stories and movies you can use for your comparison:

 

  1. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
  2. "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin 
  3. “The Country of the Blind” by H.G. Wells
  4. The 1976 movie Network
  5. The 1998 movie The Truman Show
  6. The 2019 documentary FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
  7. The Twilight Zone episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”

 

Choice B Mass Hysteria and the Loss of Freedom

Addressing the movie The Truman Show and the rise and fall of social media star The Liver King, write an essay that explores the connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom.

 

For paragraph 1, chronicle the rise and fall of the Liver King.

 

For paragraph 2, your thesis, compare  the connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom in the movie The Truman Show and the rise and fall of social media star The Liver King. For your body paragraphs, consider the following:

 

  • Self-commodification becomes a form of insanity.
  • Idealized self-curation makes them forget who they really are at their core if their is even a core at all.
  • As their persona grows, their authenticity does as well.
  • They become addicted to external social validation and suffer the consequences.
  • The cost of fame is the loss of freedom and autonomy.
  • Mass hysteria feeds the false persona that so the society and the individual live in a dysfunctional symbiotic relationship.

 

Your conclusion is a powerful restatement of your thesis.

 

Your final page is an MLA-format Works Cited that has a minimum of 5 sources. 

 

Choice C: Acclimating to a Loss of Privacy and Increased Surveillance

 

Write an essay that addresses the loss of privacy, exploitation, commofidication of private life, and increased surveillance in the movie The Truman Show and the CNN article by Faith Karimi “The first social media babies are adult now.” 

 

For paragraph 1, summarize the movie The Truman Show.

 

For paragraph 2, summarize the CNN article by Faith Karimi “The first social media babies are adult now.” 

 

Paragraph 3, your thesis, will make a claim that addresses the loss of privacy, exploitation, commofidication of private life, and increased surveillance in the movie The Truman Show and the CNN article by Faith Karimi “The first social media babies are adult now.” 

Paragraphs 4-8 are your supporting paragraphs. 

 

Your conclusion is a powerful restatement of your thesis.

 

Your final page is an MLA-format Works Cited that has a minimum of 5 sources. 



***

1C Essay 1: How People Are Persuaded and Manipulated by Clever Storytelling

The Purpose of Essay 1: 

With subjects as varied as weight-loss management, tabloid misogyny, and the Silicon Valley Tech Grift, we want to interrogate the claim that people without critical thinking skills are all too easily persuaded and manipulated by clever storytelling, tropes, and memes. With this in mind, choose one of the following prompts for Essay 1:

Choice A: Is Losing Weight Based on a Fiction?

Consider the difficulty of losing weight as argued in Johann Hari’s “A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We’re Thinking About Obesity All Wrong,” Harriet Brown’s essay “The Weight of the Evidence” and Sandra Aamodt’s essay “Why You Can’t Lose Weight on a Diet”; consider the advantages of having disposable income to have access to Ozempic and similar drugs. Then write a 1,200-word argumentative essay that addresses the claim losing weight and keeping it off is based on an over-simplistic narrative about self-agency, nutrition literacy, and self-discipline, regardless of our economic standing. Is this story of “staying in shape” based in truth or a myth that obscures inconvenient facts? Does the story of free will and healthy eating obscure society’s capitalistic machine that conspires to get you sucked into the addictive Industrial Food Complex and then transition to the Diabetes-Management Complex? Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B: Interrogating Fantasy Narratives of Amanda Knox and Elizabeth Holmes

Analyze the witch-hunt-like persecution in the Netflix documentary Amanda Knox in which a young woman is victimized by a misogynistic legal system and a media enterprise that relies on misogynistic fantasies to sell a murder trial as salacious entertainment. Then analyze the rise and fall of grifter Elizabeth Holmes in the HBO Max documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley in which Holmes sells herself as a Steve Jobs-like super tech savior come to save the world. Then write a 1,200-word essay titled, “Fantasies of the Femme Fatale Archetype and the Tech Super Savior" in which you explore the way fantasies misled the public, resulting in mass deception, chaos, injustice, and ruined lives. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can include the assigned movies as 2 of the sources.

 

Choice C: Interrogating the Story America Tells the Young Generation

Best-selling author and professor Scott Galloway is an expert at using ethos, pathos, and logos to support his arguments. To understand these ideas, watch the YouTube video “Rhetorical Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.” Bearing these ideas in mind, evaluate Galloway’s critique of American society. He argues in his Ted Talk video “How the US Is Destroying Young People’s Future” that America tells the young generation a wonderful story about achieving success: The young generation should play by the rules, go to college, and attain the American dream. However, Galloway exposes this story as a cruel and cowardly lie. According to Scott Galloway’s blog essay “War on the Young,” America is not a country in which the older generation is helping the younger generation by paving a path to success. Instead, the older generation is hoarding all the money and has essentially “waged war against the young.” He says in his Ted Talk video that social media maven Mark Zuckerberg has harmed young people more than any figure in American history. Moreover, young men are being marginalized to a degree that is dangerous to not just them but to society as a whole. He expounds on these points in his blog essay “Boys to Men” and in his Bill Maher appearance on YouTube “Why Are Men in Crisis?” In a 1,200-word essay, evaluate the persuasiveness of Galloway’s Ted Talk video “How the US Is Destroying Young People’s Future” and his essay “War on the Young” as a “master class” in the use of ethos, pathos, and logos.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. 

How to Outline Choice C:

In paragraph 1, write a 250-word paragraph that summarizes the ways the older generation is stealing wealth from the young generation. 

In paragraph 2, write a 250-word paragraph that summarizes the prescriptions Galloway offers for helping the young generation get back on the right track. 

In paragraph 3, write a thesis that addresses the claim that Scott Galloway in his essay and video uses ethos, pathos, and logos to strengthen the persuasion of his argument. 

In paragraph 4, write a 200-word paragraph that focuses on Galloway’s use of ethos and give examples from his presentation using signal phrases, direct quotes, and paraphrases. 

In paragraph 5, write a 200-word paragraph that focuses on Galloway’s use of pathos and give examples from his presentation and essay using signal phrases, direct quotes, and paragraphs. Consider the way he summons emotion by looking at the boomer generation’s greed and the abandonment of loving our children. Also, consider the way Galloway discusses his personal life to create pathos. 

In paragraph 6, write a 200-word paragraph that focuses on Galloway’s use of logos and give examples from his presentation and essay using signal phrases, direct quotes, and paraphrases. 

In paragraph 7, your conclusion, rephrase your thesis in powerful emotional language. 

Your last page will be an MLA-format Works Cited page with a minimum of 2 sources. 

 

1C Essay 2: Exploring the Maudlin Disposition as a Form of Moral Depravity and an Impediment to Happiness

Interrogating the Maudlin Condition as a Form of Moral Depravity and an Impediment to Happiness

 

Choice A: “Winter Dreams” and “Gooseberries”

 

Addressing the quest for a happy and moral soul, Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations observes that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in quest, he is the happy man.” Therefore, we can conclude that unhappiness and misery are the result of the maudlin disposition, which we can define as having the “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”--investing our emotions in false paths: idolizing people, things, and pleasure and investing our hopes in false cures or fraudulent panaceas for our ailments. The maudlin person invests so much emotion and thought in these meaningless enthusiasms that they cannot engage and connect in the real world with any meaning or coherence. Disconnected from life and others, the maudlin person seeks refuge in fantasies of the perfect life. The therapist and author Phil Stutz calls this imagined perfect life a “Moment Frozen in Time.” Constantly craving these Moments Frozen in Time, the maudlin person becomes drunk and intoxicated by these fantasies of perfection while real life passes them by. Unable to engage the real world or find meaningful connections with others, the maudlin person retreats into a world of 

excessive, drunken and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. Therefore, to be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and from other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality and misguided affections to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. All the while, they retreat more and more into Moments Frozen in Time. In the context of the maudlin personality type, write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that the two fictional characters Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” and Nicholai Ivanich in Anton Chekhov’s short story “Gooseberries” have squandered their time on Earth, have retreated into Moments Frozen in Time, aggrandized themselves into vainglorious narcissists, and disconnected themselves from the meaningful relationships that are necessary for a happy and fulfilled life because they have succumbed to the maudlin condition in which they have lavished excessive emotion for false idols, be they people or things. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 4 sources. 

 

Choice B: Uncut Gems and Private Life

 

Addressing the quest for a happy and moral soul, Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations observes that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in quest, he is the happy man.” Therefore, we can conclude that unhappiness and misery are the result of the maudlin disposition, which we can define as having the “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”--investing our emotions in false paths: idolizing people, things, and pleasure and investing our hopes in false cures or fraudulent panaceas for our ailments. The maudlin person invests so much emotion and thought in these meaningless enthusiasms that they cannot engage and connect in the real world with any meaning or coherence. Disconnected from life and others, the maudlin person seeks refuge in fantasies of the perfect life. The therapist and author Phil Stutz calls this imagined perfect life a “Moment Frozen in Time.” Constantly craving these Moments Frozen in Time, the maudlin person becomes drunk and intoxicated by these fantasies of perfection while real life passes them by. Unable to engage the real world or find meaningful connections with others, the maudlin person retreats into a world of 

excessive, drunken and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. Therefore, to be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and from other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality and misguided affections to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. All the while, they retreat more and more into Moments Frozen in Time. In the context of the maudlin personality type, write a 1,200-word essay that compares the maudlin disposition of Howard Ratner from the movie Uncut Gems, as a man overcome with excessive love for a gem that he believes will heal his wounded masculinity, with the couple from the movie Private Life who have excessive zeal to have a child as a way of healing their wounded marriage. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 4 sources. 




*** 

1C Essay 2: Exploring the Difference Between Centripetal and Centrifugal Character Development

The Purpose of Essay 2

The purpose of Essay 2 is to analyze the causes behind centripetal and centrifugal character development in the context of stories, comedy routines, and movies. Centripetal character development can be defined as a character beginning with a maladaptive character trait at the beginning of the story or movie. As the story or movie progresses, the character’s undesirable personality traits intensify more and more until they are consumed by their inner psychological malignancy. In contrast, centrifugal character development can be defined as a character having limitations and impediments to their moral growth at the beginning of the story or movie. As the character engages with conflicts in the story or movie, they go through a transformation so that they are radically changed, usually for the better. The college narrative, for example, is implicitly centrifugal. Students enter college at a beginning stage of academic life and when they graduate they have ascended several rungs to a stage in which they can achieve more independence. They have “forged a life on their own.”

Choice A: “Winter Dreams” and Magical Thinking

Analyzing the therapist and best-selling author Phil Stutz's notion of magical thinking, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the manner in which Dexter Green from the short story “Winter Dreams” squanders his existence by obsessing over his all-consuming chimera Judy Jones. As a result of his fixation, he is stuck in a state of centripetal character development. Because this essay is an analysis and not an argument, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules for your sources. 

Choice B: “Winter Dreams” and Homecoming King: Centripetal Vs. Centrifugal Character Development

Centripetal character development can be defined as a character beginning with a maladaptive character trait at the beginning of the story or movie. As the story or movie progresses, the character’s undesirable personality traits intensify more and more until he is consumed by his inner psychological malignancy. In contrast, centrifugal character development can be defined as a character having limitations and impediments to his moral growth at the beginning of the story or movie. As the character engages with conflicts in the story or movie, he goes through a transformation so that he is a radically changed man, usually for the better. In this context, write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Netflix comedy special Homecoming King present us with radically different iterations of grand ambition. Analyze the causes behind Dexter Green’s ambition as a source of his centripetal character development. Then analyze Hasan Minhaj’s ambition and changing attitudes toward Bethany Reed as a study in centrifugal character development. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources. 

Choice C: Comparing Ambition in “Winter Dreams” with the 3-Part Docuseries Arnold:

Centripetal character development can be defined as a character beginning with a maladaptive character trait at the beginning of the story or movie. As the story or movie progresses, the character’s undesirable personality traits intensify more and more until he is consumed by his inner psychological malignancy. In contrast, centrifugal character development can be defined as a character having limitations and impediments to his moral growth at the beginning of the story or movie. As the character engages with conflicts in the story or movie, he goes through a transformation so that he is a radically changed man, usually for the better. In this context, write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Netflix documentary Arnold present us with radically different iterations of grand ambition. Analyze the causes behind Dexter Green’s ambition as a source of his centripetal character development. Then analyze Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ambition as a study in centrifugal character development. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources. 

 

1C Essay 3: The Manipulation of Young People

The Purpose of Essay 3:

You will be evaluating social influencers who peddle paranoid notions of “anxiety” and “trauma” and fashion companies who peddle FOMO and body dysmorphia to manipulate, control, and exploit young people. 

Choice A: FOMO and the Manipulation of Young People

Read Derek Thompson’s essay “How Anxiety Became Content” and watch the documentary Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max). Then 1,200-word essay that addresses the way the essay and the documentary show how young people are manipulated by FOMO (fear of missing out), a pathologized notion of anxiety, a pathologized notion of fashion, herd behavior, peer pressure, social status, and how the marketing of extremes is used to exploit, manipulate, and abuse young people. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources.   

For paragraph 1, write about how you were once manipulated into doing something as a result of desiring belonging, social status, and FOMO. 

For paragraph 2, summarize the major points in Thompson’s essay and the documentary.

For paragraph 3, your all-important thesis paragraph, write a claim that compares the manner in which social influencers market exaggerated maladies and Brandy Melville markets pathologized fashion resulting in a toxic, self-destructive culture. 

In terms of structure, your thesis might look something like this: 

“How Anxiety Became Content” and Brandy Hellville expose a toxic culture that manipulates and exploits young people by unscrupulously relying on _________________, _________________, _________________, and _____________________________, _________________________ 

Your body paragraphs, 4-8, would expound on the mapping components represented by the blank spaces that follow the above thesis structure. 

Because this essay is analyzing the causes of toxic culture and is more of an analysis essay than it is argumentative, there is no counterargument-rebuttal section.

Paragraph 9, your conclusion, is a powerful restatement of your thesis. 

Your last page is your Works Cited page in MLA format. You need 4 sources, the documentary, Thompson’s essay, and at least one of my modules from Canvas.

Choice B Consumer Body Shaming

Comparing the documentaries Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion (HBO Max) and White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (Netflix), write 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that both documentaries expose the way young people are manipulated by a cult-like culture of toxicity, body shaming, racially-biased beauty standards, and exploitation. Be sure to have an MLA-format Works Cited page with 4 sources. 

Choice C The Snakeoil of the Liver King

In a 1,200-word essay, analyze the ways the fallen social media star the Liver King persuaded and manipulated his audience into believing in his lies, buying his supplements, and making him a rich social media mogul. Be sure to have an MLA-format Works Cited page with 4 sources. 

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1C Essay 4 Cultural Appreciation Vs. Cultural Appropriation

The Purpose of Essay 4:

We will explore the idea that when we embrace cultural appreciation, such as the deep love for Mexican food, inevitably that appreciation will cross the line into appropriation. 

Choice A

For choice A, our fourth essay will be a 1,200-word argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates food and culture writer Gustavo Arellano’s claim in his essay “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food” and elsewhere that in the realm of food, especially Mexican food, we must step away from the Cult of Authenticity and embrace the idea that the greatness of Mexican food is related to its constant evolution from stealing, borrowing, synthesizing, and even culturally appropriating from one ethnic culture to another and that cuisines that fail to evolve lack relevance and vitality. 

Sample Outline:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” Or summarize the main ideas in the YouTube video “Cultural Appropriation Tastes Damn Good.”

Paragraph 2: Then transition to an argumentative claim in which you show support or repudiation of Arellano’s main ideas.

Paragraphs 3-6 would be your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraphs 7 and 8 would be your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 9 would be a powerful restatement of your thesis, which is your conclusion.  

Your last page would be your Works Cited page in MLA format and a minimum of 4 sources. 

 

Choice B: American Chinese Food

Based on the Ian Cheney documentary The Search for General Tso and the essays “Who’s Afraid of Chop Suey” by Charles W. Hayford, “More Than ‘Just Takeout’” by Cathy Erway, “‘Not Real Chinese’: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Our Respect” by Kelley Kwok, and “Searching for America with General Tso” by Jiayang Fan, write a 1,200-word argumentative essay that addresses the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is really a story about surviving racism and xenophobia, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

 

Choice C: Appropriating Authentic Human Experience to Entertain Others

 

Megan Garber’s 2017 Atlantic essay “Are We Having Too Much Fun?” revisits a “prescient” classic: Neil Postman’s book Amusing Ourselves to Death. In her essay, Garber writes the following:

 

“Postman today is best remembered as a critic of television: That’s the medium he directly blamed, in Amusing Ourselves to Death, for what he termed Americans’ “vast descent into triviality,” and the technology he saw as both the cause and the outcome of a culture that privileged entertainment above all else. But Postman was a critic of more than TV alone. He mistrusted entertainment, not as a situation but as a political tool; he worried that Americans’ great capacity for distraction had compromised their ability to think, and to want, for themselves. He resented the tyranny of the lol. His great observation, and his great warning, was a newly relevant kind of bummer: There are dangers that can come with having too much fun.”

 

In 2023, Megan Garber returns to the themes in Neil Postman’s book in her essay “We’ve Lost the Plot.” In her essay, she addresses the forces behind a “post-truth society”--weaponized misinformation, distrust in major institutions, and an addiction to “unlimited entertainment” that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. In “We’ve Lost the Plot,” Garber writes about how what we expect from human beings has changed in the age of entertainment and social media. Garber writes:

 

“By the mid-20th century, the historian Warren Susman argued, a great shift was taking place. American values had traditionally emphasized a collection of qualities we might shorthand as “character”: honesty, diligence, an abiding sense of duty. The rise of mass media changed those terms, Susman wrote. In the media-savvy and consumption-oriented society that Americans were building, people came to value—and therefore demand—what Susman called “personality”: charm, likability, the talent to entertain. “The social role demanded of all in the new Culture of Personality was that of a performer,” Susman wrote. “Every American was to become a performing self.”

 

These warnings of society’s addiction to the “performing self” and the ensuing dehumanization that occurs are rendered in the movies Network, The Truman Show, and The Social Dilemma. Write a 1,200-word essay that addresses the claim that the movies Network, The Truman Show, and The Social Dilemma illustrate that to curate a performative self and appropriate authentic experience to entertain others is destroying a healthy liberal democracy and replacing it with a “post-truth” dystopia. For your sources, use the aforementioned movies and two Megan Garber essays. Be sure to include an MLA-format Works Cited page.  



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For 1A Social Media Unit

The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma shows how we are manipulated and dehumanized so that metaphorically we turn into zombies with our brains intoxicated by the liquor of cheap dopamine. Write a 1,200 word essay that shows how The Social Dilemma compares this zombie state to that of the virus in the 2013 movie World War Z. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources. 

Sample Outline:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the ways we become dehumanized by social media according to The Social Dilemma. 

Paragraph 2, your thesis: Argue that the "zombie state" in The Social Dilemma compares to the 2013 movie World War Z in 5 ways, making the movie an allegory of a global digital society dissolved into mindless chaos as the result of a pandemic. 

Paragraphs 3-7, your body paragraphs expound on the comparison points. 

Paragraph 8, your conclusion, is a dramatic restatement of your thesis. 

For comparison ideas, I put the following prompt in ChatGPT:

 

The documentary The Social Dilemma shows how we are manipulated and dehumanized so that metaphorically we turn into zombies. Present 5 ways The Social Dilemma compares this zombie state to that of the virus in the 2013 movie World War Z. 

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

"The Social Dilemma" and "World War Z" both offer chilling perspectives on the loss of agency and autonomy within society. Here are five ways they compare the metaphorical zombie state portrayed in both narratives:

  1. Infectious Behavior Spread: Just as the virus spreads rapidly in "World War Z," the addictive and manipulative algorithms portrayed in "The Social Dilemma" spread throughout society, infecting individuals with behaviors that mimic those around them. Much like how the virus in the movie turns people into mindless zombies, the addictive nature of social media algorithms can turn users into passive consumers, devoid of critical thinking skills.

  2. Loss of Individuality: In "World War Z," individuals lose their sense of self and become part of a mindless horde. Similarly, "The Social Dilemma" depicts how social media platforms gather vast amounts of personal data to tailor content and advertisements, leading to a loss of individuality as users are bombarded with targeted messaging designed to influence their thoughts and behaviors.

  3. Mob Mentality and Groupthink: Both narratives explore the dangers of mob mentality and groupthink. In "World War Z," the infected move as a single, frenzied mass, while in "The Social Dilemma," online communities can become echo chambers where dissenting voices are silenced, leading to a collective mindset that stifles critical thinking and reinforces polarized viewpoints.

  4. Manipulation by External Forces: In "World War Z," the virus manipulates individuals to serve its own destructive purposes. Similarly, "The Social Dilemma" reveals how social media platforms manipulate user behavior to maximize engagement and profit, often at the expense of users' well-being and autonomy.

  5. Struggle for Control: Both narratives depict a struggle for control over one's own mind and actions. In "World War Z," survivors fight to maintain their humanity amidst the chaos of the zombie apocalypse. Likewise, "The Social Dilemma" highlights the importance of awareness and critical thinking in resisting the manipulative tactics employed by social media platforms to control users' attention and behavior.

These comparisons underscore the powerful parallels between the metaphorical zombie state portrayed in "The Social Dilemma" and the viral outbreak in "World War Z," both of which serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of relinquishing control to external forces.

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Variation of the Above with COVID Pandemic Factor Added

 

The documentary The Social Dilemma shows how we are manipulated and dehumanized so that metaphorically we turn into zombies. This dehumanization worsened during the COVID pandemic when we fell deeper down various social media platforms. Present 5 ways The Social Dilemma compares this zombie state to that of the virus in the 2013 movie World War Z and the zombie state during the COVID pandemic.  

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, "The Social Dilemma" offers a compelling narrative on how social media platforms manipulate users and foster a sense of detachment from reality, akin to a metaphorical "zombie" state. Here are five ways this comparison can be drawn between the themes explored in "The Social Dilemma," the zombie apocalypse depicted in "World War Z," and the societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic:

  1. Contagious Behavior: Just as the virus spreads rapidly in "World War Z," the addictive nature of social media content spreads swiftly among users, influencing their behavior and thoughts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this spread was exacerbated as people spent more time online, leading to a proliferation of misinformation and echo chambers that further detached individuals from reality.

  2. Loss of Autonomy: In both scenarios, individuals lose their autonomy and become slaves to their impulses. In "The Social Dilemma," algorithms tailor content to manipulate user behavior, while in "World War Z," the infected lose control of their actions to the virus. Similarly, during the pandemic, excessive reliance on social media led to a loss of critical thinking skills and independent decision-making as individuals became consumed by online narratives.

  3. Dehumanization: The dehumanization of individuals is a central theme in both narratives. In "World War Z," the infected lose their humanity as they succumb to the virus, while in "The Social Dilemma," users are reduced to data points and targeted for profit without regard for their well-being. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the depersonalization of individuals online contributed to polarization and divisiveness, further eroding empathy and understanding.

  4. Erosion of Social Fabric: Both scenarios illustrate the erosion of societal norms and institutions. In "World War Z," the collapse of governments and social order leads to chaos and anarchy, while in "The Social Dilemma," the breakdown of authentic human connections in favor of virtual interactions undermines social cohesion. Similarly, the isolation and disconnection fostered by the pandemic exacerbated feelings of alienation and distrust within communities.

  5. Overcoming the Threat: Despite the bleakness of their respective situations, both narratives offer hope for redemption. In "World War Z," the protagonist seeks a cure to halt the spread of the virus and restore humanity, while in "The Social Dilemma," awareness of the manipulative tactics employed by social media platforms sparks a movement for change. Likewise, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to combat misinformation and promote digital literacy have emerged as crucial steps towards reclaiming agency and rebuilding trust in online spaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Show 5 ways the virus in the 2013 World War Z is a metaphor for the kind of mental virus that is dehumanizing us as explored in Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid."

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, here are five ways in which the virus depicted in the 2013 novel "World War Z" serves as a metaphor for the kind of mental virus that dehumanizes individuals, as explored in Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid":

  1. Infectious Spread and Polarization:

    • The virus in "World War Z" spreads rapidly and indiscriminately, infecting individuals across all demographics.
    • Similarly, the ideological "viruses" discussed by Haidt, such as political polarization and tribalism, have spread widely in American society, leading to increased division and animosity between different groups.
  2. Loss of Individuality and Groupthink:

    • Once infected in "World War Z," individuals lose their sense of self and individuality, becoming mindless drones driven solely by the virus's agenda.
    • Likewise, Haidt observes a trend towards conformity and groupthink in modern American society, where individuals adhere rigidly to ideological narratives at the expense of critical thinking and independent judgment.
  3. Dehumanization and Othering:

    • Infected individuals in "World War Z" lose their humanity, viewing non-infected humans as "other" and often resorting to violence against them.
    • Similarly, Haidt discusses how ideological polarization has led to dehumanization of political opponents, with individuals demonizing those who hold different beliefs as enemies rather than fellow citizens.
  4. Erosion of Empathy and Compassion:

    • The virus in "World War Z" erodes empathy and compassion among infected individuals, leading to acts of cruelty and violence against others.
    • Similarly, Haidt highlights how ideological "viruses" can diminish empathy and compassion in society, as individuals prioritize loyalty to their group over concern for the well-being of others.
  5. Destructive Consequences and Societal Collapse:

    • In "World War Z," the spread of the virus ultimately leads to societal collapse, with widespread chaos, violence, and loss of life.
    • Similarly, Haidt warns of the destructive consequences of unchecked ideological polarization, including societal breakdown and the erosion of democratic norms and institutions.

 

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The 2013 movie World War Z is not just a prophecy about the Covid pandemic. It’s a prophecy about how the Covid pandemic put people in an internet crucible in which they got drunk on the liquor of cheap dopamine and were dehumanized and “zombified.” Present 7 examples of how this aforementioned prophecy was fulfilled.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Comparing the themes of "World War Z" to the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic reveals several striking parallels, showcasing how the film's portrayal of a global crisis resonates with aspects of our contemporary reality. Here are seven examples illustrating how the prophecy was fulfilled:

  1. Information Overload and Panic: In "World War Z," the rapid spread of the zombie virus leads to widespread panic and misinformation. Similarly, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flood of conflicting information and rumors on social media platforms contributed to heightened anxiety and confusion among the public.

  2. Dopamine-driven Behavior: The film portrays individuals succumbing to impulsive and reckless behavior in their pursuit of survival, often driven by the adrenaline rush of facing imminent danger. Similarly, during the pandemic, people turned to social media and online entertainment as a form of escapism, seeking instant gratification and dopamine hits through likes, shares, and viral content.

  3. Dehumanization and Polarization: As society grapples with the zombie outbreak in "World War Z," there is a breakdown of social cohesion, leading to the dehumanization of both infected and uninfected individuals. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing societal divisions, fueling hostility and polarization between those advocating for public health measures and those resisting them.

  4. Digital Echo Chambers: The internet serves as a breeding ground for conspiracy theories and extremist ideologies in the film, amplifying fear and distrust among the population. Similarly, the pandemic fueled the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories online, leading to the formation of echo chambers where individuals reinforce their preexisting beliefs without critical evaluation.

  5. Economic Disruption and Inequality: "World War Z" portrays the collapse of global economies and widespread unemployment as a consequence of the zombie outbreak. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered significant economic disruption, exacerbating inequalities and disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations, including low-income workers and marginalized communities.

  6. Governmental Response and Accountability: The film depicts the challenges governments face in coordinating an effective response to the crisis amidst bureaucratic inefficiencies and political infighting. Similarly, the pandemic exposed shortcomings in governmental preparedness and response, leading to debates over accountability and the effectiveness of public health measures.

  7. Resilience and Adaptation: Despite the chaos and devastation depicted in "World War Z," the film also highlights humanity's capacity for resilience and adaptation in the face of adversity. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired acts of solidarity and innovation, as communities come together to support one another and adapt to new ways of living and working in a post-pandemic world.

By examining these parallels between "World War Z" and the COVID-19 pandemic, we can gain insights into the societal and psychological challenges posed by global crises and the importance of resilience, solidarity, and critical thinking in navigating uncertain times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Compare 7 points of dehumanization in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and  Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid."

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, let's compare seven points of dehumanization evident in both "The Social Dilemma" and Jonathan Haidt's essay "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid."

  1. Surveillance and Manipulation:

    • In "The Social Dilemma," social media platforms surveil users' behavior and manipulate their feeds to maximize engagement and profit.
    • Haidt's essay touches on how social media algorithms prioritize sensationalist content, fueling outrage and division for clicks and views. This manipulation undermines genuine discourse and fosters polarization.
  2. Algorithmic Bias:

    • "The Social Dilemma" discusses how algorithms reinforce biases by showing users content that aligns with their existing beliefs, leading to echo chambers.
    • Haidt highlights how social media amplifies tribalism by presenting selective information, perpetuating stereotypes, and eroding empathy for those with differing viewpoints.
  3. Addiction and Dopamine Response:

    • Both the documentary and Haidt's essay explore how social media platforms exploit users' psychological vulnerabilities to foster addiction and drive engagement.
    • They both argue that the constant dopamine hits from likes, shares, and notifications can lead to diminished attention spans and addictive behavior, dehumanizing individuals by reducing them to mere sources of attention.
  4. Mental Health Impact:

    • "The Social Dilemma" discusses the detrimental effects of social media on mental health, including increased rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
    • Haidt's essay suggests that the constant exposure to negative news and outrage culture on social media contributes to a culture of fear and pessimism, dehumanizing individuals by undermining their sense of security and well-being.
  5. Loss of Authenticity:

    • Both "The Social Dilemma" and Haidt's essay argue that social media encourages individuals to present curated, idealized versions of themselves, leading to a loss of authenticity and genuine connection.
    • They suggest that this emphasis on perfection and comparison dehumanizes individuals by eroding their sense of identity and self-worth.
  6. Polarization and Tribalism:

    • Both sources explore how social media exacerbates societal divisions by amplifying extreme viewpoints and fostering tribalistic behavior.
    • They argue that this polarization dehumanizes individuals by reducing complex issues to simplistic narratives and fostering hostility towards those with differing opinions.
  7. Manipulation of Reality:

    • "The Social Dilemma" highlights how social media distorts reality by promoting curated images and narratives, leading to unrealistic expectations and feelings of inadequacy.
    • Haidt's essay suggests that the constant exposure to sensationalist news and viral misinformation on social media blurs the line between fact and fiction, undermining trust in institutions and dehumanizing individuals by eroding their sense of reality.

These comparisons illustrate how both "The Social Dilemma" and Haidt's essay identify various forms of dehumanization perpetuated by social media and its impact on society.

 

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To truly understand African-American history, we must look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. In this context, provide 7 examples to support the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass is a way of learning about racial injustice that embodies the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem America, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement. 

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

  1. Uplifting the Oppressed: Frederick Douglass's life story serves as a beacon of hope and resilience for those facing oppression. Born into slavery, Douglass endured unimaginable hardships but ultimately liberated himself through education and activism. His narrative demonstrates the transformative power of knowledge and self-determination, inspiring generations to rise above adversity.

  2. Escaping the Sunken Place: Jordan Peele's concept of "The Sunken Place" in his film "Get Out" symbolizes a state of psychological captivity and subjugation. Douglass's writings, particularly his autobiographies like "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," provide a roadmap for breaking free from societal constraints and reclaiming one's agency. By sharing his experiences, Douglass invites readers to confront the reality of oppression and challenge systems of injustice.

  3. Bearing Witness to Truth: Douglass was a fearless truth-teller who exposed the brutal realities of slavery and racism. His speeches and writings, such as his famous Fourth of July address, unflinchingly confronted America's hypocrisy and demanded justice for all people. Studying Douglass's work enables students to confront uncomfortable truths about the nation's past while inspiring them to advocate for a more equitable future.

  4. Embracing Individual Self-Agency: Despite facing insurmountable odds, Douglass refused to succumb to despair or resignation. Instead, he seized every opportunity to assert his humanity and challenge the status quo. Through his actions, Douglass exemplified the power of individual agency in effecting meaningful change. His life teaches us that even in the face of overwhelming oppression, each person possesses the capacity to resist and overcome.

  5. Fighting to Redeem America: Douglass believed in the promise of America, even as he condemned its failures to live up to its ideals. He tirelessly advocated for the abolition of slavery, suffrage for women, and equal rights for all citizens. Douglass's activism embodied the belief that America could only fulfill its potential by confronting its history of injustice and striving towards a more inclusive society.

  6. Championing the Wisdom of the Ancients: Douglass was a voracious reader and intellectual who drew inspiration from classical literature and philosophy. His speeches often referenced ancient Greek and Roman thinkers, demonstrating his appreciation for the timeless wisdom found in their writings. By integrating these insights into his advocacy, Douglass emphasized the universality of human rights and the enduring relevance of moral principles across cultures and epochs.

  7. Continual Self-Improvement: Douglass's life was a testament to the power of continual self-improvement and lifelong learning. Despite achieving remarkable success as an abolitionist leader, he remained humble and committed to personal growth. Douglass's journey from bondage to freedom illustrates the transformative potential of education and self-reflection. By studying his life and legacy, students are encouraged to embark on their own paths of discovery and self-empowerment.

 

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During the COVID pandemic, society became even more polarized, radicalized, and open to grand conspiracies. The accretion of these developments had a dehumanizing effect on people. Elaborate on these themes by comparing 7 points of dehumanization resulting from the COVID pandemic to the "zombification" and world chaos evident in the 2013 movie World War Z.

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

In the crucible of the COVID-19 pandemic, societal fissures deepened, fostering a landscape ripe for polarization, radicalization, and the proliferation of grand conspiracies. This tumultuous terrain was not merely a stage for ideological clashes but also an arena where the human essence seemed to erode, giving rise to a disturbing array of dehumanizing phenomena. Drawing parallels to the "zombification" and global chaos depicted in the 2013 film "World War Z," we can discern seven points of convergence where the dehumanizing effects of the pandemic echo the chaos of a world overrun by the undead:

  1. Othering and Stigmatization: Just as survivors in "World War Z" faced the dehumanizing reality of viewing their infected counterparts as soulless threats, the pandemic exacerbated tendencies to "other" and stigmatize certain groups. Whether through scapegoating ethnic minorities, vilifying frontline workers, or ostracizing those who contracted the virus, societies witnessed a troubling surge in dehumanizing rhetoric and behavior.

  2. Information Warfare and Disinformation: In both the pandemic reality and the fictional world of "World War Z," the dissemination of misinformation and propaganda fueled confusion and fear. Just as the spread of false narratives in the movie led to societal breakdown, the deluge of conspiracy theories and misleading information during the pandemic undermined trust in institutions, eroding the bonds of shared reality and fostering a climate of suspicion and paranoia.

  3. Erosion of Empathy and Solidarity: The breakdown of social cohesion portrayed in "World War Z" finds parallels in the erosion of empathy and solidarity witnessed during the pandemic. As individuals and communities grappled with the strain of lockdowns, economic hardship, and loss, empathy fatigue set in, giving way to a callous indifference to the suffering of others and a prioritization of self-preservation over collective well-being.

  4. Weaponization of Fear and Anxiety: Just as fear served as a potent weapon in the arsenal of those seeking to exploit chaos in "World War Z," the pandemic provided fertile ground for the weaponization of fear and anxiety. From political leaders leveraging public anxiety to advance their agendas to extremist groups capitalizing on societal unrest to recruit new adherents, fear became a tool for manipulation, further fracturing society along ideological fault lines.

  5. Dehumanization in Digital Spaces: The digital realm, portrayed as a battleground for survival in "World War Z," mirrored the pandemic's digital landscape, where dehumanization flourished unchecked. Online echo chambers amplified extremist views, while the anonymity afforded by screens emboldened individuals to unleash vitriol and hate with impunity, further eroding the boundaries of civil discourse and empathy.

  6. Economic Exploitation and Inequality: In both the pandemic reality and the apocalyptic world of "World War Z," economic disparities deepened, exacerbating existing inequalities and widening the chasm between the haves and the have-nots. As corporations capitalized on crisis-driven demand and governments prioritized economic recovery over social welfare, marginalized communities bore the brunt of exploitation and neglect, their humanity reduced to mere collateral in the pursuit of profit.

  7. Desensitization to Violence and Suffering: Finally, just as the relentless onslaught of zombie hordes in "World War Z" desensitized survivors to violence and suffering, the relentless barrage of grim statistics and harrowing images during the pandemic threatened to numb societies to the human toll of the crisis. As the death toll climbed and scenes of despair became commonplace, there was a risk of succumbing to a collective desensitization, where human tragedy became little more than background noise in the daily cacophony of news cycles.

In essence, the COVID-19 pandemic and the dystopian chaos of "World War Z" serve as cautionary tales, reminding us of the fragility of our humanity in the face of existential threats. By recognizing and confronting the dehumanizing forces at play, we can strive to rebuild a society grounded in empathy, solidarity, and a shared commitment to preserving our common humanity.

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Present 7 ways the Liver King manipulated his audience into following his so-called "ancestral living."

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

The Liver King's tactics for persuading his audience to embrace his concept of "ancestral living" were multifaceted and manipulative. Here are seven ways he likely achieved this:

  1. Appeal to Nostalgia: The Liver King likely tapped into a sense of nostalgia for a simpler, supposedly healthier past, suggesting that modern lifestyles have deviated from our ancestral roots. By invoking this nostalgia, he created a longing for a time perceived as more authentic and natural.
  2. Fearmongering: Exploiting common fears about health and well-being, the Liver King may have exaggerated the dangers of modern living, emphasizing the perceived toxins in processed foods, environmental pollutants, and sedentary lifestyles. Through fear, he could make his audience feel vulnerable and in need of his solution.
  3. Celebrity Endorsements: Leveraging endorsements from celebrities or influencers who have adopted his lifestyle could have lent credibility to his claims. By associating his ideas with well-known figures, he could sway followers who aspire to emulate their idols.
  4. Pseudoscientific Jargon: The Liver King likely employed scientific-sounding language to lend an air of authority to his claims, even if they lacked empirical evidence. By using terms like "ancestral living" or "biological optimization," he could create an illusion of expertise and legitimacy.
  5. Exclusive Community: Establishing a sense of belonging and exclusivity within his followers could have been another tactic. By framing his lifestyle as a unique and enlightened path, he fostered a sense of camaraderie among his followers while simultaneously distancing them from skeptics.
  6. Selective Evidence: The Liver King may have cherry-picked data or anecdotes that supported his narrative while ignoring contradictory evidence. By presenting a curated version of reality, he could reinforce his followers' beliefs and shield them from alternative viewpoints.
  7. Emotional Manipulation: Lastly, he likely appealed to emotions, promising not just physical health but also fulfillment, purpose, and connection to one's primal nature. By tapping into deep-seated desires for meaning and authenticity, he could keep his audience emotionally invested in his message.

By employing these manipulative tactics, the Liver King could have effectively persuaded his audience to embrace his version of "ancestral living" without critically examining its validity or considering alternative perspectives.

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Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, provide 10 ways both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans.

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ChatGPT

Both Jordan Peele's "Get Out" and Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction" offer poignant critiques of white liberal condescension toward African Americans, revealing complex layers of racial dynamics and power structures. Here are ten ways in which both films explore this theme:

  1. Superficial Acceptance: Both films depict white liberal characters who outwardly appear accepting and progressive but harbor underlying prejudices and stereotypes about African Americans. This superficial acceptance masks deeper forms of condescension and racism.
  2. Intellectualization of Racism: White liberal characters in both films often intellectualize racism, treating it as an abstract concept rather than acknowledging its tangible effects on African American lives. This intellectualization serves to distance themselves from the realities of racial oppression.
  3. Performative Allyship: Both "Get Out" and "American Fiction" critique the phenomenon of performative allyship, in which white liberals engage in symbolic gestures of support for African Americans without addressing systemic issues or actively challenging racism within their own communities.
  4. Gaslighting and Invalidating Experiences: White liberal characters in both films frequently gaslight African American protagonists, dismissing their experiences of racism or attributing them to paranoia. This gaslighting serves to invalidate the lived realities of African Americans and perpetuates a sense of condescension.
  5. White Savior Complex: Both films explore the white savior complex, in which white liberal characters position themselves as benevolent saviors or rescuers of African Americans, reinforcing paternalistic attitudes and undermining the agency of black individuals.
  6. Cultural Appropriation and Erasure: "Get Out" and "American Fiction" critique the appropriation of African American culture by white liberals, who often co-opt elements of black culture for their own gain while erasing the contributions and experiences of African Americans.
  7. Blindness to Intersectionality: White liberal characters in both films often fail to recognize the intersectionality of race with other forms of oppression, such as gender and class. This blindness to intersectionality reinforces a narrow understanding of racism and limits the scope of their activism.
  8. Selective Empathy: Both films highlight the selective empathy of white liberals, who may express sympathy or outrage in response to overt acts of racism but remain indifferent or complicit in addressing more subtle forms of discrimination and microaggressions.
  9. Tokenism and Exoticism: "Get Out" and "American Fiction" depict instances of tokenism and exoticism, in which white liberals tokenize African Americans as symbols of diversity or exotic "others" to be studied and admired, rather than engaging with them as equals.
  10. Failure to Listen and Amplify Voices: Finally, both films critique white liberal tendencies to dominate conversations about race, rather than listening to and amplifying the voices and perspectives of African Americans. This failure to listen perpetuates a cycle of condescension and silencing within racial discourse.

By examining these themes, both "Get Out" and "American Fiction" offer nuanced critiques of white liberal condescension toward African Americans, challenging viewers to interrogate their own complicity in perpetuating racial inequality.

***

Provide 10 reasons to support the claim that when we adopt a food from another country or ethnicity, regardless of our good intentions the adoption of this food into our home culture will be a messy mix of cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, when we adopt a food from another country or ethnicity, even with the best intentions, the process often involves a complex mix of cultural appreciation and appropriation. Here are ten reasons to support this claim:

  1. Selective Borrowing: When we adopt a food from another culture, we often selectively choose certain aspects of the cuisine while ignoring or altering others. This selective borrowing can lead to a distortion of the original cultural context and meaning of the dish.
  2. Lack of Understanding: Often, when we adopt a foreign food, we may not fully understand its cultural significance, ingredients, or traditional preparation methods. This lack of understanding can result in unintentional misrepresentation or disrespect of the original cuisine.
  3. Commercialization: The adoption of foreign foods into mainstream culture often involves their commercialization for profit. This commercialization can strip away the cultural context and authenticity of the dish, turning it into a commodity divorced from its origins.
  4. Appropriation of Recipes: In some cases, when we adopt a food from another culture, we may appropriate the recipes or techniques without acknowledging or respecting the culinary traditions and knowledge of the original creators.
  5. Cultural Hegemony: The dominant culture may often appropriate foods from marginalized or minority cultures, further reinforcing power imbalances and perpetuating cultural hegemony. This can lead to the erasure or marginalization of the original creators of the cuisine.
  6. Colonial Legacy: The adoption of foreign foods into mainstream culture can be rooted in colonialism and imperialism, where the culinary practices of colonized peoples are appropriated and assimilated into the dominant culture without proper acknowledgment or respect.
  7. Stereotyping: When foreign foods are adopted into mainstream culture, they may become subject to stereotypes or caricatures that oversimplify or exoticize the cuisine and its associated culture, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misconceptions.
  8. Cultural Hybridization: The adoption of foreign foods often leads to cultural hybridization, where elements of different culinary traditions are mixed together. While this can sometimes result in innovative and creative dishes, it can also dilute the authenticity and integrity of the original cuisines.
  9. Power Dynamics: The process of adopting foreign foods into mainstream culture is often influenced by power dynamics, where the dominant culture appropriates elements of marginalized or minority cultures without giving proper credit or recognition.
  10. Ethical Considerations: Ultimately, the adoption of foreign foods into our home culture requires careful consideration of the ethical implications, including issues of respect, recognition, and reciprocity towards the original creators and custodians of the cuisine.

By recognizing and grappling with these complexities, we can strive to engage in a more thoughtful and respectful approach to adopting foods from other cultures, acknowledging the inherent tensions between cultural appreciation and appropriation.

ChatGPT Prompt:

 

Based on the Ian Cheney documentary The Search for General Tso and the essays “Who’s Afraid of Chop Suey” by Charles W. Hayford, “More Than ‘Just Takeout’” by Cathy Erway, “‘Not Real Chinese’: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Our Respect” by Kelley Kwok, and “Searching for America with General Tso” by Jiayang Fan, present 10 arguments to support the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is really a story about facing racism, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

 

Based on the Ian Cheney documentary The Search for General Tso and the essays “Who’s Afraid of Chop Suey” by Charles W. Hayford, “More Than ‘Just Takeout’” by Cathy Erway, “‘Not Real Chinese’: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Our Respect” by Kelley Kwok, and “Searching for America with General Tso” by Jiayang Fan, present 10 arguments to support the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is really a story about facing racism, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

  1. Historical Context: American Chinese food emerged as a response to historical circumstances, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited Chinese immigration and forced Chinese immigrants to adapt their cuisine to appeal to American tastes.
  2. Cultural Adaptation: American Chinese food represents a fascinating fusion of Chinese culinary traditions with American ingredients and tastes, reflecting the adaptability and creativity of immigrant communities in the face of adversity.
  3. Economic Necessity: Chinese immigrants faced significant economic challenges in the United States, leading them to create affordable and accessible dishes that catered to a diverse clientele, thereby establishing a foothold in the restaurant industry.
  4. Racial Discrimination: The success of American Chinese food also speaks to the perseverance of Chinese immigrants in the face of racism and discrimination, as they navigated hostile environments to establish thriving businesses and communities.
  5. Innovation and Creativity: American Chinese food is not simply a copy of traditional Chinese cuisine but a product of innovation and adaptation, with dishes like General Tso's chicken and chop suey reflecting a blend of Chinese and American culinary influences.
  6. Cultural Influence: American Chinese food has had a profound impact on American culture, shaping the way Americans perceive and consume Chinese cuisine while also influencing broader food trends and culinary practices.
  7. Cultural Exchange: Rather than being a betrayal of authentic Chinese food, American Chinese cuisine represents a form of cultural exchange and hybridity, enriching both Chinese and American culinary traditions through cross-cultural pollination.
  8. Community Building: Chinese restaurants and food have served as focal points for Chinese communities in the United States, providing a sense of belonging and identity in the face of marginalization and discrimination.
  9. Consumer Preferences: The popularity of American Chinese food among both Chinese and non-Chinese consumers underscores its cultural significance and enduring appeal, challenging simplistic notions of authenticity and cultural purity.
  10. Complexity and Diversity: American Chinese food is a multifaceted and dynamic culinary tradition that defies easy categorization, encompassing a wide range of regional variations, cooking styles, and ingredients that reflect the diversity of Chinese cuisine and the diverse experiences of Chinese immigrants in America.



***

Present 7 reasons to support the claim that the misinformation that fuels The Lost Cause as interrogated by Clint Smith’s essay “Why Confederate Lies Live On” and the the lies of Alex Jones evident in the HBO Max documentary The Truth Vs. Alex Jones makes a persuasive case that misinformation is the enemy of moral decency and a liberal democracy.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

  1. Distortion of History: Both Clint Smith's essay and the HBO Max documentary shed light on how misinformation perpetuates distorted narratives of history. The Lost Cause ideology whitewashes the brutality of slavery and the Confederacy's role in perpetuating it, while Alex Jones' conspiracy theories distort current events and historical facts, leading to a warped understanding of reality.
  2. Undermining Truth: Misinformation erodes the foundation of truth essential for a functioning democracy. Smith's interrogation of The Lost Cause and the exposure of Alex Jones' lies illustrate how falsehoods can permeate public discourse, undermining trust in institutions and making it difficult for citizens to make informed decisions.
  3. Manipulation of Public Opinion: The persuasive power of misinformation is evident in both cases. The Lost Cause mythology has been used to romanticize the Confederacy and justify systemic racism, while Alex Jones' conspiracy theories manipulate public opinion by preying on fear and paranoia, often with dangerous consequences.
  4. Normalization of Hate: By perpetuating false narratives that downplay or justify atrocities like slavery or violent events such as mass shootings, misinformation contributes to the normalization of hate and violence. This normalization erodes the moral fabric of society, making it easier for oppressive ideologies to take root and flourish.
  5. Undermining Social Cohesion: Misinformation sows seeds of division and discord within society. The Lost Cause mythology fosters racial tensions by promoting a revisionist history that ignores the horrors of slavery, while Alex Jones' conspiracy theories create divisions by demonizing certain groups and spreading fear and mistrust.
  6. Threat to Democratic Values: The proliferation of misinformation poses a grave threat to democratic values such as freedom of speech, transparency, and accountability. When falsehoods are allowed to spread unchecked, it becomes increasingly challenging to uphold these principles, leading to the erosion of democratic norms and institutions.
  7. Obstruction of Progress: Ultimately, misinformation hinders societal progress by impeding meaningful dialogue and action on pressing issues. Whether it's addressing racial injustice or combating climate change, the spread of falsehoods propagated by The Lost Cause proponents and Alex Jones' followers obstructs efforts to create positive change and move society forward.

 

***

To truly understand African-American history, we are well advised to look to Frederick Douglass whose writings were designed to uplift the oppressed from what Jordan Peele calls The Sunken Place. Based on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, American Slave (available as a PDF online) and Clint Smith’s essay “Monuments to the Unthinkable,” present 10 reasons to support the claim that teaching about the life of Frederick Douglass and learning about Germany’s post-World War II moral reform is a way of learning about racial injustice that avoids the aforementioned pitfalls because Douglass’ life and Germany’s moral reform embody the importance of helping others rise above the Sunken Place, bearing witness to the truth, embracing individual self-agency to resist societal injustice, fighting to redeem a society’s past racial sins, and championing the wisdom of the Ancients for our continual self-improvement.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Absolutely, exploring the life and works of Frederick Douglass provides a profound lens through which to understand African-American history and the ongoing struggle against racial injustice. Here are ten compelling reasons why studying Douglass and reflecting on Germany's post-World War II moral reform offers invaluable insights into this complex issue:

  1. Empowerment from Oppression: Douglass's narrative powerfully illustrates the journey from oppression to empowerment. His life story serves as a beacon of hope, showing how individuals can rise above systemic injustices, echoing themes of liberation from the Sunken Place as highlighted by Jordan Peele.
  2. Truth-telling and Bearing Witness: Both Douglass's writings and Germany's moral reform efforts emphasize the importance of truth-telling and bearing witness to historical injustices. By confronting uncomfortable truths, societies can move towards reconciliation and healing.
  3. Embracing Self-Agency: Douglass's emphasis on individual self-agency resonates with the need for personal empowerment in the face of societal oppression. Learning about his life encourages individuals to recognize their own agency in challenging injustice.
  4. Resisting Societal Injustice: Douglass's activism and advocacy exemplify the power of resistance against societal injustice. By studying his methods of resistance, individuals can learn strategies for effecting meaningful change in their own communities.
  5. Redemption and Reconciliation: Germany's post-World War II moral reform efforts, including initiatives such as Holocaust education and memorials, demonstrate a commitment to redeeming a society's past sins and fostering reconciliation. Similarly, Douglass's work emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and atoning for historical injustices.
  6. Championing Historical Wisdom: Douglass drew inspiration from the wisdom of the Ancients, integrating classical philosophy and literature into his advocacy for social justice. By studying his approach, individuals can glean insights from past wisdom to inform contemporary struggles for equality.
  7. Humanizing Historical Narratives: Both Douglass's narrative and Germany's moral reform initiatives humanize historical narratives by centering the experiences and voices of those who have been marginalized or oppressed. This approach fosters empathy and understanding, essential components of confronting racial injustice.
  8. Building Empathetic Connections: Learning about Douglass's life and Germany's moral reform efforts cultivates empathetic connections across historical and cultural divides. By empathizing with the struggles of others, individuals are better equipped to advocate for justice and equality.
  9. Inspiring Social Engagement: Douglass's legacy inspires ongoing social engagement and activism, demonstrating the enduring relevance of his teachings in the fight against racial injustice. Similarly, Germany's commitment to moral reform serves as a reminder of the importance of collective action in addressing historical injustices.
  10. Continual Self-Improvement: Both Douglass's philosophy and Germany's moral reform initiatives emphasize the importance of continual self-improvement and moral reflection. By engaging with their legacies, individuals are encouraged to strive for personal and societal growth, fostering a more just and equitable world.

In conclusion, studying Frederick Douglass's life and works alongside Germany's post-World War II moral reform efforts provides a multifaceted approach to understanding and addressing racial injustice. Through empowerment, truth-telling, resistance, and reconciliation, these historical narratives offer invaluable lessons for navigating the complexities of our shared humanity and striving towards a more just and equitable future.

***

Choice C

In a 1,200-word essay, interrogate the shared psychological challenges rendered in the 1998 movie The Truman Show and the 1999 movie Being John Malkovich to address the claim that both movies are a prophecy of the struggles humans will face in the Age of Social Media. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources.

Choice D

The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma shows how we are manipulated and dehumanized so that metaphorically we turn into zombies with our brains intoxicated by the liquor of cheap dopamine. Write a 1,200 word essay that shows how The Social Dilemma compares this zombie state to that of the virus in the 2013 movie World War Z. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 credible sources. You can use my Canvas modules as sources. 

Sample Outline:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the ways we become dehumanized by social media according to The Social Dilemma. 

Paragraph 2, your thesis: Argue that the "zombie state" in The Social Dilemma compares to the 2013 movie World War Z in 5 ways, making the movie an allegory of a global digital society dissolved into mindless chaos as the result of a pandemic. 

Paragraphs 3-7, your body paragraphs expound on the comparison points 

Choice E

Address the claim that the 1976 movie Network foreshadows the kind of commodification of performative outrage and its toxic societal effects evident in the documentary The Social Network.

***

The Sunken Place

The Purpose of Essay 4

The purpose of Essay 4 is to explore a very specific type of depression and learned helplessness--what Jordan Peele calls the Sunken Place. Examining the great writings of Frederick Douglass, Childish Gambino’s viral video “This Is America,” cinema, and other expressions of the Sunken Place, we want to interrogate the causes of the Sunken Place and study the heroism of those who through self-agency and fortitude overcome the Sunken Place and assert their individual selfhood and dignity in the face of a merciless machine that would prefer to eat us alive.

With this purpose in mind, choose of one the following options: 

Choice A: Defining the Sunken Place

In a 1,200-word essay with 5 sources, write an extended definition of the Sunken Place. For your definition, draw from  Jordan Peele's movie Get Out, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and Childish Gambino's video "This Is America." Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice B: Resisting the Sunken Place

The Sunken Place can be defined as a place of depression and demoralization to the point of paralysis often as the result of racist stereotyping. In this context, write an essay that compares the way Chris Washington in the movie Get Out resists the Sunken Place to the way Frederick Douglass overcomes his own Sunken Place. Consider the following: Both have developed personalities with a strong point of view, a strong articulation of their point of view, and the kind of self-agency and self-worth that make any attempt to enslave or oppress them a near impossibility. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

Choice C: Comparing Get Out and American Fiction 

Comparing Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out with Cord Jefferson’s movie American Fiction, write a 1,200-word essay that analyzes the way both films are a critique of white liberal condescension toward African Americans.  Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

1A Essay 4: Interrogating the Maudlin Disposition

The purpose of Essay 4 is to interrogate the maudlin disposition as an insidious moral weakness that is encouraged by both malignant societal forces and the private demons of the individual. 

The word maudlin can be described as excessive, drunken and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. To dig into the word maudlin more deeply, we can ascribe a weakness of character associated with it. To be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and from other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. Write an essay that presents an extended definition of the word maudlin by comparing two of the following three short stories “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula LeGuin, “Gooseberries” by Anton Chekhov, and “The Swimmer” by John Cheever. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with 4 sources. 

 

Required Outline

 

For paragraph 1, write an extended definition of the word maudlin as the opposite of virtue and moral strength based on Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations in which we find the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in quest, he is the happy man.” For your 200-word paragraph research the word maudlin in the context of Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations and present 4 distinguishing characteristics of the word maudlin while you explain how the maudlin disposition is one of moral impoverishment. 

 

For paragraph 2, write a 200-word profile of someone you know who exists in the maudlin state.

 

For paragraph 3, your thesis, make a claim that two characters from two of the three aforementioned short stories share characteristics of the maudlin disposition and explain that this condition contributes to the characters’ demise. 

 

Paragraphs 4-7 are your supporting paragraphs. 

 

Paragraph 8, your conclusion, is a powerful restatement of your thesis. 

 

Your last page, your Works Cited, is in MLA form with a minimum of 4 sources.  

 

***

 

Addressing the movie The Truman Show and the rise and fall of social media star The Liver King, write an essay that explores the connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom.

ChatGPT

Title: The Trappings of Self-Commodification: Exploring Authenticity and Freedom in The Truman Show and the Rise and Fall of The Liver King

Introduction:

In the age of social media, the lines between personal identity, public persona, and commercial branding have become increasingly blurred. This phenomenon is epitomized by the rise and fall of social media influencers like The Liver King and the thematic exploration of self-commodification in Peter Weir's film "The Truman Show." This essay delves into the intricate connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the erosion of freedom, drawing parallels between The Liver King's trajectory and the narrative of "The Truman Show."

Self-Commodification and Loss of Authenticity:

The Liver King, like many social media stars, initially gained fame by commodifying his persona and lifestyle, presenting an idealized version of himself for public consumption. Through curated posts, sponsored content, and carefully crafted narratives, he cultivated a loyal following, trading authenticity for popularity and commercial success. Similarly, in "The Truman Show," the protagonist Truman Burbank's entire life is commodified for entertainment, with his every action and emotion meticulously staged for mass consumption. Both The Liver King and Truman embody the consequences of self-commodification—the gradual erosion of authenticity as personal experiences are filtered through the lens of public scrutiny and commercial interests.

The Loss of Freedom:

Central to both narratives is the theme of freedom—or the lack thereof—in the face of societal expectations and commercial pressures. The Liver King's ascent to social media stardom comes at the cost of his autonomy, as he becomes increasingly beholden to sponsorships, endorsements, and the demands of his audience. His once-authentic persona becomes a commodity to be bought and sold, trapping him in a cycle of performance and validation. Similarly, Truman Burbank's life in "The Truman Show" is devoid of genuine freedom, as he navigates a carefully constructed world where every aspect of his existence is controlled and manipulated for profit. His quest for liberation is a poignant metaphor for the struggle against societal constraints and the yearning for authentic self-expression.

The Paradox of Self-Commodification:

What emerges from both narratives is the paradoxical nature of self-commodification—the illusion of freedom masking a deeper sense of confinement. While The Liver King and Truman Burbank appear to lead glamorous lives filled with fame and adulation, their experiences are ultimately hollow and devoid of meaning. The pursuit of likes, followers, and endorsements becomes a substitute for genuine human connection, perpetuating a cycle of alienation and emptiness. In relinquishing their authenticity in exchange for societal approval, both protagonists sacrifice their inherent freedoms, becoming prisoners of their own constructed realities.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the rise and fall of The Liver King and the thematic exploration of self-commodification in "The Truman Show" offer profound insights into the complexities of modern identity and the erosion of authenticity in the digital age. Through their respective narratives, both works illuminate the perils of trading personal autonomy for public validation, highlighting the inherent tension between self-expression and societal conformity. As society grapples with the consequences of rampant commercialization and social media saturation, it is imperative to reflect on the true cost of self-commodification—the loss of authenticity, agency, and ultimately, freedom.

***

Write a 5-paragraph outline that compares the connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom in the movie The Truman Show and the rise and fall of social media star The Liver King.

ChatGPT

  1. Introduction
  2. Brief overview of the movie "The Truman Show" and the rise and fall of social media star The Liver King
  3. Statement of the thesis: Both narratives explore the connection between self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom.
  4. Self-Commodification
  5. Description of how The Liver King and Truman Burbank initially gain fame through self-commodification
  6. Explanation of how both characters present idealized versions of themselves for public consumption
  7. Comparison of the methods used by The Liver King and Truman Burbank to maintain their personas for commercial success

III. Loss of Authenticity

  1. Analysis of the gradual erosion of authenticity experienced by The Liver King and Truman Burbank
  2. Examination of the ways in which personal experiences are filtered through the lens of public scrutiny and commercial interests
  3. Discussion of the consequences of sacrificing authenticity for popularity and societal approval
  4. Loss of Freedom
  5. Exploration of how The Liver King and Truman Burbank's pursuit of fame comes at the cost of their autonomy
  6. Illustration of the ways in which both characters become trapped in cycles of performance and validation
  7. Comparison of the societal constraints and commercial pressures faced by The Liver King and Truman Burbank, highlighting their lack of genuine freedom
  8. Conclusion
  9. Restatement of the thesis: Both narratives reveal the interconnectedness of self-commodification, the loss of authenticity, and the loss of freedom
  10. Summary of key points discussed in the comparison
  11. Final thoughts on the implications of these themes in contemporary society and the importance of preserving authenticity and autonomy amid the pressures of commercialization and social media.

 

 





 











 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 



 






 

Posted at 04:30 PM | | Comments (0)

06/07/2024

Interrogating the Maudlin Condition as a Form of Moral Depravity and an Impediment to Happiness

1C Essay 2: Exploring the Maudlin Disposition as a Form of Moral Depravity and an Impediment to Happiness

Interrogating the Maudlin Condition as a Form of Moral Depravity and an Impediment to Happiness

 

Choice A: “Winter Dreams” and “The Swimmer”

 

Addressing the quest for a happy and moral soul, Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations observes that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in quest, he is the happy man.” Therefore, we can conclude that unhappiness and misery are the result of the maudlin disposition, which we can define as having the “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”--investing our emotions in false paths: idolizing people, things, and pleasure and investing our hopes in false cures or fraudulent panaceas for our ailments. The maudlin person invests so much emotion and thought in these meaningless enthusiasms that they cannot engage and connect in the real world with any meaning or coherence. Disconnected from life and others, the maudlin person seeks refuge in fantasies of the perfect life. The therapist and author Phil Stutz calls this imagined perfect life a “Moment Frozen in Time.” Constantly craving these Moments Frozen in Time, the maudlin person becomes drunk and intoxicated by these fantasies of perfection while real life passes them by. Unable to engage the real world or find meaningful connections with others, the maudlin person retreats into a world of 

excessive, drunken and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. Therefore, to be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and from other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality and misguided affections to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. All the while, they retreat more and more into Moments Frozen in Time. In the context of the maudlin personalty type, write an essay that addresses the claim that the two fictional characters Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Winter Dreams” and Neddy Merrill in John Cheever’s short story “The Swimmer” have squandered their time on Earth, have retreated into Moments Frozen in Time, and disconnected themselves from the meaningful relationships that are necessary for a happy and fulfilled life because they have succumbed to the maudlin condition. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 4 sources. 

 

Choice B: Uncut Gems and Private Life

 

Addressing the quest for a happy and moral soul, Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations observes that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency.” In such a state, the soul “neither pines away in distress, nor is broken down by fear, nor consumed with a thirst of longing in pursuit of some ambition, nor maudlin in the exuberance of meaningless eagerness--he is the wise man of whom we are in quest, he is the happy man.” Therefore, we can conclude that unhappiness and misery are the result of the maudlin disposition, which we can define as having the “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”--investing our emotions in false paths: idolizing people, things, and pleasure and investing our hopes in false cures or fraudulent panaceas for our ailments. The maudlin person invests so much emotion and thought in these meaningless enthusiasms that they cannot engage and connect in the real world with any meaning or coherence. Disconnected from life and others, the maudlin person seeks refuge in fantasies of the perfect life. The therapist and author Phil Stutz calls this imagined perfect life a “Moment Frozen in Time.” Constantly craving these Moments Frozen in Time, the maudlin person becomes drunk and intoxicated by these fantasies of perfection while real life passes them by. Unable to engage the real world or find meaningful connections with others, the maudlin person retreats into a world of 

excessive, drunken and foolish sentimentality for anything that has been elevated to something undeserving of such excessive emotion. Therefore, to be a maudlin person is to be fragile, weak, immature, and unhinged because to be maudlin is to be disconnected from reality and from other people. To be in this state of disconnection and loneliness, maudlin people rely on their excessive sentimentality and misguided affections to compensate and escape from their miserable loneliness and disconnection. Another egregious flaw of the maudlin person is that they confuse the object or idea of their maudlin emotions with reality when in fact the cause of their sentimentality is a mirage or a chimera. Therefore, we can conclude that maudlin people are disoriented, unhinged, weak, fragile souls who console themselves feebly with their hollow sentimentality, anguish, and regret. All the while, they retreat more and more into Moments Frozen in Time. In the context of the maudlin personality type, write a 1,200-word essay that compares the maudlin disposition of Howard Ratner from the movie Uncut Gems, as a man overcome with excessive love for a gem that he believes will heal his wounded masculinity, with the couple from the movie Private Life who have excessive zeal to have a child as a way of healing their wounded marriage. Be sure to have a Works Cited page in MLA format with a minimum of 4 sources. 

ChatGPT Response to Choice A (6-8-24):

The Maudlin Disposition: Dexter Green and Neddy Merrill’s Squandered Lives

Cicero’s insight into the quest for a happy and moral soul underscores the necessity of restraint and consistency for achieving tranquility. He warns against the maudlin disposition, characterized by an “exuberance of meaningless eagerness” that leads individuals to invest their emotions in false paths, rendering them disconnected from reality and incapable of forming meaningful connections. This ancient wisdom resonates through the lives of Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams” and Neddy Merrill in John Cheever’s “The Swimmer.” Both characters epitomize the maudlin condition, squandering their time on Earth and retreating into “Moments Frozen in Time,” disconnected from the relationships essential for a fulfilled life.

Dexter Green in “Winter Dreams”: The Illusion of Love and Success

Dexter Green’s life is a poignant example of how the maudlin disposition can lead to the squandering of one’s potential and the erosion of meaningful connections. Dexter is consumed by his pursuit of wealth and social status, driven by an obsessive desire to win the love of Judy Jones, a symbol of his aspirations. His infatuation with Judy represents Cicero’s “exuberance of meaningless eagerness.” Judy is not a real person to Dexter but an idealized figure, a “Moment Frozen in Time” that embodies his dreams of success and validation.

Dexter’s maudlin obsession blinds him to the emptiness of his pursuits. Despite achieving financial success, he remains unfulfilled and disconnected. His relationships are shallow, driven by ambition rather than genuine connection. Dexter’s fixation on Judy prevents him from seeing the reality of her fickle nature and the superficiality of their relationship. When Judy finally expresses interest in him, it is too late—Dexter’s dreams have already lost their allure, leaving him hollow and disillusioned. His life, marked by missed opportunities for real connection and personal growth, is a testament to the destructive power of the maudlin disposition.

Neddy Merrill in “The Swimmer”: The Illusion of Eternal Youth

Neddy Merrill’s journey in John Cheever’s “The Swimmer” is a surreal exploration of the maudlin condition. Neddy sets out to swim across the county, pool by pool, envisioning himself as an enduring symbol of vitality and success. This journey, however, is not grounded in reality but in a fantasy of perpetual youth and invincibility—a clear manifestation of Cicero’s “exuberance of meaningless eagerness.” Neddy’s swim is a literal and figurative retreat into a “Moment Frozen in Time,” where he is immune to the passage of time and the consequences of his actions.

As Neddy progresses, the reality of his life gradually intrudes upon his delusion. He encounters pools that are abandoned, locked, or inhabited by people who no longer recognize him. These encounters reveal the true state of his life: financial ruin, estranged relationships, and the passing of time that he has ignored. Neddy’s refusal to acknowledge these realities epitomizes the maudlin disposition, characterized by a disconnection from life and others. His journey ends in despair as he arrives at his own empty, decaying home, a stark contrast to the vibrant life he imagined. Neddy’s tragic end underscores the futility of living in a fantasy and the inevitable isolation that comes from disconnecting oneself from reality.

The Cost of Maudlin Obsessions: Disconnection and Isolation

Both Dexter Green and Neddy Merrill squander their potential for happiness and fulfillment by succumbing to the maudlin condition. Their lives are marked by an obsessive pursuit of illusions—Dexter’s fixation on wealth and Judy Jones, and Neddy’s delusion of eternal youth. These pursuits lead them to invest their emotions in false paths, disconnecting them from meaningful relationships and the realities of their lives.

Dexter’s success is hollow, achieved at the cost of genuine connections and personal fulfillment. His eventual disillusionment reveals the emptiness of his dreams and the shallow nature of his relationships. Similarly, Neddy’s journey through the pools is a metaphor for his denial of reality and the passage of time. His final realization of his lost life and broken relationships comes too late, leaving him isolated and despondent.

Conclusion: The Lessons of Dexter and Neddy

Cicero’s wisdom on the tranquil soul highlights the dangers of the maudlin disposition, a lesson vividly illustrated by the lives of Dexter Green and Neddy Merrill. Their stories serve as cautionary tales about the perils of investing in illusions and neglecting the real connections that bring true happiness and fulfillment. Dexter and Neddy’s lives are marked by a retreat into “Moments Frozen in Time,” resulting in disconnection, loneliness, and ultimately, a profound sense of loss. Through their narratives, we are reminded of the importance of grounding our aspirations in reality and valuing the meaningful relationships that enrich our lives.

 
 
4o

 

ChatGPT Response to Choice B (6-8-24):

The Maudlin Disposition in Modern Cinema: A Comparative Analysis of Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems and the Couple in Private Life

Cicero's observation that the soul must be “tranquilized by restraint and consistency” to achieve true happiness resonates profoundly in the modern context. His identification of a maudlin disposition—marked by “exuberance of meaningless eagerness”—offers a timeless caution against investing our emotions in false idols and fraudulent panaceas. This concept finds vivid expression in the characters of Howard Ratner from Uncut Gems and the couple from Private Life. Both narratives portray individuals who, in their maudlin states, invest excessive emotion and expectation in objects or goals that ultimately disconnect them from reality and deeper human connections.

Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems: The Quest for Masculine Redemption

Howard Ratner, the protagonist of Uncut Gems, exemplifies the maudlin disposition through his obsessive pursuit of a rare black opal. For Ratner, the gem is not merely a valuable asset but a symbol of hope and redemption. He believes that the opal will bring him the wealth and success needed to restore his sense of self-worth and masculinity. His fixation on the gem blinds him to the realities of his precarious situation—his crumbling marriage, mounting debts, and the dangerous individuals he owes money to.

Ratner's maudlin obsession with the opal is characterized by an “exuberance of meaningless eagerness.” He sees the gem as a magical solution to his problems, a “Moment Frozen in Time” that promises an idealized future. This fixation renders him incapable of engaging with the real world. His relationships deteriorate as he becomes increasingly consumed by the fantasy of a perfect outcome. Ratner's life spirals out of control, driven by a misguided belief in the gem's power, illustrating Cicero's warning against the maudlin disposition. His story is a tragic illustration of how such obsessive zeal can lead to disconnection, loneliness, and ultimately, ruin.

The Couple in Private Life: A Desperate Pursuit of Parenthood

In Private Life, we encounter a couple whose maudlin disposition manifests in their desperate efforts to have a child. Richard and Rachel Grimes view parenthood as the panacea for their marital struggles and personal insecurities. Their excessive zeal to conceive a child leads them down a path of invasive medical procedures, financial strain, and emotional turbulence. Much like Ratner, their obsession is driven by the belief that achieving their goal will mend their wounded relationship and bring fulfillment.

The couple's fixation on having a child mirrors Ratner's obsession with the opal. They invest all their hopes and emotions in this singular pursuit, creating an imagined “Moment Frozen in Time” where having a child will solve all their problems. This excessive sentimentality blinds them to the realities of their situation—the toll on their mental health, the strain on their relationship, and the ethical complexities of their choices. Their maudlin pursuit disconnects them from the present, leading to a life dominated by anticipation and disappointment.

Comparing Maudlin Dispositions: Illusions and Realities

Both Uncut Gems and Private Life illustrate the perils of a maudlin disposition. Howard Ratner and the Grimes couple are united by their excessive, misplaced zeal. Their stories highlight the consequences of idolizing objects or goals as cures for deeper emotional and existential wounds.

Ratner's belief in the opal as a cure for his wounded masculinity is a poignant example of how such illusions can lead to self-destruction. His maudlin pursuit not only alienates him from his loved ones but also accelerates his downfall, culminating in his tragic end. Similarly, the Grimes couple's quest for a child as a remedy for their fractured marriage reveals the fragility of relying on external solutions for internal problems. Their journey is fraught with frustration and heartbreak, underscoring the futility of their excessive zeal.

Conclusion: The Tragic Cost of Maudlin Obsessions

In both films, the characters’ maudlin dispositions highlight the dangers of excessive sentimentality and misguided affections. Cicero’s wisdom reminds us that true happiness and stability come from inner restraint and consistency, not from external fixes or imagined perfect moments. Howard Ratner and the Grimes couple embody the fragility and disconnection that result from investing in false idols. Their stories serve as modern parables, urging us to seek genuine connections and realistic solutions rather than retreating into fantasies and futile obsessions.

Posted at 02:03 PM | | Comments (0)

05/24/2024

Fall 2024 Office Hours

Office Hours for Fall 2024

Monday 2-3 in Humanities 121P

Tuesday 12:15-1:15 in Humanities 121P

Wednesday 2-3 Zoom Office Hour  

Thursday 12:15-1:15 Humanities 121P

Posted at 02:49 PM | | Comments (0)

05/22/2024

Spring 2024 Authenticity Lesson #3: Thesis Statements and Counter Thesis Statements; Ann Kim & Self-Expression

Sample Theses That Refute and Defend Gustavo Arellano’s Argument

Refutation

 

Gustavo Arellano is a prestigious, beloved Los Angeles culture writer. Unfortunately, his argument that attempts to ease the collective white conscience to steal Mexican food is a sad, unconvincing affair. His argument is crippled with egregious moral, legal, and logical fallacies. He knows all too well that American history is rife with white people exploiting Mexicans’ hard work and ingenuity. To defend whites because “everyone steals” is a childish remark that fails basic moral teachings, specifically the infantile notion that two wrongs make a right. Second, if Arellano wants us to take him seriously, he must give us a more narrow definition of cultural appropriation. There is no moral equivalence between a Salvadorean husband respectfully learning the finer points of making Jahuacatas from his wife who hails from Michoacan and the white El Torito manager who hires a Mexican worker, steals the worker’s recipes over a period of two months, and then unceremoniously fires the worker.  A third most regrettable error on Arellano’s part is how he conveniently ignores the atrocious fact that the majority of white stealing of Mexican food is done in the cynical service of making money by white-washing and in effect destroying delicious food to make it palatable for philistines, tourists, and other types of phony people who fancy deluding themselves into “going out and getting some ethnic food.” The bad scenarios described above are more than just bad; they are abominations of the tastebuds and the soul, and for Arellano to omit these abominations from his argument is a form of intellectual dishonesty for which I cannot forgive. 

 

Defense

 

I feel bad for the above writer who has morally excoriated Gustavo Arellano for his supposed moral failings. This writer’s spiritual purity and moral self-righteousness have blinded him from the gustatory pleasures that result from Arellano’s “free-stealing” philosophy. By “free-stealing,” I refer to a degree of healthy chaos that exists in the food industry. Recipes are flying from one town to another; variations are infinite based on quirks, available food, cross-cultural pollination, and a synthesis of cooking techniques from the many cultures that inevitably converge in great cosmopolitan cities such as Los Angeles. Moreover, the relevance of Mexican cooking makes it the most popular, fastest-growing cuisine in the world. Contrary to the above passage which attempts to put a big stink on Gustavo Arellano and which would have us believe that Mexican food is pure, sacrosanct, and unchanging, real Mexican food is constantly evolving through ruthless stealing, borrowing, mutations, and respectful homages to its sacred origins. Thank God, Gustavo Arellano acknowledges the vibrancy of Mexican cooking and its complicated, sometimes morally questionable origins, for finally, a food writer has exposed the truth about the wonders of Mexican food. The above writer, on the other hand, gets a medal for moral self-righteousness but loses points for being a boring, propaganda writer for the Cult of Authenticity. 

Refutation

Gustavo Arellano is gung-ho about white people stealing from Mexicans for three reasons. One, since Mexicans steal, everyone else should be able to. Two, stealing Mexican food is great for popularizing Mexican food throughout the world. Three, dishing up substandard debased Mexican food is a great “gateway drug” to getting people hooked on real Mexican food. All three of his reasons are so ludicrous and asinine as to strain credulity. For one, that Mexicans interacted with other cultures, some who colonized them, and created amazing food is not morally equivalent to privileged classes of people today stealing Mexican food and exploiting Mexican workers. For two, while it’s true that stealing Mexican recipes popularizes Mexican food, this popularization for at least 99% of the time is a disrespectful corruption of true Mexican cooking. So Mexican food has been watered-down to suit the tastes of tacky tourists. Am I supposed to celebrate that fact? I think not. Finally, Arellano would have us applaud the serving of crappy food as the “gateway drug” to real Mexican food. Arellano’s reasoning is based on the optimistic and fallacious assumption that the tasteless hordes will get one taste of abysmal phony Mexican food and want to pivot to something more authentic when in fact the evidence proves otherwise. Look at the popularity of Taco Bell, El Torito, and other shambolic soul-crushing food chains and you’ll see that the masses are quite content with eating phony soulless Mexican food and have complete disregard for the real thing. One last thing I must mention is that Arellano's argument is hypocritical and disingenuous. What do I mean? You won't see Arellano eating and praising Mexican food from white establishments or food chains. He himself goes to hole-in-the-walls owned by Mexicans and other ethnic people and finds his favorite foods from these delicious remote places. These are the places he celebrates in his columns. In other words, Arellano can't even put his money where his mouth is. So while I will read Gustavo Arellano’s cultural criticism, I will index his defense of white people stealing Mexican food in my Rejection and Nonsense File. 

***

Ann Kim: Self-Expression by Breaking the Pizza Orthodoxy

See Chef's Table Pizza with Ann Kim

***

Highlights from Gustavo Arellano’s Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America

The Cosmic Burrito

According to food writer and Los Angeles Times culture critic Gustavo Arellano, Mexican food has been assimilated and celebrated in the United States for 125 years. Tacos and burritos are America’s comfort food. 

The celebration of Mexican food in America has caused a worldwide appetite for Mexican food, from Dubai to Australia, which has its own Taco Bell, called Taco Bill’s, which specializes in fish tacos.

Arellano observes that for over 100 years, many Americans who are anti-Mexican in their prejudices are unaware of the contradiction between their racism and their undying love of Mexican food. They compartmentalize, loving the food yet inexplicably disliking the people who make it, turning Mexicans into negative stereotypes while having a relentless desire for Mexican food. 

Tortillas are the preferred food of NASA astronauts, so there is now the “Cosmic Burrito” and variations of Mexican food pop up all over America, including the muchaco, a taco made with ground beef and pita bread at the Taco Bueno restaurant chain.

Hot Cocoa Comes from Mexico

Arellano observes that traditional desserts made with cocoa and vanilla to make chocolate and vanilla desserts, including hot cocoa, come from 1700s Mexico when the Virgin Mary statues in the cathedrals had offerings of various chocolate and vanilla desserts. This vanilla was cultivated to perfection and copied by the Europeans in Pico de Orizaba, a vanilla region in Veracruz, which is in eastern Mexico. 

As early as the 1500s, Spanish conquerors fell in love with Mexican foods made with corn or maize, which were made into various forms of masa cornmeal.

The Spaniards become obsessed with tortillas and tamales, the latter being a convenience food perfect for traveling with.

The Spanish invader Cortes demanded Mexican food in his court, and according to Arellano, this is the first documented case of cultural appropriation.

Moreover, the Spaniards introduced the Mexicans to wheat flour, which brought flour tortillas to the Mexican diet. 

This is our first known case of fusion. 

Chile Con Carne (soon to become Chili)

Arrellano observes that the first chili made with hot peppers and meat was around 1870 in the San Antonio region, not Texas, but pre-Texas: Tejas. 

Chile became so popular that by the 1880s, you could already find it advertised in Hawaii and Washington D.C. 

The world doesn’t understand how good Mexican food is. They take it for granted. This is one of Arellano’s main points.

Now Chile Con Carne is just “Chili.”

Tamalero

Tamales started to spread throughout America in the 1890s and were sold by European, Indian, and Arab immigrants who were often called “Mexicans.” These immigrants who sold the tamales on the streets were called Tamaleros, AKA “The Hot Tamale Man.”

They became part of American popular culture and folklore.

World Domination of the Taco in the 1950s

As big as tamales and chili were for about 70 years, they would be replaced by the world-dominating taco starting in the 1950s. 

Arellano contributes this growth to a place in Orange County called Irvine, the birth of Taco Bell, founded by Glen Bell. 

We now have many tacos including:

  • The soft-shell taco
  • The taco dorado (hard shell)
  • The taquito (flautas)

Tacos have exploded all over the world, including Sweden, Japan, and South Africa. 

Birthplace of the American Taco and the Gateway Drug Argument

While Glen Bell popularized the taco, the birthplace of the American taco comes from downtown Los Angeles on Olvera Street, a tiny taco stand called Cielito Lindo, circa 1931. 

The second place is in San Bernardino, the Mitla Cafe, established in 1937. The restaurant served hard-shell tacos packed with beef and shredded cheese: taco dorado con carne molida.  

Glen Bell noticed the popularity of Mexican food among the white consumer base in the San Bernardino area, and he copied Mitla Cafe when he started various taco ventures before settling on Taco Bell. 

The owners of Mitla Cafe and Gustavo Arellano defend Taco Bell with its phony “Mexican food” because it’s the “gateway drug” to real Mexican food.

We can call this the Gateway Drug Argument for your essay. 

Challenges to Authenticity

In his book, Taco USA, Arellano tackles some challenges to the idea of authenticity in Mexican food:

  • Since the 1980s, many white chefs have become Mexican food “experts,” writing cookbooks, opening Mexican restaurants, and having TV shows featuring Mexican food. 
  • There was a type of food from New Mexico called “Southwestern Cuisine,” which could often be pretentious “gourmet” dishes with some loose connection to Mexican food. Other times, the food is very good, featuring local ingredients like hatch chilies. The enduring food from Southwestern Cuisine is the breakfast burrito. The craze started to die in the 1990s.
  • Tex-Mex, a fusion that since the 1930s features fajitas and chili has been criticized as being inauthentic, “the lowest common denominator of Mexican food.” However, the actual term Tex-Mex wasn’t coined until the 1960s.

The Great Burrito Rivalry 

Gustavo Arellano adores the legendary Manuel’s Special at Manuel’s El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights. 

He compares the burrito to an encounter with God. The burrito is 5 pounds and filled with grilled chicken, carne asada, machaca, beans, rice, guacamole, and sour cream. 

The rival to Los Angeles for burritos is San Francisco, the Mission District, a place called “El Faro,” the Lighthouse. These are called Mission Style burritos. 

“Tracing the delicious history of San Francisco’s mission style burrito”

“Why are Restaurant Burritos Better Than Homemade?”

Holy Grail Mexican Food Destinations

  • Arellano says his favorite burrito is the chile relleno burrito at Lucy’s Drive-In on Pico Blvd and La Brea in Los Angeles.
  • His favorite tamales are at Pasquale’s Tamales, a trailer in Helena, Arkansa, owned by a third-generation Sicilian family. 
  • His favorite lamb chicharrones are Angelina’s in Espanola, New Mexico. 
  • He loves the Taco Acorazado (Battleship) at Alebrije’s Grill in Santa Ana, CA. He says the tortillas alone are a miracle. 

Not All Cultural Appropriation Is Alike: To Agree Or Not to Agree with Gustavo Arellano

The college students in my critical thinking class and I live in Los Angeles where some of the best food in the world is in our very backyards. I don’t want my students or me to take this for granted. I want us to do a deep dive into the Los Angeles food world, particularly Mexican food, the most popular cuisine in the world. So for our final essay assignment, we read Gustavo Arellano’s article “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food--Mexicans Do It to Ourselves All the Time” and we write an essay that supports or refutes Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation. 

Arellano defends cultural appropriation by explaining three things. One, that since the beginning of time, restaurant owners have copied their competition; two, social justice warriors aren’t helping anyone when they patronize Mexicans by painting them as helpless victims when in fact Mexicans steal in the food industry just like everyone else; and three, what some might call appropriation or stealing can be in fact the healthy human impulse for cross-cultural pollination, evidenced by the fact that many of Mexico’s most famous regional dishes incorporate the food and ingredients from Spain, France, and the Middle East. 

Arellano’s argument forces us to question the very idea of authenticity. What is authenticity? In the context of Mexican food, authenticity is the traditions of regional Mexican cooking that bring labor-intensive cooking techniques, geographical richness, and time-tested rituals to produce some of the best food in the world. But authenticity is more than food. It is family and culture. I urge you to watch The Taco Chronicles on Netflix. When you see families in different parts of Mexico making carnitas, canasta, asada, pastor, barbacoa, guisado, suadero, cochinita, cabrito, birria, and pescado, you will find that the geography and family traditions make these dishes authentic. But just as importantly, these foods are so good that they are a miracle from God. Look at the love the community lavishes on the local taquero, the man selling tacos on the street corner. He is bringing love to the city, and he is appreciated for it. Look at the entire communities gathering together to make these authentic dishes and you will see that food is rooted in family and culture. What is most beautiful about this notion of authenticity is the expression of love for others by bringing them the food of the gods. There is a reason in Mexico why the taco is called madre. 

When we watch The Taco Chronicles, the sense of community combined with the making of the best food in the world wins our hearts and our stomachs. Any notion of violating this authenticity rightfully angers us and we are disinclined to agree with Arellano’s support of cultural appropriation. However, if you read Arellano’s book Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, you will get more context for Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation. Arellano would never want us to violate the authentic regional traditions of Mexican cooking. Instead, he is arguing that the splendor of regional Mexican cooking spread to America by bringing food that is both desirable and affordable and that some, not all, of the magic of authentic Mexican cuisine became accessible to the American masses. Moreover, this Mexican food changed American culture for the better. Full-flavored Mexican food replaced the tasteless pablum of “American” food. Americans speak with their money and they spend so much money on Mexican food that they have made a statement that they want Mexican food in their culture. 

Is Gustavo Arellano defending all forms of cultural appropriation? Clearly not. If you read his articles and watch the Netflix series Ugly Delicious, “Tacos,” you will see that Arellano has contempt for “soulless” Mexican food, “Mexican” food chains that bastardize good-tasting Mexican food, food chains that disconnect the food they sell from the workers and from the Mexican culture; you will also see that Arellano has a healthy contempt for white-washed tourist food--phony overpriced Mexican food that has no spice and has been altered to appeal to the most infantile tastebuds. These counterfeit “Mexican” restaurants aren’t serving Mexican food at all. Rather, they are shamelessly serving overpriced tasteless codswallop. They are an abomination of Mexican food and the very idea of cross-cultural pollination. 

However, there are defensible iterations of cultural appropriation. Stealing recipes from Mexico and elsewhere and bringing affordable street food to America doesn’t hurt anyone and in fact brings the nectar of the gods to more people for affordable prices. Recipes are stolen all the time. Just don’t take aqua fresca and call it “spa water” on your Tiktok channel, as Gracie Norton did, which is a form of racial plagiarism. 

Some will argue that if some white ladies from Portland go to Mexico and steal taco recipes from grandmothers in Mexico City, those grandmothers are entitled to a cut of the action. But in reality, millions of recipes are stolen every day in the restaurant industry and any kind of compensation through accurate and detailed accounting is an impossibility. 

Another defense of Gustavo Arellano’s claim that cultural appropriation is a good thing can be found in Netflix’s Chef’s Table Pizza series. Specifically, there are two chefs, Chris Bianco and Ann Kim, who break the rules of tradition to show that there is a place for creativity and improvisation in making superior pizza that violates notions of tradition and authenticity. In fact, Italian pizza experts have visited Chris Bianco’s Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona, and have proclaimed that his pizza is superior to the traditional pizzas of Italy. In the case of Ann Kim, she puts kimchi on her pizza and serves Korean mung bean pancakes and her restaurant Pizzeria Lola is so famous that to meet demand, she opened three other restaurants: Hello Pizza, Young Joni, and Sook & Mimi. Incidentally, her most recent restaurant Sook & Mimi features handmade tortillas made in the tradition of Mexico. 

When we see successful restauranters such as Chris Bianco and Ann Kim make delicious food that is based on both authenticity and creativity, we see that making authentic food, or not, is not an either/or proposition. It is possible to do both. Again, this notion of combining authenticity with cultural cross-pollination supports Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation.

Clearly, not all forms of cultural appropriation are alike. Some types are an abomination. Others are a celebration. The purpose of this assignment is to use our critical thinking skills to distinguish the good from the bad and to find nuance, shades of gray, and complexity. 

Just as the best tacos have a complexity of flavors, the best essays have a complexity of ideas.  

***

 

Choice A Building Block 1

The Assignment: Write 2 Paragraphs:

Write 2 paragraphs, an Introductory Paragraph and an Argumentative Thesis Paragraph.

Instructions for Introductory Paragraph

I recommend one of two approaches for your introductory paragraph. 

Method #1: Summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” 

Method #2 Summarize the main ideas in the YouTube video “Cultural Appropriation Tastes Damn Good.”

Instructions for Argumentative Thesis Paragraph

Then transition to an argumentative claim in which you show support or repudiation of Arellano’s main ideas. 

While I take offense at the inflated prices of some of these appropriation restaurants and the lack of credit given to the original sources, I agree with GA’s claim that _______ because ________, ______________, ________________, and _______________________. 

***

 

Posted at 02:04 PM | | Comments (0)

05/13/2024

Spring 2024 Cultural Appropriation Presentation #2

Simplified Version of Choice C: Appropriating Outrage

 

Address the claim that the 1976 movie Network foreshadows the kind of commodification of performative outrage and its toxic societal effects evident in the documentary The Social Network.



Present 7 ways the 1976 movie Network foreshadows the kind of commodification of performative outrage and its toxic societal effects evident in the documentary The Social Network.

ChatGPT

Certainly, both "Network" (1976) and "The Social Network" (2010) offer poignant reflections on the commodification of outrage and its detrimental impacts on society, albeit in different contexts. Here are seven ways the former foreshadows the latter:

  1. Exploitation of Emotion: In "Network," the character Howard Beale becomes a sensation when he expresses his raw emotions on television. Similarly, "The Social Network" portrays Mark Zuckerberg exploiting the emotional vulnerabilities of his peers to create a social network. Both instances highlight how genuine emotions are manipulated for profit.
  2. Sensationalism in Media: "Network" criticizes the sensationalism and commodification of news, showcasing how networks prioritize ratings over journalistic integrity. Similarly, "The Social Network" portrays the sensationalized portrayal of events surrounding the creation of Facebook, emphasizing how media narratives can distort truth for entertainment value.
  3. Voyeuristic Entertainment: Both films depict audiences' voyeuristic tendencies towards others' personal lives. In "Network," viewers are drawn to Howard Beale's breakdowns, while in "The Social Network," audiences are fascinated by the drama and conflicts among the characters involved in the creation of Facebook.
  4. Manipulation of Public Opinion: "Network" highlights the manipulation of public opinion by media corporations, showcasing how narratives are crafted to sway public sentiment. Similarly, "The Social Network" depicts how social media platforms can shape public discourse and influence opinions through curated content and algorithms.
  5. Monetization of Controversy: Both films explore how controversy and conflict can be monetized. In "Network," the network exploits Howard Beale's controversial rants for profit, while in "The Social Network," Zuckerberg and his associates capitalize on the controversy surrounding the creation of Facebook to propel their success.
  6. Erosion of Authenticity: "Network" portrays the erosion of authenticity in media, as sensationalism and entertainment value overshadow truth and integrity. Similarly, "The Social Network" highlights how authenticity is sacrificed in the pursuit of success and recognition in the digital age.
  7. Alienation and Isolation: Both films depict the alienation and isolation that can result from the commodification of outrage and the pursuit of success. In "Network," characters become increasingly disconnected from reality, while in "The Social Network," characters experience strained relationships and interpersonal conflicts as a result of their ambitions.

In essence, "Network" serves as a precursor to the themes explored in "The Social Network," offering a prescient commentary on the commodification of outrage and its toxic societal effects.



 

 

McMahon’s Thesis for Choice A:

On one hand, I embrace Gustavo Arellano’s claim that Mexican food’s greatness emerges from cultural synthesis, evolution, innovation, local ingredients, connection to place, and the spirit of sharing food as a form of love and creativity that must be honored. On the other hand, I reject Arellano’s notion that any people--white or otherwise--get the green light to commit what I call the Taco-Bellification of Mexican food, which is a desecration and abomination--taking the beauty and history of Mexican culture and commercializing it by replacing authenticity and transcendent foods with anodyne, bland, soulless, bandaged-together cookery deceptively marketed as “Mexican cuisine.” 

Outline for the Above:

Paragraph 1: I would summarize Arellano’s essay.

Paragraph 2: I would use the above thesis statement.

Paragraphs 3-5: I would analyze the Netflix Ugly Delicious Taco episode to support my claim that Mexican food is not a fixed category but something that evolves with culture. 

Paragraphs 6-8: I would refute the notion that the Taco-Bellification of Mexican food is okay by pointing out that commercialization of real food insults culture, replaces delicious real food with fake repulsive food, and influences culture for the worst. 

Paragraph 9, my conclusion, would be a powerful, emotional restatement of my thesis. 

 

Choice A

For choice A, our fourth essay will be a 1,200-word argumentative essay that defends, refutes, or complicates food and culture writer Gustavo Arellano’s claim in his essay “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food” and elsewhere that in the realm of food, especially Mexican food, we must step away from the Cult of Authenticity and embrace the idea that the greatness of Mexican food is related to its constant evolution from stealing, borrowing, synthesizing, and even culturally appropriating from one ethnic culture to another and that cuisines that fail to evolve lack relevance and vitality. 

Sample Outline:

Paragraph 1: Summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” Or summarize the main ideas in the YouTube video “Cultural Appropriation Tastes Damn Good.”

Paragraph 2: Then transition to an argumentative claim in which you show support or repudiation of Arellano’s main ideas.

Paragraphs 3-6 would be your supporting paragraphs.

Paragraphs 7 and 8 would be your counterargument-rebuttal.

Paragraph 9 would be a powerful restatement of your thesis, which is your conclusion.  

Your last page would be your Works Cited page in MLA format and a minimum of 4 sources. 

Choice A Building Block 1

The Assignment: Write 2 Paragraphs:

Write 2 paragraphs, an Introductory Paragraph and an Argumentative Thesis Paragraph.

Instructions for Introductory Paragraph

I recommend one of two approaches for your introductory paragraph. 

Method #1: Summarize the main ideas in the article by Gustavo Arellano titled “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food.” 

Method #2 Summarize the main ideas in the YouTube video “Cultural Appropriation Tastes Damn Good.”

Instructions for Argumentative Thesis Paragraph

Then transition to an argumentative claim in which you show support or repudiation of Arellano’s main ideas. 

While I take offense at the inflated prices of some of these appropriation restaurants and the lack of credit given to the original sources, I agree with GA’s claim that _______ because ________, ______________, ________________, and _______________________. 

 

Counterarguments that challenge Gustavo Arellano’s claim that we should reject the Cult of Authenticity

  1. Plagiarism Argument: When we steal intellectual or creative property, there should be consequences. We call this type of stealing plagiarism. Students who commit plagiarism get into big trouble. Shouldn’t cooks who steal creatively and in effect commit culinary plagiarism be subject to some kind of penalties? Should not these chefs who engage in stealing or cultural appropriation at the very least be required to ascribe credit to their sources? Should not these chefs who commit acts of culinary plagiarism at least be required to give a portion of their profits to the areas they stole from? 
  2. Moral Argument: Cultural appropriation, the kind where privileged people go to a small town in the United States, Mexico or Latin America and then steal recipes and cooking methods, offends our common sense of morality, fairness, honesty, and justice. When Gustavo Arellano says, “Everybody steals,” and that’s just the “Darwinian” way in the hyper-competitive restaurant industry, could we not accuse Arellano of using a “two rights make a wrong fallacy”? This fallacy is commonly referred to as argumentum ad populum or appeal to the majority fallacy. In other words, just because the majority engage in immoral behavior doesn't make that behavior right. 
  3. Quality Control or “Wannabes” Argument: Sure, Gustavo Arellano points out all these great examples of cultural appropriation, but those examples don’t diminish the exponential growth of phony Mexican restaurants that serve the crassest, disgusting, abominable “Mexican food” imaginable. Violating the Cult of Authenticity comes with a steep price: A bunch of wannabes steal some recipes and think they know how to make Mexican food when in fact what they are serving is an insult to Mexican food and to Mexican culture. 
  4. Grandmother argument: A student told me he had some very mediocre Molcajete at an expensive Mexican restaurant. He told me, “When I visit my grandmother in Guatemala, she makes me Molcajete that blows all the other ones away. I can’t get excited paying premium dollar for a bunch of sad food that goes under the name of ‘Mexican food.’” What this student is saying essentially is that the tradition, experience, and love his grandmother puts in her homemade Molcajete cannot be compared to the vastly inferior substitutes. Grandmother’s cooking, in other words, is an argument for authenticity.  

Four Weaknesses in Gustavo Arellano's Argument

One. Arellano doesn't address food plagiarism. For example, it is indefensible to take the original food, give it a new name, and claim it as yours as in the notorious case of Gracie Norton who promotes "her spa water" when in fact the water is aqua fresca. 

Two. Not all stealing is equal. If John quits the very successful Restaurant Y and gets a new job at the less successful Restaurant Z that Y uses cumin and ghost chilies in their enchilada sauce, then the owner of Z is going to “steal” the recipe. This type of “stealing” happens all the time. But let us not equate this type of stealing with a white lady named Gracie Norton taking aqua fresca and promoting it as her own “spa water.” That is racial plagiarism, and it is morally repulsive and morally indefensible. 

Three. Arellano doesn't address the white-washing effect: taking delicious meals and watering them down into soulless bland plates that insult the original dish. Oftentimes a white or non-white restaurant owner takes ethnic cuisine and calculates that since his largely white customer base wants ethnic but doesn’t really want ethnic. These white customers want the excitement of saying, “Guys, we’re going to an ethnic restaurant,” but they don’t really want the true ethnic food experience. They want some watered-down crap that they call ethnic but in reality is the same tasteless pablum that defines their infantile tastebuds. "Tourism food" ruins and insults Mexican food. But here's the rub: Fake tourism food makes money. 

This type of cultural appropriation incurs my loathing and abject contempt, but I don’t protest. I merely speak with my dollars. You will never see me a hundred feet from a phony ethnic cuisine restaurant. 

This is perhaps my biggest critique of Gustavo Arellano’s argument. Most of his argument I agree with, but object to his failure to address the white-washing of ethnic food and turning it into tasteless, insipid baby food. 

An Argument in Favor of Arellano: The Wow Factor

Your job as a restaurant owner is to make food that has the Wow Factor. You will experiment, innovate, and rely on time-tested traditional recipes, some “authentic” and some that are modifications, but regardless of what you do, you must make food that has the Wow Factor, that captures people’s hearts, that hijacks people’s brains, and that makes people addicted to your food. That is your job.

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Highlights from Gustavo Arellano’s Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America

The Cosmic Burrito

According to food writer and Los Angeles Times culture critic Gustavo Arellano, Mexican food has been assimilated and celebrated in the United States for 125 years. Tacos and burritos are America’s comfort food. 

The celebration of Mexican food in America has caused a worldwide appetite for Mexican food, from Dubai to Australia, which has its own Taco Bell, called Taco Bill’s, which specializes in fish tacos.

Arellano observes that for over 100 years, many Americans who are anti-Mexican in their prejudices are unaware of the contradiction between their racism and their undying love of Mexican food. They compartmentalize, loving the food yet inexplicably disliking the people who make it, turning Mexicans into negative stereotypes while having a relentless desire for Mexican food. 

Tortillas are the preferred food of NASA astronauts, so there is now the “Cosmic Burrito” and variations of Mexican food pop up all over America, including the muchaco, a taco made with ground beef and pita bread at the Taco Bueno restaurant chain.

Hot Cocoa Comes from Mexico

Arellano observes that traditional desserts made with cocoa and vanilla to make chocolate and vanilla desserts, including hot cocoa, come from 1700s Mexico when the Virgin Mary statues in the cathedrals had offerings of various chocolate and vanilla desserts. This vanilla was cultivated to perfection and copied by the Europeans in Pico de Orizaba, a vanilla region in Veracruz, which is in eastern Mexico. 

As early as the 1500s, Spanish conquerors fell in love with Mexican foods made with corn or maize, which were made into various forms of masa cornmeal.

The Spaniards become obsessed with tortillas and tamales, the latter being a convenience food perfect for traveling with.

The Spanish invader Cortes demanded Mexican food in his court, and according to Arellano, this is the first documented case of cultural appropriation.

Moreover, the Spaniards introduced the Mexicans to wheat flour, which brought flour tortillas to the Mexican diet. 

This is our first known case of fusion. 

Chile Con Carne (soon to become Chili)

Arrellano observes that the first chili made with hot peppers and meat was around 1870 in the San Antonio region, not Texas, but pre-Texas: Tejas. 

Chile became so popular that by the 1880s, you could already find it advertised in Hawaii and Washington D.C. 

The world doesn’t understand how good Mexican food is. They take it for granted. This is one of Arellano’s main points.

Now Chile Con Carne is just “Chili.”

Tamalero

Tamales started to spread throughout America in the 1890s and were sold by European, Indian, and Arab immigrants who were often called “Mexicans.” These immigrants who sold the tamales on the streets were called Tamaleros, AKA “The Hot Tamale Man.”

They became part of American popular culture and folklore.

World Domination of the Taco in the 1950s

As big as tamales and chili were for about 70 years, they would be replaced by the world-dominating taco starting in the 1950s. 

Arellano contributes this growth to a place in Orange County called Irvine, the birth of Taco Bell, founded by Glen Bell. 

We now have many tacos including:

  • The soft-shell taco
  • The taco dorado (hard shell)
  • The taquito (flautas)

Tacos have exploded all over the world, including Sweden, Japan, and South Africa. 

Birthplace of the American Taco and the Gateway Drug Argument

While Glen Bell popularized the taco, the birthplace of the American taco comes from downtown Los Angeles on Olvera Street, a tiny taco stand called Cielito Lindo, circa 1931. 

The second place is in San Bernardino, the Mitla Cafe, established in 1937. The restaurant served hard-shell tacos packed with beef and shredded cheese: taco dorado con carne molida.  

Glen Bell noticed the popularity of Mexican food among the white consumer base in the San Bernardino area, and he copied Mitla Cafe when he started various taco ventures before settling on Taco Bell. 

The owners of Mitla Cafe and Gustavo Arellano defend Taco Bell with its phony “Mexican food” because it’s the “gateway drug” to real Mexican food.

We can call this the Gateway Drug Argument for your essay. 

Challenges to Authenticity

In his book, Taco USA, Arellano tackles some challenges to the idea of authenticity in Mexican food:

  • Since the 1980s, many white chefs have become Mexican food “experts,” writing cookbooks, opening Mexican restaurants, and having TV shows featuring Mexican food. 
  • There was a type of food from New Mexico called “Southwestern Cuisine,” which could often be pretentious “gourmet” dishes with some loose connection to Mexican food. Other times, the food is very good, featuring local ingredients like hatch chilies. The enduring food from Southwestern Cuisine is the breakfast burrito. The craze started to die in the 1990s.
  • Tex-Mex, a fusion that since the 1930s features fajitas and chili has been criticized as being inauthentic, “the lowest common denominator of Mexican food.” However, the actual term Tex-Mex wasn’t coined until the 1960s.

The Great Burrito Rivalry 

Gustavo Arellano adores the legendary Manuel’s Special at Manuel’s El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights. 

He compares the burrito to an encounter with God. The burrito is 5 pounds and filled with grilled chicken, carne asada, machaca, beans, rice, guacamole, and sour cream. 

The rival to Los Angeles for burritos is San Francisco, the Mission District, a place called “El Faro,” the Lighthouse. These are called Mission Style burritos. 

“Tracing the delicious history of San Francisco’s mission style burrito”

“Why are Restaurant Burritos Better Than Homemade?”

Holy Grail Mexican Food Destinations

  • Arellano says his favorite burrito is the chile relleno burrito at Lucy’s Drive-In on Pico Blvd and La Brea in Los Angeles.
  • His favorite tamales are at Pasquale’s Tamales, a trailer in Helena, Arkansa, owned by a third-generation Sicilian family. 
  • His favorite lamb chicharrones are Angelina’s in Espanola, New Mexico. 
  • He loves the Taco Acorazado (Battleship) at Alebrije’s Grill in Santa Ana, CA. He says the tortillas alone are a miracle. 

Not All Cultural Appropriation Is Alike: To Agree Or Not to Agree with Gustavo Arellano

The college students in my critical thinking class and I live in Los Angeles where some of the best food in the world is in our very backyards. I don’t want my students or me to take this for granted. I want us to do a deep dive into the Los Angeles food world, particularly Mexican food, the most popular cuisine in the world. So for our final essay assignment, we read Gustavo Arellano’s article “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food--Mexicans Do It to Ourselves All the Time” and we write an essay that supports or refutes Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation. 

Arellano defends cultural appropriation by explaining three things. One, that since the beginning of time, restaurant owners have copied their competition; two, social justice warriors aren’t helping anyone when they patronize Mexicans by painting them as helpless victims when in fact Mexicans steal in the food industry just like everyone else; and three, what some might call appropriation or stealing can be in fact the healthy human impulse for cross-cultural pollination, evidenced by the fact that many of Mexico’s most famous regional dishes incorporate the food and ingredients from Spain, France, and the Middle East. 

Arellano’s argument forces us to question the very idea of authenticity. What is authenticity? In the context of Mexican food, authenticity is the traditions of regional Mexican cooking that bring labor-intensive cooking techniques, geographical richness, and time-tested rituals to produce some of the best food in the world. But authenticity is more than food. It is family and culture. I urge you to watch The Taco Chronicles on Netflix. When you see families in different parts of Mexico making carnitas, canasta, asada, pastor, barbacoa, guisado, suadero, cochinita, cabrito, birria, and pescado, you will find that the geography and family traditions make these dishes authentic. But just as importantly, these foods are so good that they are a miracle from God. Look at the love the community lavishes on the local taquero, the man selling tacos on the street corner. He is bringing love to the city, and he is appreciated for it. Look at the entire communities gathering together to make these authentic dishes and you will see that food is rooted in family and culture. What is most beautiful about this notion of authenticity is the expression of love for others by bringing them the food of the gods. There is a reason in Mexico why the taco is called madre. 

When we watch The Taco Chronicles, the sense of community combined with the making of the best food in the world wins our hearts and our stomachs. Any notion of violating this authenticity rightfully angers us and we are disinclined to agree with Arellano’s support of cultural appropriation. However, if you read Arellano’s book Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, you will get more context for Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation. Arellano would never want us to violate the authentic regional traditions of Mexican cooking. Instead, he is arguing that the splendor of regional Mexican cooking spread to America by bringing food that is both desirable and affordable and that some, not all, of the magic of authentic Mexican cuisine became accessible to the American masses. Moreover, this Mexican food changed American culture for the better. Full-flavored Mexican food replaced the tasteless pablum of “American” food. Americans speak with their money and they spend so much money on Mexican food that they have made a statement that they want Mexican food in their culture. 

Is Gustavo Arellano defending all forms of cultural appropriation? Clearly not. If you read his articles and watch the Netflix series Ugly Delicious, “Tacos,” you will see that Arellano has contempt for “soulless” Mexican food, “Mexican” food chains that bastardize good-tasting Mexican food, food chains that disconnect the food they sell from the workers and from the Mexican culture; you will also see that Arellano has a healthy contempt for white-washed tourist food--phony overpriced Mexican food that has no spice and has been altered to appeal to the most infantile tastebuds. These counterfeit “Mexican” restaurants aren’t serving Mexican food at all. Rather, they are shamelessly serving overpriced tasteless codswallop. They are an abomination of Mexican food and the very idea of cross-cultural pollination. 

However, there are defensible iterations of cultural appropriation. Stealing recipes from Mexico and elsewhere and bringing affordable street food to America doesn’t hurt anyone and in fact brings the nectar of the gods to more people for affordable prices. Recipes are stolen all the time. Just don’t take aqua fresca and call it “spa water” on your Tiktok channel, as Gracie Norton did, which is a form of racial plagiarism. 

Some will argue that if some white ladies from Portland go to Mexico and steal taco recipes from grandmothers in Mexico City, those grandmothers are entitled to a cut of the action. But in reality, millions of recipes are stolen every day in the restaurant industry and any kind of compensation through accurate and detailed accounting is an impossibility. 

Another defense of Gustavo Arellano’s claim that cultural appropriation is a good thing can be found in Netflix’s Chef’s Table Pizza series. Specifically, there are two chefs, Chris Bianco and Ann Kim, who break the rules of tradition to show that there is a place for creativity and improvisation in making superior pizza that violates notions of tradition and authenticity. In fact, Italian pizza experts have visited Chris Bianco’s Pizzeria Bianco in Pheonix, Arizona, and have proclaimed that his pizza is superior to the traditional pizzas of Italy. In the case of Ann Kim, she puts kimchi on her pizza and serves Korean mung bean pancakes and her restaurant Pizzeria Lola is so famous that to meet demand, she opened three other restaurants: Hello Pizza, Young Joni, and Sook & Mimi. Incidentally, her most recent restaurant Sook & Mimi features handmade tortillas made in the tradition of Mexico. 

When we see successful restauranters such as Chris Bianco and Ann Kim make delicious food that is based on both authenticity and creativity, we see that making authentic food, or not, is not an either/or proposition. It is possible to do both. Again, this notion of combining authenticity with cultural cross-pollination supports Arellano’s defense of cultural appropriation.

Clearly, not all forms of cultural appropriation are alike. Some types are an abomination. Others are a celebration. The purpose of this assignment is to use our critical thinking skills to distinguish the good from the bad and to find nuance, shades of gray, and complexity. 

Just as the best tacos have a complexity of flavors, the best essays have a complexity of ideas.  

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Sample Theses That Refute and Defend Gustavo Arellano’s Argument

Refutation

 

Gustavo Arellano is a prestigious, beloved Los Angeles culture writer. Unfortunately, his argument that attempts to ease the collective white conscience to steal Mexican food is a sad, unconvincing affair. His argument is crippled with egregious moral, legal, and logical fallacies. He knows all too well that American history is rife with white people exploiting Mexicans’ hard work and ingenuity. To defend whites because “everyone steals” is a childish remark that fails basic moral teachings, specifically the infantile notion that two wrongs make a right. Second, if Arellano wants us to take him seriously, he must give us a more narrow definition of cultural appropriation. There is no moral equivalence between a Salvadorean husband respectfully learning the finer points of making Jahuacatas from his wife who hails from Michoacan and the white El Torito manager who hires a Mexican worker, steals the worker’s recipes over a period of two months, and then unceremoniously fires the worker.  A third most regrettable error on Arellano’s part is how he conveniently ignores the atrocious fact that the majority of white stealing of Mexican food is done in the cynical service of making money by white-washing and in effect destroying delicious food to make it palatable for philistines, tourists, and other types of phony people who fancy deluding themselves into “going out and getting some ethnic food.” The bad scenarios described above are more than just bad; they are abominations of the tastebuds and the soul, and for Arellano to omit these abominations from his argument is a form of intellectual dishonesty for which I cannot forgive. 

 

Defense

 

I feel bad for the above writer who has morally excoriated Gustavo Arellano for his supposed moral failings. This writer’s spiritual purity and moral self-righteousness have blinded him from the gustatory pleasures that result from Arellano’s “free-stealing” philosophy. By “free-stealing,” I refer to a degree of healthy chaos that exists in the food industry. Recipes are flying from one town to another; variations are infinite based on quirks, available food, cross-cultural pollination, and a synthesis of cooking techniques from the many cultures that inevitably converge in great cosmopolitan cities such as Los Angeles. Moreover, the relevance of Mexican cooking makes it the most popular, fastest-growing cuisine in the world. Contrary to the above passage which attempts to put a big stink on Gustavo Arellano and which would have us believe that Mexican food is pure, sacrosanct, and unchanging, real Mexican food is constantly evolving through ruthless stealing, borrowing, mutations, and respectful homages to its sacred origins. Thank God, Gustavo Arellano acknowledges the vibrancy of Mexican cooking and its complicated, sometimes morally questionable origins, for finally, a food writer has exposed the truth about the wonders of Mexican food. The above writer, on the other hand, gets a medal for moral self-righteousness but loses points for being a boring, propaganda writer for the Cult of Authenticity. 

Refutation

Gustavo Arellano is gung-ho about white people stealing from Mexicans for three reasons. One, since Mexicans steal, everyone else should be able to. Two, stealing Mexican food is great for popularizing Mexican food throughout the world. Three, dishing up substandard debased Mexican food is a great “gateway drug” to getting people hooked on real Mexican food. All three of his reasons are so ludicrous and asinine as to strain credulity. For one, that Mexicans interacted with other cultures, some who colonized them, and created amazing food is not morally equivalent to privileged classes of people today stealing Mexican food and exploiting Mexican workers. For two, while it’s true that stealing Mexican recipes popularizes Mexican food, this popularization for at least 99% of the time is a disrespectful corruption of true Mexican cooking. So Mexican food has been watered-down to suit the tastes of tacky tourists. Am I supposed to celebrate that fact? I think not. Finally, Arellano would have us applaud the serving of crappy food as the “gateway drug” to real Mexican food. Arellano’s reasoning is based on the optimistic and fallacious assumption that the tasteless hordes will get one taste of abysmal phony Mexican food and want to pivot to something more authentic when in fact the evidence proves otherwise. Look at the popularity of Taco Bell, El Torito, and other shambolic soul-crushing food chains and you’ll see that the masses are quite content with eating phony soulless Mexican food and have complete disregard for the real thing. One last thing I must mention is that Arellano's argument is hypocritical and disingenuous. What do I mean? You won't see Arellano eating and praising Mexican food from white establishments or food chains. He himself goes to hole-in-the-walls owned by Mexicans and other ethnic people and finds his favorite foods from these delicious remote places. These are the places he celebrates in his columns. In other words, Arellano can't even put his money where his mouth is. So while I will read Gustavo Arellano’s cultural criticism, I will index his defense of white people stealing Mexican food in my Rejection and Nonsense File. 

Your Essay Assignment:

Do you agree or disagree with Arellano's defense of cultural appropriation?

Summary of the Essay's Main Arguments

  • We are all rapacious creatures whose drive for success makes us to some degree cutthroat and ruthless. The more ruthlessly we steal a recipe the more we affirm the greatness of that recipe. Mediocre food isn't stolen. Only great food is. The theft of Mexican recipes is a tribute to its greatness. 
  • "Stealing" is actually the natural human inclination for cross-cultural pollination. Such pollination enriches culture and in many cases actually changes culture for the better.
  • To treat Mexicans as helpless victims whose delicacies are being stolen is to patronize them and to "rob them of human agency" (free will). In fact, Mexicans have been "stealing," or rather cross-pollinating, for thousands of years. Their history is rife with taking foods from other cultures such as Spain, France, and the Middle East, and making these foods their own. 
  • From the Netflix series Ugly Delicious, "Tacos" episode, we find that respectful inspiration from the original dish is an acceptable form of cultural appropriation. 

Some Caveats, Stipulations, or Conditions We Can Use from Ugly Delicious, "Tacos":

  • Taking shortcuts is an abomination and degrades the original version of the food such as tortillas.
  • Offering stereotypes of Mexican food is an abomination and shows ignorance of the depth of ingredients and creativity from the treasures of Mexican cooking. Don't play "Jingle Bells" on the piano when you should be playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony. 
  • Making tourist food or white-washing food to make it bland for mass appeal will make you money but it is an abomination of authentic Mexican food. 
  • Taking agua fresca and rebranding it as "spa water" is a form of racial plagiarism so egregious that I doubt Gustavo Arellano would defend such an act of shamelessness and arrogance. 

 

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Review of Arellano's Arguments

  • Darwinian argument (cultural appropriation is survival)
  • Origin story argument (cultural appropriation is part of the rich Mexican food history dating back over a thousand years)
  • Popularity argument (thievery is a form of flattery and affirms the success of the dish)
  • Business argument (cultural appropriation is essential for a business to grow and flourish)
  • Adaptation argument (Mexican food is popular precisely because the history of Mexican food is the history of adaptation, synthesis, and cultural appropriation)
  • Diversity argument (Mexican food is not a monolith; it is diverse, and its diversity depends on cultural appropriation)

What are the two opposing sides of this argument?

The Great Debate: Innovation Vs. Tradition:

On one side, Gustavo Arellano’s side, is the argument that great food evolves through stealing and that stealing is a sign of the food’s greatness. Another side of food greatness is constant evolution and constant innovation. People are open to experimenting with foods and not tied to traditions and absolutes. Mexican food, moreover, is not a monolith. There is diversity based on regions and innovations, so there is no such thing as One Kind of Mexican Food, no One Burrito, No One Taco, etc. 

On the other side, the Cult of Authenticity, is the belief that food should be unchanged. Food is iconic and rooted in tradition and attempts at changing the food is equivalent to “blasphemy.” Also, when the food is taken and changed it accounts to the loathsome act of cultural appropriation.  Which side are you on?

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Review of Gustavo Arellano’s Arguments Against the Cult of Authenticity

(Pro Tip: The following arguments would make an excellent body paragraph outline for Essay 4) 

  1. In spite of some phony white chefs who wrongly anoint themselves as ambassadors of Mexican food, mainstreaming Mexican food is on balance a good because it exposes more people to the greatness of Mexican food and encourages cultural respect and cultural celebration of Mexican contributions. 
  2. Much of the purity cult behind the notion of authenticity is from whites on the Left and Right who don’t understand Mexican food or the Mexican people. 
  3. Letting social justice warriors dictate what is authentic can lead to food totalitarianism and absurdly narrow, reductionist definitions of authenticity.
  4. The lines are blurred between innovation, cross-cultural synergy, and cultural appropriation, which has occurred since the beginning of time and is an inevitable part of how food evolves into amazing dishes. 
  5. It’s absurd to reject Tex-Mex or Cal-Mex food when we consider that these fusions are about embracing the greatness of Mexican cuisine and that no food is good or bad per se; rather, how a chef executes the dish determines whether it’s good or not. It’s all about execution. A bad taco could put you in a bad mood for a week. An exceptional taco could “change your life” and inject your brain’s amygdala with euphoric endorphins. 

Counterarguments that challenge Gustavo Arellano’s claim that we should reject the Cult of Authenticity

  1. Plagiarism Argument: When we steal intellectual or creative property, there should be consequences. We call this type of stealing plagiarism. Students who commit plagiarism get into big trouble. Shouldn’t cooks who steal creatively and in effect commit culinary plagiarism be subject to some kind of penalties? Should not these chefs who engage in stealing or cultural appropriation at the very least be required to ascribe credit to their sources? Should not these chefs who commit acts of culinary plagiarism at least be required to give a portion of their profits to the areas they stole from? 
  2. Moral Argument: Cultural appropriation, the kind where privileged people go to a small town in the United States, Mexico or Latin America and then steal recipes and cooking methods, offends our common sense of morality, fairness, honesty, and justice. When Gustavo Arellano says, “Everybody steals,” and that’s just the “Darwinian” way in the hyper-competitive restaurant industry, could we not accuse Arellano of using a “two rights make a wrong fallacy”? This fallacy is commonly referred to as argumentum ad populum or appeal to the majority fallacy. In other words, just because the majority engage in immoral behavior doesn't make that behavior right. 
  3. Quality Control or “Wannabes” Argument: Sure, Gustavo Arellano points out all these great examples of cultural appropriation, but those examples don’t diminish the exponential growth of phony Mexican restaurants that serve the crassest, disgusting, abominable “Mexican food” imaginable. Violating the Cult of Authenticity comes with a steep price: A bunch of wannabes steal some recipes and think they know how to make Mexican food when in fact what they are serving is an insult to Mexican food and to Mexican culture. 
  4. Grandmother argument: A student told me he had some very mediocre Molcajete at an expensive Mexican restaurant. He told me, “When I visit my grandmother in Guatemala, she makes me Molcajete that blows all the other ones away. I can’t get excited paying premium dollar for a bunch of sad food that goes under the name of ‘Mexican food.’” What this student is saying essentially is that the tradition, experience, and love his grandmother puts in her homemade Molcajete cannot be compared to the vastly inferior substitutes. Grandmother’s cooking, in other words, is an argument for authenticity.  

 


Ugly Delicious, Season 1, Episode 2: Tacos

ChatGPT Outline That Support Arellano

Provide 7 reasons to support food and culture writer Gustavo Arellano’s claim in his essay “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food” and elsewhere that in the realm of food, especially Mexican food, we must step away from the Cult of Authenticity and embrace the idea that the greatness of Mexican food is related to its constant evolution from stealing, borrowing, synthesizing, and even culturally appropriating from one ethnic culture to another and that cuisines that fail to evolve lack relevance and vitality. 
 
ChatGPT

  1. Historical Precedent: Gustavo Arellano's argument is grounded in historical reality. Mexican cuisine, like many others, has been shaped by centuries of cultural exchange, conquests, migrations, and trade. From the blending of indigenous ingredients with Spanish influences during colonization to the incorporation of flavors from other cultures in modern times, Mexican food has always evolved through borrowing and synthesis.

  2. Diversity and Adaptation: Embracing cultural borrowing and appropriation allows Mexican cuisine to remain dynamic and responsive to changing tastes, ingredients, and culinary techniques. By incorporating elements from other cultures, it becomes more inclusive and adaptable, reflecting the diversity of the people who contribute to its evolution.

  3. Creativity and Innovation: The willingness to borrow and synthesize from other culinary traditions fosters creativity and innovation in Mexican cooking. It encourages chefs and home cooks alike to experiment with new flavor combinations, cooking methods, and presentations, leading to the development of exciting new dishes and culinary trends.

  4. Relevance in Contemporary Society: In a globalized world where cultures intersect and influence each other constantly, clinging too rigidly to notions of authenticity can limit the relevance and appeal of Mexican cuisine. Embracing cultural exchange and appropriation ensures that Mexican food remains vibrant and appealing to diverse audiences, both within and outside of Mexico.

  5. Cultural Hybridity: Mexican cuisine's greatness lies in its ability to blend elements from various cultures into a cohesive and delicious whole. This cultural hybridity is a testament to the rich tapestry of influences that have shaped Mexico's culinary landscape over centuries. Rejecting the Cult of Authenticity allows for a celebration of this diversity rather than constraining it.

  6. Acknowledgment of Influence: By acknowledging the role of cultural borrowing and appropriation in shaping Mexican food, we pay tribute to the contributions of different cultures to its development. Rather than erasing or downplaying these influences, we embrace them as integral parts of Mexican culinary heritage, enriching our understanding and appreciation of its complexity.

  7. Sustaining Tradition through Change: Paradoxically, embracing evolution and cultural exchange is essential for preserving tradition in Mexican cuisine. As society changes and new ingredients, technologies, and culinary trends emerge, the ability to adapt and incorporate these elements ensures that traditional Mexican dishes remain relevant and accessible to future generations, ensuring their survival and continued enjoyment.

 
 
 
Provide 7 reasons to refute food and culture writer Gustavo Arellano’s claim in his essay “Let White People Appropriate Mexican Food” and elsewhere that in the realm of food, especially Mexican food, we must step away from the Cult of Authenticity and embrace the idea that the greatness of Mexican food is related to its constant evolution from stealing, borrowing, synthesizing, and even culturally appropriating from one ethnic culture to another and that cuisines that fail to evolve lack relevance and vitality.
 
ChatGPT

  1. Respect for Cultural Integrity: Gustavo Arellano's argument overlooks the importance of respecting the cultural integrity of Mexican cuisine. Cultural appropriation often involves the commodification of aspects of a culture without regard for its significance or context. This can lead to the erasure of the contributions of the culture's original creators and perpetuate stereotypes.

  2. Power Dynamics: The issue of cultural appropriation in food cannot be divorced from larger power dynamics, particularly when it involves dominant cultures appropriating from marginalized ones. In the case of Mexican cuisine, cultural appropriation by white individuals or businesses can perpetuate inequalities and reinforce historical patterns of exploitation.

  3. Preservation of Authenticity: The Cult of Authenticity plays a crucial role in preserving the authenticity of traditional Mexican dishes and culinary practices. By adhering to traditional recipes, techniques, and ingredients, chefs and food enthusiasts honor the cultural heritage and expertise passed down through generations. This authenticity is essential for maintaining the unique identity of Mexican cuisine.

  4. Recognition of Origins: Ignoring the origins of dishes and culinary traditions undermines the contributions of Mexican cooks, farmers, and artisans who have cultivated and refined these practices over centuries. Failing to acknowledge these origins perpetuates a narrative of cultural erasure and appropriation, diminishing the cultural significance of Mexican food.

  5. Diverse Perspectives and Voices: By prioritizing authenticity and respecting cultural boundaries, we create space for diverse voices and perspectives within the culinary world. Elevating the voices of Mexican chefs, food writers, and culinary experts ensures that the richness and complexity of Mexican cuisine are accurately represented and celebrated.

  6. Quality and Craftsmanship: Authenticity is often synonymous with quality and craftsmanship in culinary traditions. Traditional Mexican dishes are crafted with care and attention to detail, using locally sourced ingredients and time-honored techniques. Diluting or altering these practices in the name of innovation or fusion risks compromising the quality and integrity of the food.

  7. Cultural Sovereignty: Embracing cultural appropriation undermines the concept of cultural sovereignty, which asserts the rights of communities to control and protect their cultural heritage. Mexican cuisine is an integral part of Mexico's cultural identity, and efforts to appropriate or commercialize it without consent undermine the autonomy and agency of Mexican people to determine how their culture is represented and shared with the world.

 
 
 

***

Choice B: American Chinese Food

Based on the Ian Cheney documentary The Search for General Tso (Amazon Prime) and the essays “Who’s Afraid of Chop Suey” by Charles W. Hayford, “More Than ‘Just Takeout’” by Cathy Erway, “‘Not Real Chinese’: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Our Respect” by Kelley Kwok, and “Searching for America with General Tso” by Jiayang Fan, write a 1,200-word argumentative essay that addresses the claim that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is really a story about surviving racism and xenophobia, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

Building Block 1 for Choice B

For paragraph 1, summarize the reasons American Chinese food is viewed as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food and the authors’ main defenses of American Chinese food. 

For paragraph 2, write your thesis, an argument that addresses the assertion that to scorn American Chinese food as a betrayal of authentic Chinese food is an oversimplification that overlooks the complications and contradictions of American Chinese food, which is really a story about surviving racism and xenophobia, overcoming economic struggle, and establishing a strong and pervasive cultural influence.  

Building Block 2 for Choice B

Write a counterargument-rebuttal paragraph. 

Posted at 04:07 PM | | Comments (0)

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