Final Project Draft

Steven Chang

RHE 330E

Davis

Final Project: Inception and Affect.

            Inception. Here’s me planting an idea in your head[1]: the reason that people love dramatic and action-filled movies like Inception so much is not because of our own cognitive action, but how our bodies respond affectively. Unfortunately, this idea is not my own, but a radical portrayal of rhetoric and affect from authors like Massumi and Kennedy. It is also not a simple idea. But perhaps by the end of this exploration into Inception and affect, we may just take away a simple enough idea of rhetoric to be called our own.

            Inception was one of the great movies of 2010, opening #1 at the box office, receiving high critical acclaim, and reaching the position of 25^th highest grossing film of all time[2]. The film was regarded for its stunning visual effects, powerful soundtrack, and the emotional performances from its actors. [Some examples from critics: http://www.brianorndorf.com/2010/07/film-review-inception.html, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/movietime/stories/2010/2961205.htm, etc.]

            Inception took the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects, while being nominated for several other categories. [more description]

            One of the reasons Inception was so enjoyable was because it drew people in for the entirety of the movie. The plot is always fast moving, with breathtaking landscapes and fierce gun battles going on throughout. People commented on the intensity of the movie, that they were “on the edge of their seats,” or that the movie was dramatic and climactic.

Here’s a clip from the movie that I thought was one of the most intense parts – it’s the climax of the movie, with the protagonist facing his deepest obstacle and the plot coming to a crucial peak.

                       

            Again, critics and generally moviegoers alike mention similar reasons for why they enjoyed the movie: captivating visual effects, a soundtrack that shakes your whole body, impassioned acting by the whole cast, and a plot and concept that makes your mind spin. We see all of these elements in this one clip.

             [here I’m not sure if I should break down those 4 elements into paragraphs and really expand on the common sense view of why people like this movie, or do more reasons from critics, or if that’s not that important and I should keep it to one paragraph so I can move on to Massumi/Kennedy]

            However, Brian Massumi and George Kennedy explain our attraction to dramatic movies and our emotional responses to almost anything with a single term: affect. Teresa Brennan explains that “the term ‘affect’ is one translation of the Latin affectus, which can be translated as ‘passion’ or ‘emotion.[3]’” She goes on to say that, “by an affect, I mean the physiological shift accompanying a judgment.[4]” What makes affect, this physiological shift, interesting is “the notion that passions and affects are themselves judgments[5],” with or without any conscious response. So, for a movie like Inception, does our physiological response in affect determine how much pleasure we receive from the movie?

            Massumi gives a clear example that it does. [Snowman example.]

            In the snowman movie scenarios, we can see that there are three different aspects of judgment: the child’s qualification of the movie, the physiological response, and the skin reaction. We can clearly see that, in some cases, the physiological and skin responses are different from the cognitive response. Although the child may have ranked one movie the “saddest,” it also gave the highest physiological response of pleasure.

            [show parallels to Inception… not exactly sure how I’m going to do that.]

I will definitely incorporate one, if not two more authors here that will talk about physiological affect over cognitive rhetoric and try to apply that to our experience of Inception. I'm leaning towards Kennedy, but his examples don't line up well with a movie and I would have to twist his concepts to fit what I'm trying to say.
I might also try to give a broader generalization of why we like any thriller/dramatic/action movies, but only if the paper with Inception only doesn't quite reach 8 pages.

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[1] Movie quote.

[2] Wikipedia or whatever other resource.

[3] Brennan.

[4] Brennan.

[5] and more Brennan.

Edbauer Rice: Rhetoric is now in everything.

Edbauer Rice's writing on affective ecologies was an extremely intriguing read. The entirety of this course has been expanding my horizons on what the realm of rhetoric actually is -- and Rice expands it even further. What we learned in lower-division rhetoric classes of the speaker-text-audience triangle is far too simple now; Rice has colored in the triangle and connected it on a page full of rhetorical triangles.

For me, it's always been true that rhetoric was more intricate and complex than the simplistic vocabulary we had for it. In order to "take the audience into account," it would be necessary to understand all of the context and kairos and details and connections to really understand who it is you're writing to and how to frame your text towards what they need to hear. An exigence was never just a problem or a call to action: it included the history, the potential, and all the other details.

Rice has given a framework to what we already knew but didn't know how to describe -- a rhetorical situation is movement, complexity, encounter. But now it is an affective ecology, the context and the history, the speakers, the counter-rhetoric, the movement: all an amalgamation of events and encounters too complex to be explained away simply.

I think in the end, Rice offers up the correct takeaway for this new way of thinking in rhetoric -- this radically changes our rhetorical pedagogy. The way we learn about rhetoric can no longer be the simplistic rhetorical triangle, but we must now look at "rhetorical situations [as an] amalgamation and mixture of many different events and happenings that are not properly segmented into audience, text, or rhetorician" (pg. 16). Rhetoric now "also engages processes and encounters" (pg. 18).

However, I think that the implications of this new rhetorical pedagogy can reshape the connotation and understanding of what rhetoric is to the general public. If rhetoric really is an affective ecology, an amalgamation of all encounters and movements and processes, then it reaches much further than what we generally believe. Not even just about persuasive speech and argument, but even beyond just communication -- rhetoric is a study of the entirety of movement in reality. Connections, encounters, speech, audience, context, situation are all a part of rhetoric. We engage in rhetoric with every word, every movement, even the reactions in our bodies. It is something that we DO. With this understanding, perhaps rhetoric is no longer a minor study, no longer something that only Presidents and preachers use, but something that deeply shapes the way that we understand and move in the world.

Final Project Proposal

Overview:
In my final project, I will do a rhetorical analysis on the affective and pathetic appeals of one of this year's most popular films, Inception. This analysis will result in the equivalent of an 8-10 page research paper. The movie is generally regarded as one of high intensity and a forceful dramatic feel, and likely connected to appeals to affect and pathos. Using the theories of affect from the various readings, I will argue that the viewer's captivation towards the movie is a result of both visual and aural affective appeals. I will condense this analysis to a 5-minute presentation in class, and post it to my blog.

Specifics:
1. I will choose a single clip to analyze and to act as a model for the rest of the movie. By exploring the areas of cinematography, the actor's movements and words, sound effects, and music, I hope to show that the affective appeals in these areas are the cause of the viewer's pleasure and heightened intensity.

2. I will use at least 3 of the authors from this semester to connect the appeals in Inception to the claim that the affective appeals in the film are what give the viewer a heightened emotional and affective state.

3. Using a presentation software like Keynote or Prezi, I will present a clip of Inception with an analysis of the affective appeals in both the visual and aural realms -- this presentation will last no more than 5 minutes.

4. There will be an oral workshop on Tuesday, April 26th, and a formal peer review on Thursday, April 28th that the analysis will go through.

5. The final project will be completed and posted on the blog/webfolio by May 5th.

Written Pathetic Appeal Revised

Steven Chang

RHE 330E

Davis

4/12/2011

Written Pathetic Appeal: Human Trafficking

Fourth customer tonight. Still a long night ahead, anywhere from six to ten more before she’s finished. Like a zombie, she climbs into the shower with the hope of washing away anything left behind, but it is a cathartic cleansing more than anything. A zombie is a good comparison – a mindless object, simply a body without its own thoughts – that is what she is. The youth and vitality of a 12-year-old girl is missing completely, and only a drained and broken husk remains.

As she steps out of the shower, she is again overwhelmed by the smell. The musky, moldy stench of the hotel room, tinged with the scents of lotions and perfumes and cigarette smoke wafting through the air. She resists the impulse to retch. Four months here, and still the smell catches her off guard every time.

The syringe is prepped on the nightstand, next to a few cotton balls and a bottle of cleaning alcohol. She hesitates, debating and resisting what she knows to be evil, but the damaged side of her wins. She doesn’t have the strength anymore to get through the night on her own. In the first couple of weeks, the memories of her past life were enough to take her away from the dimly-lit room and that overwhelming smell. The images of the beautiful sunset over the rice fields or the thought of dinner with her grandparents after a long day of work used to be enough, but not anymore. That was now a past life, and to get through the reality of misery she is in will require a more potent solution.

She swabs her arm gently with the cold alcohol, takes a deep breath, and feels the cold prick of the needle pierce her skin. The warm flood of bliss washes over her, and the fear, the disgust, the despair is all swept away with that penetrating warmness.

And finally, numbness. This is her temporary escape. She sits on the edge of the creaky mattress, embracing the emotional paralysis, as the next man walks through the door.

Fifth customer tonight. Still at least five more to come. Between the showers and the syringe, she will endure the rest of the long night, but for what? She is convinced: no one is coming to save her, this is now her permanent reality – she has long since given up on hope.

_______

There are 27 million slaves in the world today[1], more than at the time of the transatlantic slave trade in the 17^th Century. Men, women, and children are stolen, deceived, and sold into unspeakable horrors all around the world. Forced prostitution in Thailand, wage slavery in India, and child labor in Colombia are some prevalent examples, but the list extends far beyond that.

The story of the young girl above is just one possible story out of millions. Hoping for a better life, the young girl is deceived into taking a “better job in the city,” and forced into prostitution with no hope of rescue. Every single day, unfortunate victims experience these injustices all around the world. Perhaps the most tragic elements of these stories is how these young and gullible children are tricked or kidnapped into a life of unimaginable suffering. What could have been a bright and happy future is now one of despair and hopelessness. The misconception is that these things only happen in developing countries like Thailand or India, but the influence of human trafficking reaches broadly, even to our own city limits. Just last year, a human trafficking and vice unit from the Austin Police Department shut down a brothel in north Austin where women were forced into prostitution against their will.[2] The threat of human trafficking is a closer reality than we would hope to believe.

According to the U.S. State Department, anywhere from 14,500 to more than 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States every year.[3] Worldwide, the U.N. estimates that the market value of the human trafficking industry surpasses $32 billion annually.[4] Human trafficking exists in some form or fashion on every one of the six major continents. The social problem of human trafficking is as much a reality to us today as civil rights in the 1960s or slavery in the 19^th Century. Yet somehow, in the 21^st Century, the atrocities of human trafficking are hidden from the view of the public.

The problem of human trafficking reaches broadly, affects its victims deeply, but is widely unknown. Many times, even when we do learn of these inhumane and heart-wrenching stories, we are outraged or disgusted, but we feel detached from the problem. What could a college student do about these problems an ocean away? It seems that these things aren’t related to our lives in any way at all. However, the U.S. State Department estimates that “200,000 American children are at high risk for trafficking into the sex industry each year.” We also know that “Texas has more calls into the national human trafficking hotline than any other state.[5]” How far would you go to save your sister, niece, or best friend from this tragic fate?

                  As college students in the U.S., we have the capability, the resources, and the power to fight towards ending human trafficking, even in our own lifetime.  Here are a few first steps of what we can do:

1.     Educate yourself: Research trafficking and find out how deeply and broadly it actually goes – www.notforsalecampaign.org, www.stopthetraffik.org, www.humantrafficking.com, www.antislavery.org

2.     Educate others: Post this video about human trafficking to your facebook or youtube account – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTN0TbsRYA

3.     Take action: Support organizations like the International Justice Mission or World Vision that are devoted to ending human slavery, donate your time and money, and write to your Congressmen to support anti-trafficking laws.

We have the power and the resources to end slavery in the world. Dr. Kevin Bales, an expert on modern slavery and the President of Free the Slaves confirms this: “We could eradicate slavery. The laws are in place. The multi-nationals, the world trade organizations, the United Nations, they could end slavery, but they're not going to do it until and unless we demand it.”[6] Our efforts have the ability to save lives. The responsibility lies with each one of us. Will we be known as the generation that took action and ended modern slavery? Or will our passivity be our legacy to future generations, that we let this deep social injustice run rampant?

_______

                  It is almost dawn. She is broken and beaten, a shell of a person after 12 men have had their way with her. She can barely move, but reaches towards the nightstand and the only thing that can comfort her now – the needle. But before she can immerse herself in the numbness, suddenly, the sounds of a door crashing down in the hallway reach her. The voices of men yelling and of women screaming pierce through the quiet morning of the city.

                  Adrenaline floods her body. Confusion and anticipation overtake her, and the smallest tinge of hope enters into her mind! Could it be? But she steels herself. No reason to deceive herself, to get her hopes up for nothing.

                  The door opens. A police officer, gun raised, takes a look at her and motions behind him. An older woman comes through the door with a disarming smile. She doesn’t know what to think, but the woman embraces her, whispering assurances of her safety and her rescue. The woman picks her up and carries her out through the broken down entrance of the hotel. The first rays of sunlight peek over the horizon, warming the little girl’s face. For the first time in three months, she breathes in the freshness of the morning air. For the first time in three months, she has a hope and a future.

_______

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[1] http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-human-trafficking

[2] http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/crime/man-in-custody-for-operating-brothel

[3] http://www.utexas.edu/features/2010/03/29/human_trafficking/

[4] http://www.human-trafficking-rescue.org/human-trafficking-questions.html

[5] http://www.utexas.edu/features/2010/03/29/human_trafficking/

[6] http://www.betterworld.net/quotes/slavery-quotes.htm

Visual Argument Final

http://prezi.com/wkstt28bcxhm/products-of-a-rotten-origin/

As you can see, the purpose of this visual argument is to highlight the prevalence of child labor and human rights abuse in the manufacture of products by some very big-name companies. Many corporations like Nike, Nestle, Gap, Calvin Klein, Apple, Wal-Mart, Hanes, Ikea, and many more have been accused of (or found evidence against) for practices like abusive child labor, repression of worker’s rights, violations of health and environmental laws, and labor discrimination. The claim is simply that many of our favorite products and brands are tainted by the use of morally unacceptable practices.

            As we look at advertisements from each of these major companies (Nike, Nestle, Gap, Calvin Klein, and Apple), we can see a corresponding image of child labor or a sweatshop. These are the origins of the products that many of us own and purchase regularly. The purpose of this back and forth is to connect the reality of how these products are created – not just simply in a factory in North America, but most likely in a third-world country and through the abuses of human rights. The emotions that are hopefully evoked are surprise, anger, sadness, discomfort, shame, and indignation. Many times, we buy products without hesitating for a moment to think where it came from or how it was created. However, when we see these corresponding pictures of young, malnourished, and dirty children making the products that we love, we are surprised at this shocking truth. Hopefully, that surprise turns into anger, indignation, and sadness with this interpretation: “it isn’t right for other humans to be abused so that corporations can get more money.”

            The photos of the glamorous advertisements are such a stark contrast to the grim realities of the living and working conditions that people in third-world countries endure. Gap and Calvin Klein show you flawless models representing their clothes, but children in Uzbekistan as young as five picked that cotton and young women in sweatshops in China worked 16-hour days to make the clothing. Apple has given such a prestigious aura to their products, but the factory that manufactures their chips in China has to put nets around their building to prevent suicides. These are heart-wrenching truths that the pictures can hopefully convey.

In the end, guilt is not the primary emotion I’m aiming for, but it may also be a by-product of this realization. For example, the viewer shouldn’t feel guilty for buying Nike shoes if they did not know about the immoral practices – it could have been just as easy to buy Adidas shoes. However, if we know that corporations are abusing human rights in order to create products and increase revenue for themselves, we should not continue to buy these products in ignorance.

            My purpose is to create an awareness in the viewers, as well as move them to an action, whether continuing to research what companies are morally questionable, petitioning companies to change their practices, or just boycotting a product altogether. We, as consumers, should not be comfortable with products created from the abuse of human rights. These products are tainted.

http://www.treehugger.com/gap_getty.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/7117/slide_7117_94012_large.jpg?1302020252457

http://thegreenroomblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/iphone-sparks.png

http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf90b53ef010537234560970b-800wi

http://djuna.cine21.com/christy/01/01-01-06.jpg

http://www.adrants.com/images/nestle_drumstick.jpg

http://adweek.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341c51c053ef0120a4f4b7e6970b-450wi

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYds0cEU1hB27liy7FgGsMt9zLvaYes2TsuIDNJkZDmRaqCqgJ&t=1