Satire in Politics

What is the role of satire in politics...?

Ok, usually there is no such thing as dumb questions, but honestly? Satire and sarcasm have a massive role in politics and in everyday life.

Politics are dull.

That's a fact.

None of the citizens wants to hear the tax-cut debate again or the stabs at illegal imigrants. We want to laugh! We want to be watching a telivised speech (since the vast majority of us aren't important enough to be invited to the real deal) and pointing at the screen saying "that senator just OWNED you." It's extremely difficult to be interested in politics when you're listening to a monotone robot blab on and on and on about education. News flash. We're all educated enough already to know that you're boring us out of our pants. Throw in some snappy comments that will make the opposition cower in his tweed blazer and camel-piss-colored loafers.

helloooooo future failures.

   just kidding just kidding we're all going to pass with flying colors. the only thing we're going to need to remember is that WE ARE BRILLIANT! we can't let anyone tell us differently because they aren't ap comp students. no one worry.
   the first step to success: don't complain to everyone else in class because we are all taking the exact same final. we don't want to hear about the fact that you still don't know what polemic means because we've gone over that at least two hundred and ninety seven thousand times.
  step two: don't forget everything we've learned since day one because it'll bite you in the butt on this monster of a test. remember toulman and the pentad and fallacies and alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the vocab words.
  and the final step: have some chocoalte for lunch because you'll need the sugar to keep your eyes open. that's not true the test is going to be so exciting you won't need a sugar rush!
   good luck everyone we're all smarter than we think we are so go out there on tuesday andd wednesday anddd thurday and kick that test's ass!!!!!!!

tattoos visual argument

tattoos visual argument

visual argument

Reilly Johnson

Tattoos

Toulmin Analysis:

• Audience: I’m directing my argument at the people in this current generation and the young ones coming. I think it is important for them to understand the true meaning behind tattoos that the older community knows about.
• Claim: The message of my argument is that the idea of tattoos has been morphed by society’s polluting productions. In movies, television shows, books, and pictures, tattoos are perceived as “uniforms” for the bad guys. Villains always have tattoos. Murderers always have tattoos. We have developed this idea that tattoos are trashy and for those of low moral status. What people don’t realize is that a tattoo is a permanent reminder of ones who are loved, words to live by, membership and belonging,  and spiritual beliefs.
• Reason: My support behind my argument is the fact that I am in the generation that I am trying to contact. I know how society of today thinks and feels because I am part of society. I have knowledge of this topic because I have seen the movies and pictures that show tattoos being bad, but I have family who have gotten tattoos for more sentimental meanings. I can understand both views on tattoos.
• Warrant: When people see tattoos they immediately associate them with criminals and dangerous, grimy men.

Order of Pictures: I chose to put the tattoo that says “Family” first because that is what is most important to the majority of the world. I think that tattoo will really start off the argument because it is so pure and clear cut that there can be no misinterpretations. Immediately, it shows that there are reasons for tattoos beyond the I’m-sooo-bad-I-got-a-tattoo-look-at-me reasoning. The next picture I chose is one of a family with the father’s back facing the camera. On his back are tattooed pictures of his wife and two daughters. I think this is the perfect tattoo to follow the “Family” one because this is more than the word “Family” it is actually a picture of his family. It becomes personal on a completely new level because the viewers can see the family and can grasp the sentimental value of this tattoo. Next is my favorite picture. It is a tattoo that says “Mom and Dad” with the hand of a small child grabbing it. The emotions that this single tattoo can provoke from someone (like me) are amazing. It brings tears, smiles, and a nostalgic feeling because obviously the person with the tattoo is an adult, but he or she still loves his parents like he or she did as a young child. Then comes a picture of four ankles lined up. They all have the same tattoo on the same place on their bodies which is a true sign of togetherness. This family is so close that they have all chosen to get a tattoo that shows their strong relationships. This is the first tattoo of the argument that has multiple people sharing a tattoo because it symbolizes that all of them are an equal factor to the family and that they are all loved. The next one is very precious as well. It is a tattoo on a mother of her child’s feet. Between the footprints is “Mason” and his birth date. I can’t begin to understand a mother’s love, but this picture gives some insight. Tattoos are permanent and this mother loves her son so much that she had a permanent reminder of him on her foot. There is more dedication in that than in almost anything else. I put the following one in that particular place because it is a circle. And a circle is never ending. I think that there is so much connectedness and love within a circle because it shows that there is nothing stopping it. These two people with the half circles on their forearms are forever committing to one another. Next in line is a sad tattoo. It had to be included, though, because it recognizes that there is permanent remorse when a loved one passes. I feel that it is appropriate to include a tattoo like this one because it is reality and many people choose to get tattoos because of a loss. The breast cancer tattoo following the “R.I.P” one is also about a death. This woman’s mother died from breast cancer. The same reasoning is behind this one as the previous. The daughter loved her mother so much that she wanted a permanent reminder of her presence. With the tattoo, the daughter will always feel that her mom is with her which will give her a sense of calmness that she may not be able to get elsewhere. Next comes one of a husband and wife who have chosen to get matching tattoos. Like the one of the ankle tattoos or the completed circle, these strawberries symbolizes the connection between these two people. They must feel strongly enough for each other in order to get unique matching tattoos that are specifically directed at one another. After that tattoo, the momentum switches to “meanigful words/words of wisdom” in which the first picture is of a tattoo that says “the past is practice.” I thought this is a good one to start the new segment with because the past is what has influenced society to think as we do, hence it was practice. That is a good picture to start with also because it shows that the woman on whom it is tattooed has learned from her experiences and has become a different person due to them. Both the past and the tattoo will always be with her. The following picture includes a shape and words. I put this heart of words next because it incorporates many inspirational words rather than on single phrase as the previous had. In this tattoo, both the heart shape and the words have meaning so it is a more complex tattoo than the one before. The next tattoo isn’t more complex than the heart one, but this one incorporates a quotation from historical events. By doing so, the tattoo sends a message out about what kind of man he is because it shows where he gets his inspirations and his interests. That is the end of the “meaningful words” section and now, with this first army tattoo, begins the “membership/belonging” segment. I chose to put this US Army tattoo first in the group because war is a terrifying thing. I find it very brave to join the army and I think it deserves to be recognized by everyone. By getting a tattoo that says it, the man isn’t bragging about his association he is merely acknowledging that it is a huge commitment and part of his life. His tattoo tells people that he is a part of something bigger than himself and that that makes him special. With the same premise as the previous, the next tattoo also symbolizes the membership that this person has with all others in his/her religion. For many people, religion plays a huge roll in life and having a tattoo representing it is a good way to permanently keep faith. The next tattoo is also one of religion, but this one represents a different religion because it doesn’t matter what religious preference one has, it matters that he or she is true to it and is committed enough to get a tattoo. The next tattoo is the Irish Claddagh. This one doesn’t show religion, but culture. The owner of this tattoo must have deep connections to his or her ancestry and history. The tattoo can show others that he or she is of the same background which an be a uniting factor. This man or woman got this tattoo because he or she wasn’t afraid of the power and influence that culture has on today’s people. And I ended the presentation with a collage of tattoos because I think it is very important for society to understand that tattoos mean more than gang association and imprisonment. There are thousands of meanings behind tattoos that are ignored because of the polluted ideas that have been developed over time. This final picture shows that there is a vast number of possibilities behind tattoos.

Song Choice: I chose a song called “Hey Sunshine” by Cory Sipper. And I chose this song for multiple reasons. First, I thought the tone and tune of it were perfect because it is a slow melody that mirrors the extreme sadness and meaningfulness behind tattoos. Second, the first few lines are spot on for my argument. “I had some pale expectations. You were a pallet of inspirations.” Which, in the context of my argument, means that we as society never thought much of tattoos because we assumed that they were meaningless ways of expression. The “pallet of inspirations” is the best part because people are the pallets for the art of tattoos and tattoos can be inspiring. The song also says “Now I know I am so loved” which is relative to tattoos because people show their affection through tattoos such as the couple with the matching strawberries or the tattoo that says “Mom and Dad.” The final important verse in the song is “They slid off their axis.” I obviously know that the song isn’t talking about tattoos, but it fits because the idea of tattoos has been shifted and changed over time. Another aspect that was considered when I chose this song was the artist. She’s a female. I thought this would have an impact on my argument because tattoos generally include manly men with large biceps and piercings. Having a female sing gave the presentation a softer delivery which fits with the idea that tattoos are more sentimental than anything.

Open Letter

Dear Coach,


I feel that we get along really well. You laugh at my jokes, I pretend to laugh at yours so you'll play me more. I think you have a nice way of delivering constructive criticism and you wear nice clothes. Your hair could use some work because it looks like a crater hit smack on top of your head and cleared away all of the tiny strings of spaghetti you called hair. But, your friar hair cut adds to your overall image as an insightful and enjoyable person.


So I deal with it. I play my hardest every game despite your head looking like a bowling ball wearing a tutu. What is the purpose of this letter? What about you can drive me so crazy that it distracts me from whatever you say?


Your chest hair.


Correction: your hairy animal that you carry around strapped to your chest that pops out of your shirt all too often.


It actually looks like you're being attacked by some black grassy monster that has traveled up your body and is attacking your neck. I want to scream out and help you. I've debated bringing my dad's riding lawn mower in attempt to tame the beast, but it can't handle the dense forest that could swallow a child for days at a time.


OH! It is for sure my favorite when the team makes a bad play and you get so frustrated you pull your "neck pet"'s hair. Just an FYI, most people go for their head hair, but I understand since I suppose that's too much of a struggle because you'd have to grope your head in order to find a piece of hair to pull. And if we're having an awful day at practice, I start to feel sympathy for the pom-pom like hairs that are being uprooted from their comfortable homes on your collarbone.


You're the kind of man who can wear whatever you want and still have disturbing chest hair. You could be wearing a turtle neck and there would still be a bulge where the everpresent sasquatch baby lurks.


I'm probably jealous that I haven't met a real man like you who could save me in the dead of winter with one warming and engulfing hug.


So. Whatever you do, NEVER SHAVE YOUR CHEST HAIR. It is so joyous that chopping it down would diminish your purpose of life.


Sincerely,


Reilly

Has becoming a writer messed with my mind?

Obviously. I would say that my new found writing skills have changed the way I read. I still like reading Harry Potter more than anything else in the world and science-ficition bores me so much that I'd rather clip my ear lobes off with trimming shears. Now, I do realize how the author switched up the sentence structure to make the reader feel really frantic. Or that the author used a verb that fit PERFECTLY with the situation. Or that the use of paragraph organization was as (or more) impactful than any other rhetorical device. Did becoming a writer change my view of the world? Ehh.. I mean, yeah I notice when billboards are grammatically incorrect and when a story in the newspaper is well written, but I don't go out and look at the trees differently because I can write. And I don't love my family more since I learned how to write. I think becoming a writer has given me a more advanced view of the simple things in life. I choose to talk with bigger adjectives because I sound smarter and I like when people don't fully understnad what I'm saying.

about the nom noms of life

  My theory is that you can't say you don't like a food unless you've tried it. Recently. When I say I had asparagus for dinner and people turn up their noses, it's ususally because they hated asparagus as a kid and they haven't even  tried it lately.
  But, I know there are foods that I haven't liked yet in my life and foods I know I will never like.

• tomatoes: when you eat one you literally get guts in your mouth. noooo thank youu
• squash: no one likes squash
• licorice: it tastes like I'm eating the smell of windex
• oranges/orange juice: I don't want that nasty pulp in my stomach... It tastes like I'm swallowing seaweed.
• pie: unless it's chocolate pie, don't bring it near me

I also know that there are going to be things that I used to hate and now LOVE.

• beets: they look gross, smell gross, but taste like heaven
• cottage cheese: I used to think you made cottage cheese by drinking a lot of milk and then running. And I thought cottage cheese was what the actors used back in the day as fake vomit.
• SUSHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOM NOM NOM NOM

What I believe is that everyone's preferences change, picky eaters are missing out on a huge part of life, and being a cook would be the best job in the world. My problem is that I just burnt my Pizza Rolls and my Ramen boiled over and I don't have a single cooking gene in my entire body.