Week 6: Rhetoric and Persuasion

Media products such as documentaries, news and advertisement has stir consumer away into agreement that support their propositional interest. As a consumer, I have been compelled by the power of persuasion that has attracted me into believing what they have presented. I think documentaries has a great ability to possess its viewers, when watching documentaries, I always believe in every word they say without having any knowledge that the truth might be manipulated. The purpose of writing this journal is to argue that visual rhetoric is more powerful than verbal form of rhetoric. I also want to highlight that Aristotle presented a theory that allow the arguer to gain power in public. I wonder with such power that one are able to create mass persuasion, Will there any truth left in the argument and are we as viewers being fooled or being lied to by such power created by Rhetoric.the persuasive power of rhetoric are able to shape people's perception and are we as consumer really see the whole truth?

H.C Lawson-Tancred in his book titled  Aristotle the art of rhetoric stated that "Rhetoric is considered to be capable of intuition of the persuasiveness of, so to speak the given. The powerful tool of this theory lies in its enthymeme. Enthymeme is an incomplete syllogism that gives such orator and intelligence to the speaker". (Lawson-Tancred, 1991). Thus, an enthymeme works by leaving an unstated premise allowing the participation of interpreters by making them think, at the same time arguer gain such power knowing that interpreters will ultimately agree upon his or her proposition.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeROnVUADj0

This video is a controversial documentary by Michael Moore called Capitalism a love story. Some might argue that there is no visual rhetoric but documentary like this one opted to give viewers visual images that can stir emotions away, a series of visual evidence are presented to support the proposition. In Capitalism the love story, Michael Moore creates a proposition about the suffering of American citizen. Images showing the dark side of capitalism give the impression of negativity are presented in order to lure people’s mind into this argument. Moore presented audience with series of premises that act to support his proposition. His premises includes the exploitation of  the civilian where he ask "where is our money" referring to $700 billion bailout money. An enthymeme in this documentary will be capitalism is bad; it is a bias form of government system. This premise is not stated by Michael Moore but rather purposely leave it to audience to judge and knowing that with visual images he presented as evidences surely can persuade audience to support his proposition even though the evidences might not have truth nature in it. Pragmatics would allow the same subject to be transfer to a different context, if capitalism the love story is transfer into a verbal form for example a book. Surely, verbal form is indeed rhetoric but which one will give a powerful persuasion?

In book, readers are able to have a description about the proposition and arguer are able to shape emotions but will this emotion create a powerful impact as a visual images would have? I think in a verbal form of Capitalism a love story; readers might not have such great impact on persuasion because a visual form of rhetoric has given premises with images that surely make a huge emotional impact when images of suffrage, economic crisis and discrimination are being portrayed than a verbal form of the same element.The identification of those elements of dark side of capitalism  is even clearer with the use of visual images that can enhance one's emotions and people can relate to. Do people feel a lot of emotion reading than seeing the visual form of it? Like watching a twilight movie and reading the book, which one persuades us more? I think visual form absolutely influence me more. Visual rhetoric does exist and serve more powerful than traditional verbal form especially in documentary.

This is an advertisement for Dior perfume called the midnight poison. This advertisement uses actress Eva Green as their model, her image depicts the representation of a rare beauty. Her image connotes exotic, mysterious and curiosity. The body language shows that she is emerging from water which signified the uniqueness of her beauty as the new Cinderella which is link to the text “the new Cinderella is born”.  Dior intended to say that this is the modern look of a new Cinderella. Unlike a traditional Cinderella that has a generic looks of a blonde beauty. Dior might also intend to use this advertisement to act like a battleship to knock down their enemy. Business rivals include other perfume brand that offer a generic beauty. Dior explicitly want to say that “other brands doesn’t make you unique like we do and only we are able to offer you uniqueness”.

No doubt that this advertisement uses rhetoric to persuade people to buy the perfume, the representation of beauty here persuades people to buy the product by giving an inductive reasoning. Bruce N Walter in his book titled critical thinking consider the verdict (3rd edition) stated that" an inductive reasoning is a type of reasoning where one premise is enough to generalize the whole conclusion". (Walter,1998).
This is the inductive reasoning of this advert:

Eva Green is beautiful and exotic by wearing this perfume.

Therefore, everyone who wears this perfume will feel beautiful and exotic.

Dior and its advertiser inserted an enthymeme, where there is unstated premise for viewers to think about., knowing that the viewers will agree upon the proposition. The enthymeme here is that buy their perfume and the users will feel sexy, beautiful, exotic, unique and mysterious. Viewers might also think that this perfume is good and other brands are not. However, with all visual rhetoric has persuaded viewers to agree upon their proposition. How far truth are they giving to the consumers? Is it even true that this perfume is really good and other perfume brands are not. Do users really feel beautiful and exotic by wearing it. People do anything for a profitable purposes and honesty might not exist in the world  we know as business. The art of persuasion lead to the question of will the truth be prevail? Are viewers being fooled all this time by visual rhetoric? In my opinion, Such persuasive power that one possess give arguer the great ability to hinder  truth.




We live in a new millennium where things get more digital every day. No wonder that the art of persuasion are being transferred into visual forms. The power of these persuasive tools of rhetoric allows arguer to gain power and we as a consumer to this visual products has to be careful into believing what they present us with.

References:

Lawson-Tancred, H.C.(1991) Aristotle The Art Of Rhetoric. Penguin Classics. London.

Waller, Bruce N. (1998). Critical Thinking Consider the verdict 3^rd edition. Simon & Schuster. New Jersey.

Week 5: Gestalt Effect and Schema Theories

I am always interested in  puzzle, the pieces in puzzle must be connected to form the wanted whole. The method of identifying what puzzle is a part of a schema that allows me to know how puzzle looks like. I always wonder that puzzle is just like real life, how everything works like a puzzle to us.Upon learning gestalt theory where its concept of the whole is different from the sum of the parts triggers my own conscious that every metaphysical objects works by gestalt and schema theories. Therefore, I would like to argue that gestalt and schema is important in our lives, without it our knowledge and our understanding of the world will be limited.

Every object never works or exists without gestalt theory. Philosophers argue the “whole is different from the sum of the parts” applies to every metaphysical objects. A child will never come to existence without the parent, a family is never completed without the members, and an institution will never works with the sum of its part missing. Media institution such as Newspaper Company will face a great possibility of failing to produce newspapers without the journalists, photographers and editors. While schema theory stressed on the structure of the knowledge is important in everyday life in the matter of identifying. Media professionals and philosophers surely have given the insights that the whole will never be possible independent of the sum of the parts.

Mitchel G Ash in his book Gestalt psychology in German culture 1890-1967  explained that the word Gestalt comes from German that means form or shape. Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler and Kurt Koffka defined gestalt theory as the experienced objects and relationships that are fundamentally different from the collections of sensations, parts, pieces or sums. ( Ash, 1995).

Meanwhile, Sandrap Marshall, in his book schema in solving problem explained that Bartlett (1932) defines schema theory as one’s structure of knowledge; the memory is organized around schemas containing summaries of familiar stories or situation. ( Marshall,1995)

Versace logo is based on the image of a head of the myth ancient Greek Goddess name medusa. Gianni Versace fascination with literature and classical art has driven him to use the touch of this ancient myth to be his company logo. Medusa was a Greek goddess who was transformed into a monster after offending the gods; her hair was turn into snakes. Medusa was depicted as a beautiful woman with wild hair, and a few snakes twined here and there. She was the representation of beauty in Greek myth., it is the symbol of beauty .The alluring and attractive representation of a beautiful ancient goddess plays an important role in the brand’s concept of offering a fashion line that offer his customers the promise of beauty. Versace products of exclusivity, privileged, beauty, sophisticated and expensive mirror the concept as well as the logo. Every sum of the parts must work together to form a successful brand, the logo, the concept and the products must work together to create the "whole". The whole is never possible without the sum of the parts. The logo take years to built a schema in people's mind that identify Versace as a "fashion brand" and even to understand the whole concept of the brand. Gestalt and schema theory prove that to acquire knowledge, we must know how things work at the first place in order to even create a successful whole. In this case a global brand.

                                           

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGwB2gl1nj0  

   

This is the 1998 Pepsi commercial where 5 year old actress Hallie Kate Eisenberg became the most famous Pepsi commercial model at that time. This commercial was set in a diner, an American culture that represents the harmony of a family oriented restaurant. The whole which is the diner is created by the sum of the parts working together such as the services, the concept and the food. Image of a little girl with her grandfather connotes the type of customer a diner represents; a family oriented subject matter is being highlighted. The waiter represents one of the parts of the “whole” which is the diner. When the one of the sum of the parts fail to give a harmonious/ family oriented concept, everything falls apart. Immediately when the girl asks for a Pepsi, he replied with a harsh tone, an ignorance stare at her face. Why can’t the waiter just show at least some politeness to the little girl even if he cannot offer the required service. Gestalt and schema theory are broken here when the sum of the parts fails to contribute to the concept of the whole. While the schema of the diner has a “frame” in American culture to be a family oriented concept is also broken due to lack of politeness in the service that gives contradiction to the Diner’s concept that has a “frame” in American culture.

Presentation to group of children between 8-10 years old about fire safety.

 

If I am ask to do a presentation on fire safety at home for children, I would probably start by using these schema. Before we learn how to fight fire, we must learn how to prevent one. The root or the cause of problem of fire accident at home begins with a small fire. The reason why I chose these schemas is that children have a “frame” that can identify candles and matches as the source of fire. At this age, children like to play and it is not impossible that they might play with matches and candles which can leads into fire. A knowledge structure that this is the basic way to produce fire is already inserted in their memory as a part of their schema.

Both pictures of candles and fire matches represent a congruous form of schema because of its familiar nature, thus low level of cognitive is being portrayed.

Gestalt Theory suggested that everything works like a puzzle, connecting each pieces to create a successful whole. In order for visual communication professionals to create a successful whole knowing how to connect the puzzle is the key. The schema must follow as the way to identify by using knowledge we acquire throughout our lives.

References:

Ash, Mitchell G. (1995)Gestalt psychology in German culture 1890-1967. Cambridge University Press. USA.

Marshall, Sandrap.(1995). Schema in solving problem.Cambridge University Press. USA.

Week 4: Syntax, semantics and Pragmatics

 Nowadays, images are all around us in our society and culture represented in newspapers, magazine and television. As consumer to this products, I see that images are able to give meanings, i believe that images has shape my understanding on the message being delivered. Visual communication theories of  syntax, semantics and pragmatics plays an important role in the grammar of visual images. The purpose of writing this journal is to investigate how does this strict rules of semiotics enables communication through visual images. It is very important for my own satisfaction on how does this  theories allows me and other people to understand the meaning generated through the image.Therefore I would like to argue that images are language.

Traditional linguist argue that images are not language because they do not have a formal grammar. In ancient civilization, images were use as language where this type of communication system was agreed upon the society at that time. Long before literacy began, they communicate through sequence of images known as hieroglyphs. James P Allen in his book titled middle Egyptian : An introduction to language and culture of hieroglyphs stated that "although middle Egyptian ceased to be a spoken language by about 1600BC, hieroglyphs continued to be Egyptian formal language until the end of ancient Egyptian history".(Allen, 2000)

This proves that images were use by society long before words; alphabets and text are even created. Images were once the ultimate alphabet of the ancient civilization. Ancient civilization has indeed proved that images can be considered language as they were able communicate to read and acquire knowledge through these images. Our language and these ancient hieroglyphs prove to share a similar purpose which is to communicate.

                                                       John Cena Movie" 12 Round"

George Yule in the book titled pragmatics stated that syntax is the study of the relationship between linguistic forms, how they are arranged in sequence and which sequence is well-formed. (Yule, 1996). It is said to be the grammar of visual images through the rule of syntax, we are able to identify the situation created by certain image. The rule of composition has the rule of third, weight and depth and contrast which enables the prominent figure of the image to be highlighted through the psychology of human’s eye movement.  The rule of third states that the eye will always fixated on the centre of the image, the picture of John Cena to be the first spot that the eye will focus, then the car and lastly the background. Meanwhile, the rule of contrast in this image didn’t allow the interference of the background and John Cena as the main focus of this image. The prominent figure has more weight to highlight a situation of escapism of danger; more weight is put on the movement of the man and the car than the fire.

In the same book of pragmatics by George Yule, he stated that "Semantics refers to the study of the relationship between linguistics forms and entities in the world that is how words literally connect to things". (Yule,1996). In visual communication, semantics is use to analyze meaning behind the image. The image of heavy smoke and the red fire signified a dangerous situation, a man running towards his car connote escape, struggling to survive, adrenaline and action. The whole scene signified a dangerous situation where a man is trying to get out of danger.

George Yule's book pragamatics  suggested that "Pragmatics is the study of the relationship between the linguistic forms and the users of those forms" (Yule,1996). While, Jef Vershueren in his book titled understanding pragmatics stated that "Charles Morris (1938) suggested that pragmatics studies whatever relations there are between signs and users or the interpreters". (Vershueren, 1999). It is determined by codes, modality and context where the meaning can change by these factors. For example,the context in this picture gives the meaning of dangerous and action. The medium allows interpreters to view this action movie to signified those elements of danger. But if this picture is transfer into a different medium for example a comic book, the image will allow interpreters to enhance and develop a humorous feel to the meaning.

Syntax allows interpreters to focus on the subject they need to analyze, semantic  offer the meaning while pragmatics deals with the context of the image where it controls the whole meaning of the image.Thus, by using this three rule of semiotics, we are able to communicate, read and acquire knowledge by interpreting the intended message or meaning hidden in the picture. The ability to communicate on promoting this "12 rounds movie", and allowing interpreters to learn the intended meaning on what this movie is all about prove that images are indeed language where we are able to communicate, read and acquire knowledge.

The knowledge from written text are limited, one cannot understand the meaning of a certain word without seeing the picture even though we are able to write a description but the knowledge is never complete without seeing the image. The meaning will be more powerful if both text and image work together. It seems that images are able to convey meanings independent of written text. The picture above didn’t have any text attach to it, but the meaning convey serve as powerful as a written text. Thus, images are language.

Images are long used as a language that enables human to communicate. Literacy doesn’t always mean reading text but the interpretation of information not just from written text but also to image and symbols.

References:

Allen, James P. (2000). Middle Egyptian: An introduction to language and culture of hieroglyphs. the Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge. UK.
Leech, Geofferey N.(1983). Principles of Pragmatics. Longman Inc.New York.
Vershueren, Jef. (1999). Understanding  pragmatics. Oxford University Press Inc. New York
Yule, George. (1996). Pragmatics.Oxford University Press.London.