During my research I came across many sources with negative opinions of ski racing, classifying it as unpopular and irrelevant, and its participants, who are apparently all tightly-wound control freaks.  Since this is far from the case I will write either a letter or online article to these people addressing their concerns and explaining how their perceptions only apply to a small part of the ski racing community.  I chose to write about this topic because it is the same side of the argument I took in my research paper and much of my research and opinions will crossover and apply here.  I am choosing to write this type of argument because much of the argument will involve logical reasoning with only a small amount of emotional appeal.

Logos

The bulk of my argument will fall under this category.  I will use inductive and deductive reasoning to show how ski racing isn’t harming the sport, but providing another outlet that compliments free skiing instead of competing with it.  Also to show how ski racers don’t fit their stereotype any longer and are now daring, fun loving human beings.  Once I have demonstrated these things I will tie these characteristics into free skiing and explain how the two sides of the sport aren’t really that different after all.

Ethos

I will use this type of rhetorical appeal to establish a good, reputable foundation with the reader.  By having proper cited and reliable sources my appeal gains credibility and respect.  Furthermore I will present the other side of the argument accurately instead of using only the parts that will strengthen mine.

Pathos

This will be the smallest part of my argument but in it I will try and link the emotions and values of somebody free skiing to someone who is racing.  As a skier I can attest to the fact that skiing is just as much, if not more so, an emotional sport than it is a physical one and involving those emotions will appeal to this audience.

Some dissonance I’ve noted in skiing culture is the viewpoints of racers versus powder skiers.  They often look down on each other and think that their way is the right way, and the other is wrong.  As somebody who has done a bit of both I don’t understand where all the clashing is coming from, the both share many of the same goals and impacts.

1) How can I make my essay stronger?

2) Who benefits from the reality created by each artifact?  Since neither of mine are ads I’m struggling to answer this question

3) Organizing and structuring my essay into reasonable length paragraphs

On page 16, the author writes: “Concepts of ‘good taste,’ appropriate conduct, or aesthetic merit are not natural or universal; rather, they are rooted in social experience and reflect particular class interests.” What does he mean by that? Can you give some examples?

By this, the author means that our perception of what is “normal” and “weird” is influenced by how we were raised.  Things that are commonplace in one culture or place in the world may not be as common in another culture or place.  So the people in the first place would look on these things as normal while people in the other culture will denounce it, and vice versa.  These differences can be as broad as different languages in different countries or as specific as the way people at the same school dress based on their economic situation.  The author is saying that judging another person based on the way they act or dress is a product of our upbringing and isn’t something that all people inherently have.

One example of this is the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women.  Within their culture, such a thing is normal and expected of them, and to refuse to wear one would be disrespectful and blasphemous.  However, in Western culture such a thing is looked on as infringing on a women’s freedom and is often brought up in discussions criticizing Islam.  This illustrates the difference in how culture and upbringing influence how we view what is proper and what isn’t.

yoimced:

On my Facebook page I like to post a lot of things that I think about throughout the day an I also like to write a lot of quotes and lyrics. The things that I put on Facebook always reflect back to some portion of my life or what i am trying to accomplish. For example, recently I just posted a…

I also use music and lyrics to inspire me to reach my goals and get me through hard times.  The way some artists put words together to create a message is just awe inspiring.

One of the pictures from my trip to Aspen, Colorado shows my ski tips, along with those of my two friends, hanging off the edge of a steep mogul run as the last rays of sun hit the far side of the valley.  This picture gives the impression that I am a hardcore skier because of the difficulty of the run and the lateness in the day.  It shows that I like a challenge and squeezing in every possible moment of skiing before the sun sets.

In Eat, Pray, Love soul-seeking is presented as a wholesome, peaceful, relaxing way of spending one’s time.  The author brings up religion quite often and uses it as a reason for what she is doing and why others should as well.  She focuses entirely on the personal gains she is making, with no regard for anyone or anything else.  Her tone is one of tranquility and contentment.  On the other hand, the author of Eat, Pray, Spend presents soul-seeking as a horrid waste of time and presents it in a harsh and angry way.  She speaks of soul-seeking from an economic and social standpoint, rather than a religious one.  She criticizes the author of Eat, Pray, Love for ignoring these things and thinks that women should realize the costs of such a journey as well as the benefits.  These two women have vastly differing opinions on this matter and the way they are present their respective ideas reflects that.