I got distracted about 7 times while reading “My distraction Sickness”
My Distraction sickness is informal and personal because the author uses personal stories. “A distracted student mind” is more research-style-like because of its formal tone and graphs(data). “In Defense of Distraction” is more so in the middle because it is filled with data but also feels like a conversation.
His main argument is that focus is a paradox because there is no focus without distraction, and that distraction helps build multitasking skills. While I think his personal experience is convincing, I am not totally agreeing with his opinions because being distracted gets me sidetracked, and makes it harder to regain that focus. I wouldn’t say this makes me a better multitasker, it just hinders me from completing the work I have to do.
I think there really is an epidemic of distraction because people aren’t able to focus as much on one single thing. It’s definitely getting to me too because I notice that I have progressively been losing focus easier and easier as the months go by.
Two of the paintings I chose were painted by Rothko because they were the most unique yet imaginative to me. The two paintings, arguably, are contrasting based on their color schemes: one is with dark shades of blue and purple, the other is with shades of pale yellow and blue. Both paintings have 3 distinct stripes on them, which intrigues the viewer into imagining something of their own. The dark painting makes me imagine a sunset or sorts because although the specific colors aren’t found in nature alone, they can be made when the sun in rising or setting. The darkness reminds me more of sunset, though. This painting could also have something to do with emotion, as the blues and purples might signify some sort of heavy sadness or melancholic feeling because they are so saturated. The lighter painting, on the other hand, prompts me to imagine the beach because the yellow reminds me of the sand, and the blue of the ocean/sky. This painting evokes happy thoughts, as it is difficult to picture something negative with such pastel and bright colors. I think Rothko chose both of these color schemes to juxtapose his paintings, and prompt the viewer to see what they want to see in the painting. The choice to refrain from portraying something certain helps provide a sense of freedom to envision something that relates to you, not just what relates to the artist.
Baldwin starts off his debate with discussing the sharecropper system, and the perceptions of yourself versus the people around you on the basis of skin color. He then talks about the disconnection from history that is taught in schools, and how everyone, no matter their race, are still similar people with similar flaws. Baldwin ends his argument by reinforcing the ideas of identity, inclusion, and ancestors, saying that African-American participation in American society is crucial for the American Dream to continue existing. Baldwin uses pathos when he likens himself to his ancestors by using “I” instead of “they. He does this to evoke a sense of emotion and realization in the people, with how he and people like him have helped build the American Dream yet are not accepted into their own society.
Buckley’s strategies within the debate is to incorporate more humor so that the audience doesn’t have such a string hate toward him, and to make his opponent(Baldwin)seem more radical. He aims to treat Baldwin as a white man, and goes on about how the Irish and British fought for their respective rights as people. He then goes to talking about how to address racial hate: through concern while painting Baldwin as someone who wants to get rid of the foundations of the U.S. Buckley ends his arguments by saying that America’s mobility can greatly help the African-American community gain power. Buckley uses logos when talking about the teaching of Christianity and Dachau. He does this to lead to the idea of–in his opinion–the nonsense of trying to uproot a whole civilization because of what happened in the past, furthering his radical accusation of Baldwin.
When children start school, their parents almost immediately look for extracurricular activities to put their children in. The activities can be educational, or just for overall fun and development. This can shape the child in many ways, such as mentally, physically, and emotionally. However, there are other hidden ways that extracurricular activities can influence children. The articles examined contribute their opinions using style, tone, and ethos.
Claudette Chirstson organizes her article, The Benefits of Participating in Extracurricular Activities, by breaking it down into six sections: Abstract, Academic Achievement, Character Development, Social Development, Community Involvement, and the conclusion. In general, the tone and style of this article is academic and analytical, with Christson incorporating citations and reasoning to back up her claims. Her article is also written in third person, lacking a personal touch to her work. At the end of Christson’s article, there is a note about her education and current work experience, demonstrating ethos to establish her own credibility.
The use of citations helps Christston establish logos, as well as using evidence and examples to support her claims. In her Academic Achievement section, Christson cites examples such as kids participating in athletic clubs showing better academic performance. She also mentions that kids that partake in activities are at a greater chance of pursuing higher education, providing statistics to back up her findings. In the Character Development section, the author describes how kids that do after school activities develop a unique sense of self and develop leadership and time management skills. These skills are important in the workplace and for self-identity. In her Social Development section, she describes how different activities can develop either communal skills, or independent motivation.
Crimson Education’s blog, Benefits of Extracurricular Activities, breaks its opinion down into 9 relevant sections. These include networking, resumes, and essential life skills. The tone and style of the article are more informal and conversational, with the article being written in second person. The article is also meant to be informative, but not as academic as Christson’s article. The author of the blog also urges people to wisely consider the activities they choose, since it could have adverse effects. Overall, the author incorporates ethos by citing some external evidence to solidify their claims, but it is scarce. Crimson Education also has quotes by professors at Ivy League universities so the author’s ethos in their claims.
Ultimately, both Claudette Christson and Crimson Education argue in favor of children participating in extracurricular activities. They do this but establish their credibility through citations and ethos.
“I turned in the direction of the sound and there, among the romantic hills, whose changes and aspect I had ceased to note an hour ago, I saw a hamlet and a spire. All the valley at my right hand was full of pasture-fields, and corn-fields, and wood; and a glittering stream ran zig-zag through the varied shades of green, the mellowing grain, the sombre wood-land, the clear and sunny lea. Recalled by the rumbling of wheels to the road before me, I saw a heavily-laden wagon laboring up the hill; and not far beyond we’re two cows and their drover.”
After this passage, I noticed that my writing started to sort of model what I wrote. I didn’t really use the same language, but my writing turned from a combination of playful/serious, to just serious. I also noticed that my sentence structure was modeling the one in the passage, as my sentence became longer. I tried to create more imagery/color with my writing, meaning that I described my settings in a more descriptive way than previously. I would say that I am better at writing analytical works than creative ones, so it was interesting for me to notice how I subconsciously pushed myself to incorporate a little more color than simply recalling events.
Part 2:
After I worked out, I quickly began writing because I knew I would lose my energy in about 20 minutes. This time, I felt that my writing speed was a bit slower, but my thought process was faster. It took me much less time to come up with what to write down, and my sentences seemed to be constructed more clearly, but also more abrupt. Before I worked out, I was actually pretty tired and I had to force myself to concentrate on what I was writing and generate thoughts in my head to recall events. The work out definitely woke me up and my thought process became clearer, and I was able to keep my focus on the topic for longer. My handwriting was also a little worse than before. In terms of quality, I would say that my writing didn’t really improve or get worse.
