Reflective Writing

    In order to write the media analysis essay I started with an outline about what I could write about the subject. It was a little hard when I started; because I needed to try don’t give my opinion even I was talking about myself. My strategy was analyze my own social media in different perspectives, trying imagine what my friends could think about me, and more important than that, analyze how I was changing myself in different environments. I believe it was a new strategy, because I didn’t focus just in a superficial analysis about what I’m trying to make people think. I believe that all the analyses through the essay makes me see the social media in a different way, not just my social profile but the others as well. I believe that anyone who reads my paper can have the same perspective, and maybe look the social medias on a different way. I believe that I brought some new ideas about personality related with the changes in online and offline life, and it is a strength point for the analyses. The weakness is the essence of this essay, where I was trying analyzing myself; maybe if someone else does it, it will be more consistent.
    I believe that the reflective writing is essential to learn with past experiences. When I reflect about anything that I did, I will figure out smoothing that I could improve, change, or keeping doing the same if it is good. It is the same for writing, where the reflective writing is an opportunity to analyze my strengths and weakness. The important thing is know ourselves, know our weakness and try to improve that. In my opinion, the reflective writing is a good strategy to improve the writing skills, and better apply my strengths.

In the video is an excerpt from the movie "300", where a messenger from god Xerxes makes a request of offerings and submission by Leonidas, the king of Sparta. The first appeal is logos, when Leonidas says, “If the messenger, or anyone, says anything then he will be held accountable for anything he says”. The ethos appeal appears through the respect of the people around King Leonidas, who follow him and defends him, showing how he is a leaders. Finally, the pathos appeal appears when Leonidas screams, “This is Sparta”, representing his pride for his country, power, and dignity. The audience in the movie is the messenger and the citizens of Sparta who are watching the conversation between Leonidas and the messenger.     

The pathos, logos, and ethos appeals are essentials to achieve a good rhetoric.  If I know how to use those appeals I can easier convince my audience, since they give power for my arguments. It is important to know that those appeals must be used carefully, in order to catch my audience. When I well know my audience it is easier to know what kind of appeals will be more effective for them as well. For example, if I were making a car commercial where the audience is adults over 30, contract Justin Bieber to work in the commercial maybe wouldn’t be too much effective. Therefore, the more I know my audience; more I can use targeted appeals to reach their interests. Finally, once I understand the definition and the use of pathos, logos, and ethos, I have more tools to convince my audience. As a writer I can better formulate my arguments, and not just throw loose arguments on papper. My text could be rational and formulated to convince my audience through those appeals. The same thing occurs to me as a reader or a listener, because if I know how the writer or speaker is using the rhetoric appeals, I cannot be so easily supple.

   My research concern was about the relation between the social medias and the involvement of user with politics through those social medias. The topic is relevant because it is important for any citizen understand how the medias are influencing our decision and choices. In my opinion, the politics speeches on Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, could be seemed such as advertisements. Anyone can say that doesn’t look advertisements on the corner of the websites, but if it is true, why those companies are investing a lot of money to have their product or brand there? Probably this investment is reversed in earnings for the company. Likewise, users can say that a friend’s speech about a candidate or a government issues doesn’t change his mind, but is it really true? The important thing here is to know how groups of politics, pages, and friend’s opinions, can influence us to do something, such as advertisements influence us to spend our money. We need to understand the rhetoric behind all things, in order to be opinion leaders, and not just followers of opinion.
   The assignment is an opportunity to use our persuasion skills to propose an answer to a problem. This kind of practical helps me shape my critical thinking, which is extremely important not only within the university but also in my personal and professional life. When we learn to look at something through different angles, shaping an opinion, and even convince an audience about our speech, or maybe be a counterargument of an audience, we are contributing to develop new ideas. The assignment is just one step of many others necessary for the construction of critical thinking, which certainly will help me to have a responsible and intelligent positioning in any situation. It is important not just following what others say, but seeking the best scenario or solution to any daily matter, such as politics opinion.
   For the assignment 3 I will need to compose in three different genres. I believe it is a way to use more than just long texts to build an argument or idea. It is important to me to know how persuade people in different ways. It will be a challenge for me, because seems something completely new, but I’m sure it will be really nice.