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"Making Gentrification Viral" by Sarah Xu
My particular claim made in this audiovisual argument was based on my proposal for project 3, which argues that long-term impact could be made for gentrification's effects as whole given that there was enough rhetorical discourse surrounding the topic itself. for the audio portion, i didn't want to particularly focus on the proposal itself, rather, see if i could challenge myself to make the point of why discourse around gentrification via virality should even be considered an option. this included elements from previous essays, such as notes from eliot tretter's article on gentrification rhetoric's stakeholders.
I believe that rhetorical appeal is made much more simple in audiovisual format- in one spoken sentence, tone, music, and affect can provide pathos, ethos, and logos all at once. i attempted to provoke a sense of ethos and pathos through the inclusion of various quotes from admirable individuals, particularly ones who have their own unique sense of literary rhetoric- american poet walt whitman, and civil rights power martin luther king jr. while logos was easily attainable through communicating statistics and data, ethos and pathos were made much clearer in this audiovisual representation of project 3, which allowed for sound effects, voice affects, and comfortable language.
It is possible this audiovisual format could act as a preference over the written essay for project 3- perhaps, it would appeal more to our current generation who commonly prefer more engaging methods of communication as opposed to writing, which has truthfully become a bit outdated in terms of the general public. the inclusion of music and comfortable language is likely to draw in a younger audience, where information and tone is more digestible.
My contingent issue is strongly related to an audiovisual argument, mostly because it calls for demonstration on behalf of revitalizing gentrification's rhetoric. demonstration is audiovisual by nature- most do not find demonstration in written work or persuasively typed within a letter. the audiovisual format benefits the overall proposal- in calling for an audiovisual method of solution, an audiovisual method employed has a higher likelihood of reaching the right audience.
Annotations
00:00 - 00:06
Bach's Toccata and Fugue, often associated with horror, depicts an impending doom- one that accompanies the start of urban renewal.
Music
Modality
Pathos
00:06 - 00:32
Walt Whitman adopts the satirical perspective of a reformer, using evocative language to lament the changes in Brooklyn due to a steady and rapid gentrification. The modern reformer '[raises] the devil' and 'breaks things'.
Sound Effect
Pathos
Social Class
Displacement
00:32 - 00:51
Here, the definition of the term 'gentrification'. While the term has gained generic popularity in modern times, using Whitman's quote, we can assume that urban renewal worked independently wherever there was a city.
Informative
Year
00:51 - 01:10
Here, the definition of the term 'rhetoric'. We introduce the idea with several of the class' discussion post ideas from the beginning of the year, in response the question "what is rhetoric?". In this case, we hadn't learned the academic definitions yet.
Informative
Communicator
01:10 - 01:35
Jodie Nicotra provides the academic definition of 'rhetoric'. In many ways, rhetoric acts in a set of modes- here, one audio, one writing. This annotation is a mode- this audio is another.
Informative
Sound Effect
Modality
Medium
01:35 - 01:51
There are various modes and biases associated with rhetoric- all contained within one person, with a baseline that extends and bounces around cultural, societal, and personal biases. Altogether, it can change the way we see things- our world is our basis for understanding.
Exigence
Logos
Message
01:51 - 02:46
Rhetoric surrounding gentrification has becomes outdated- referencing Eliot Tretter's article, we have approached our understanding of rhetoric in the same way for decades. Why shouldn't there be a resurgence?
Academic Article
Informative
Persuasive
Stakeholders
Exigence
02:46 - 03:11
Gentrification is a long-standing topic of debate, and, as proven in Whitman's writing, one that exists to persist. How can we change something which has continued to persist throughout time, and which acts not only as an antagonist but a catalyst for modern change?
Exigence
Argumentative
Stakeholders
03:11 - 03:29
We introduce a proposal- making gentrification viral. With virality, discourse becomes key, and change is imminent.
Purpose
Music
03:29 - 03:42
Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote arises from a sermon he made at Columbia University, which presses that change requires action in order to occur.
Sound Effect
Pathos
Ethos
Persuasive
Exigence
03:42 - 04:22
We investigate a past case in media viralty- the BLM movement in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. In this case, virality caused a negative effect, blooming into an online argumentative discourse over principal and shifting attention away from the real exigence.
Year
Logos
Data
04:22 - 05:52
There are several downsides to organised virality- and many past examples of attempts at virality that didn't work out. Unorganised virality, however, can have it's own downsides. In this case, we aim to find the true benefit of virality.
Argumentative
Purpose
News Media
Ethos
05:52 - 06:42
Virality is good for one thing- making people pay attention. Through attention, discourse is inevitable- meaning that if we approach revitalizing gentrification rhetoric with care, there is potential to increase discourse. Here, we approach these concerns with a proposal with outlined rules to minimise unintentional pain.
Persuasive
06:42 - 07:13
We end on closing statements. With our generation of youth, we have the potential to create real change. And, even more so, through methods only our generation are fully familiar with.
Persuasive
Music
07:13 - 07:36
Final closing statements. Special thanks to Trent, the DWRL, my classmates of Rhetoric and Writing 306, and Freesound.
Music