SWA3

In Chapter One of Writing Arguments there is a photo, Figure 1.1, of a baby wearing a bib. The bib has the word “poison” written on it and the words on the photo say “Protect Our Kids, Stop Toxic Imports”.  The past couple of years the United States has had a fear about the safety of toys and baby products. The fact that it has been found that China uses lead paint on some toys and a discovery that a substance called phthalates, used to make plastic pliable, might be harmful leaves parents worried.  Phthalates can affect hormone production and potentially causes some types of cancers.  This photo makes the argument that some baby products are poisonous and the audience needs to take action against phthalates. This picture appeals to the audience’s pathos because it brings out emotions. The photo depicts an innocent little child who is being harmed unknowingly. When parents see this ad they personally, automatically think of their own children and wouldn’t want their own to be harmed in anyway. With this thought in their head it makes parents more likely to do something about this issue and take action. This is why the argument the picture is making is successful.

In Kwame Anthony Appiah’s article, What Will Future Generations Condemn Us For, he points out what our descents could potentially think we were horrible for doing today. He talks about our present industrial meat production, the institutionalized and isolated elderly, the environment, and our prison system.  The points he made about our current prison system struck me to be the most interesting.  I learned that 1% of adults in the United States are incarcerated but no other country has as large as a population in prison than we do.  In prison today, prisoners are not treated well. Many are sexually abused, raped, and some contract STDs. The government and prisoner officials know what goes on yet nothing has happened to help stop and prevent this. The argument the author is making is that in future generations, people are going to look back at the way we ran our prison system and think we are idiots for running the system like we do now. They will also think we are inconsiderate to the prisoners. Even though they broke the law, most are not violent acts, and they are still human beings. To them it will seem like common sense, but to us right now we can’t see that. The article makes the audience think that maybe in the future prisoners will not be tortured and raped. Appiah makes the audience think about what we are doing wrong, since most people try to ignore the things they hear about the prison system. The generations ahead of us may come up with a system to help prevent these awful acts from happening. The prison system will make prisoner safety and care a higher priority.