Outstandingly Healthy

An article posted in a magazine that reads "More women are breast feeding their toddlers." The picture is something that one would not imagine to see in a magazine. A mother sitting at a park bench leaning over to allow her what looks to be 4 or 5 year old daughter to feed from her right breast. I wouldn't say the picture is revealing more than it was disturbing to see a child who could stand on her own while holding a banana is still being breast feed. I think the main purpose of this picture is to point out that it is becoming more and more appropriate to breast feed at later and later ages. I feel the audience of the image is mainly mothers.

Logos – apparently the breast milk is healthy, which is what the text implies by “outstandingly healthy”. Ethos – The article comes from a credible magazine. And in the article it quotes credible professors form numerous colleges who support toddler breast feeding. Pathos- Our society had made breast so highly signalized that this is shocking. Also, the fact that the child also has a solid food in one hand also makes the argument controversial with many believing that the child is too old to breast feed if she can eat a banana

I feel if i were a mother and wanted the best for my child i would consider the length in with i breast feed her. The arguments looks successful but in the end to whom ever see it and are not mothers they become uncomfortable and find them selves against toddler breastfeeding.
This is also a large social issue because our society does not condone breastfeeding in public and much less breast feeding a child that could be enrolled in kindergarten. It makes people chose between what some mothers believe to be extremely healthy for their children and what society thinks is acceptable.

In class: Rhetorical Thinking

How is rhetorical thinking different than thinking in general?
Good question i think thinking in general is like thinking subjectively and not having to look or compare weather things are effective or not. Rhetorical thinking is a process of argument analysis. In order to analyze one must look out the outcome of each argument and see how or how it didn't work and then go about their own opinion on it. Of course going in to the analysis with some sort of a claim or hypothesis would help just to compare others with your own, and through the process it may develop in to something different. When thinking content and organization awareness is a must when thinking rhetorically.

Pethlogos

Pathos: After a few observations of my public place I've noticed a few pathos near the play ground area which make for good arguments. The first pathos appeal sends the message that this playground area is safe. Majority of the equipment is plastic, kid friendly and well maintained. The playground area is lined with mulch which provides a soft and mess free surface. Personally the fact that parents/caregivers observe their young ones interact and in simple terms "develop" is a pathos appeal. Weather they notice it or not they find contentment in watching these little guys find joy, interact and explore it's enduring.
Ethos: The idea of a perfect family has entered my mind a few times during observation. I can't help but to think of the families and the background of these children's lives. Weather or not they have siblings, if so how many, or weather they live with their grandparents or have step parents. All these factors effect the outcome of each child and their world around them. But as i sit and watch it's hard to distinguish the children who come from a nuclear family and those who do not. With that being said an ethos appeal would be the promotion of the "perfect family" where packed lunches, bedtime stories, extra curricular activities, car pulls, PTA meetings, soccer moms all fall in the same category as simply allowing your little one in the play ground. It's the ethical thing to do right? Being involved in the community you live in and the groups you and your family are apart of. Observing these things ideal illusions of the "perfect family" says a whole lot about the audience of this space.
Logos: It makes since to see two separate areas of the playground. The first for the older kids and the other for the younger ones. This tells the audience that ya OK my 4 year old will be safe exploring this area because he can play and interact with kids his age. Same with the older kids they are familiar with other kids their age and not feel "kiddish" playing with the "babies". This appeals to the logos because it logically makes since to both the audience and stakeholders. Also i noticed the numerous amounts of seating options in the area. These include picnic tables, benches and even rocks that resemble a place to take a load off. If i were a parent of a 5 year old child i would encourage independence and allow them to play with the other kids while i sat and read a book. With the unlimited options to sit it's functional to the adults wathcing as well as the children playing for long periods of time.