Who is Ted and why is he talking?

As you can probably already tell I am quickly losing my enthusiasm for these things.  I wasted all my energy coming up with the title and I'm just gonna get an 80 on it anyway so heres another mediocre post.  Enjoy.

https://www.ted.com/talks/aspen_baker_a_better_way_to_talk_about_abortion/transcript?language=en

That's the Ted talk^ 

     In the Ted Talk the speaker, Aspen Baker, discusses how and why controversial topics, like abortion, are difficult to talk about.  She stresses the importance of sharing personal stories about these issues, and how important it is to be a good listener to someone sharing their personal story.  The term she used was pro-voice, Baker and her organization called Exhale listen to people, so that their voice is heard, and they can finally feel like someone cares.  She talks about what it takes to be a good listener, and that it's not about agreeing with the storyteller, but it's about understanding them and putting yourself in their shoes, and that's where she says that empathy starts.  

     In her talk, Baker heavily uses both ethos in pathos, in a very successful way.  She opens up by sharing a very personal story about her own abortion, and how it has affected her.  This use of ethos gives her credibility because she's actually had an abortion, and she has that first hand experience that helps her connect to other women going through the same thing.  Even though I have never been in that situation, her talking about how much having her pro-voice friend there to listen to her helped her, has caused me to believe in and support being pro-voice.  She also appeals to the audiences emotions using pathos when she talks about abortion and violence toward women.  Due to the various camera angles, I know that her audience was profoundly middle aged women, and her emotional appeal would definitely connect with them.  She mentioned that pro-voice makes it possible for everyone to be treated with respect, which will connect with many people emotionally because respect for others of the opposite sex and/or race is not as present as it should be in this country.  It is clearly an emotional topic that she is appealing to, as seen by the Women's March on Washington yesterday.  The video was recorded before the march but this just shows that it is still very fresh.  

     I'm going to be honest when I analyze my relationship with the talk, the main reason I clicked on that particular video is because it was one of the shorter videos that I saw.  However, it was definitely not the shortest video on there, and I did choose it for a reason.  Firstly, it discusses abortion, and this is a very controversial topic that I knew I would be able to write a lot about.  It is something that makes you question what's right or wrong, and the level of control that the government should have over women's health.  I am not sure how it will connect to texts that we will study in the future but it does connect to the duality of human nature.  It connects because both sides have a specific view of good and evil in when discussing this issue. 

That is all. 

But wait, there's more!

Mrs. G I gots an assignment 4 u.  Watch this ted talk and report back.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_ronson_strange_answers_to_the_psychopath_test

I didn't watch it but it talks about the line between crazy and sane... hmm

*Some pun about Jekyll and Hyde*

Step 1)

In this analysis I will be comparing the characterization of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The text for Mr. Hyde comes from chapter 1 and the text for Dr. Jekyll comes from chapter 6. Originally I was going to type the two quotes out for you, but the second one was kinda long, and I'm not that committed so you'll just have to imagine that they're there. The author Robert Louis Stevenson used a similar style with contrasting effect to characterize each character. The contrasting characterization is shown by Stevenson's description of the characters, in short, Mr. Hyde is "downright detestable" while Dr. Jekyll is a "familiar guest and friend" (Stevenson 5,22). Jekyll is described quite clearly, he is a well liked and held in high standing with his two close friends. He was known for his charity and religion, meaning he was a man of good morals. Hyde on the other hand receives no such description. Stevenson uses a series of contradictions that leave a general feeling of distaste. He is not described in a meaningful way, rather it is made known that the presence of Mr. Hyde is not pleasurable.

Through both descriptions, Stevenson uses the same style to characterize Jekyll and Hyde. They contain long drawn out sentences connected with many commas and semicolons. An interesting thing to note in the descriptions is the contradictions Stevenson makes surrounding these commas and semicolons. It is most evident when Mr. Enfield said that Mr. Hyde is "an extraordinary looking man, yet I really can name nothing out of the way," (Stevenson 5). The contradictions provide an air of suspicion and mystery, and they are a part of Stevenson's style. This idea of two contrasting ideas being present touches on the duality of good versus evil, and how the line between the two can be blurred. Overall, Stevenson uses his unique style of long drawn out syntax to describe the two characters in opposing ways, which like the contradictions, symbolizes the duality of human nature.

Step 2)

The purpose of this poem is to show the contradicting states of mind between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  One constantly longing for the release of being able to sin without consequence and the other freely able to do so.  It shows the duality of human nature by questioning the reason that Jekyll has become such a well renowned citizen, is it because he is inherently good?  Or because he is scared of the consequences?

A Poem for Two Voices

Jekyll Hyde

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

I am I am

Loved

Hated

Friend of many

I abide alone

Rich in my life of

Well standing

Poor in lower class

No wealth to speak of

So many rules and

My reputation to uphold

Everyone hates me I feel no

Remorse

I hate

I do not notice

Judgement of others Judgement of others

Oh how I love to be

Oh how I want to be

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