Understanding Kairos

Survey a variety of magazines and newspapers and select a handful of articles on a given issue. How does each article draw on or create "kairos?" Is the issue so pertinent or urgent that little needs to be done to establish the article's relevance? Do some writers or speakers use an opportune moment to "change the subject" and argue about a separate but related set of issues?

Kairos is a term roughly meaning a situation in time which can sway a rhetorical argument. I looked over several articles about the approach of hurricane Gustav. As you know, New Orleans was devastated by hurricane Katrina about three years ago. The hurricane incident opened a large number of issues about the incompetence and inability of the US Government to help its citizens in such a crisis. Even today, three years later, progress in the repair of the city is slow at best.

Now there is a new threat; hurricane Gustav. Instead of waiting and issuing voluntary evacuations, the city has gone through an mandatory evacuation. People have reported that Gustav is every bit as powerful as Katrina was back in 2005. The ancient Greeks would have considers this a moment of kairos, because it is bringing up issues and memories of the poor response from the Government. This is a wake up call for a time most Americans would like to forget. The threat of Gustav has gotten the ball rolling to address the same issues from the 2005 Katrina fumble. However, the issues will not be fully addressed until after the hurricane has passed.

The fact that a hurricane that has already crushed Cuba and is heading for New Orleans creates a important sense or urgency in the various articles I read. Right now the focus is on the power of the storm and the safety of the people, but that will quickly change after the storm. The issues will change from the storm, to reconstruction, to the blame game from the time of Katrina.

Choose an issue and compose an opening paragraph that shows how the issue matters for people you may

be addressing.

"No matter how hard we shut our eyes and cover are ears the crisis in Darfur will continue. Omar al-Bashir has committed one of the worst violations of humanitarianism since Adolf Hitler. Tens of thousands of men, women, and children have either fled or been executed. This is not a civil war of a national identity, this is a slaughter to maintain control. The International Criminal Court, or ICC, has declared Omar al-Bashir a war criminal, but yet he is still free. I do not want to wait until Hollywood makes this travesty into a movie before the American people get involved. It must stop here. It must stop now."

The weekend chew

What I know and What I need to understand.

I know that the audience, the writer, and the writers choice of words and vocabulary is connected together with each one depending on the other for a clear understand of the information, argument, or proposal of the writer. Without considering each of the angles in this triangle, the writer will fail.

What I have some questions on is how to find the difference between the audience and the discourse community. How can I make sure who I am writing for?

Communication for PWE

What does a professional writer need to know and be able to do in order to participate effectively in this process?

Lester Faigley's article entitled Nonacademic Writing: The Social Perspective takes a look at how people have changed their style of writing and communication outside of the academic setting. Faigley explains that writer have three different perspectives for their job; textual, individual, and social. I find his logic to be pretty accurate and takes into consideration the order a writers piece develops.

A professional writer needs to know and do different genres, including readable vocabulary if he/she wants to make the ideas of the text clear to the audience. The text is then infused with the individuality of the writer which results in the choice of vocabulary and genre. Finally the text will reach the social perspective, or the the audience the writer had in mind. Depending on the textual and individual perspectives of the writer, the social perspective will be defined and organized. Most importantly for a writer, he/she wants the social perspective to be maintainable for continued relationships.

Each one of these steps are important to the strength of a writer. Textual, individual, and social consideration forms a triangle, similar to academic triangle of ethos, pathos, and logos. Every part is important for clear communication between a writer and his/her audience. This is reinforced by how writers do their research and how accurate their data is.

It is important to note that a writer may have to reach multiple audiences. For example, you are with a group of writers trying to make a memorable SNL skit. You pitch an idea to your audience of fellow writers and they all start to die laughing. Just because they start laughing does not mean that the FCC will start laughing. In order for your idea to be aired, you are forced alter it for a new audience by using a new textual perspective. The individual perspective will change to because it places keeping the job before creative integrity.

Jon Stewart on the rhetoric of Crossfire

What is rhetoric? What is not? What is debate? What is not debate?

When Jon Stewart was on CNN's Crossfire, in 2004, talking about how bad the show is and how good it can be, I feel he was pointing out the bad rhetoric of TV debate. When a political figure goes on a show like Crossfire they know what to say, how to say it, and what will be asked of him or her. That is not a debate, that is planed confusion. John Stewart used the term, "theatrical" to describe Crossfire. I always felt a debate is not one person defending his or her stand, but to reach a compromise opinion. Crossfire is more of a win, lose position.

Selzer Handout

Why did Jack Selzer want to study the composting processes of an engineer?

When talking about writing to academic setting normally comes to mind. I see a older man with tweed blazer with leather patches writing about something deep and personally moving. This is one one image of a writer.

When Selzer was studying Kenneth E. Nelson he wanted to see a writer outside of an academic setting. An engineer works outside and with his hands. They need to type up a progress report to submit to multiple audiences.

Selzer wanted to learn how engineers do the writing that they do. Not so much about what they write.

What did you find to be unique?

One of the most suprising things I learned about a writer for engineering was Nelson's ability to reuse and reinvent the same information for a different audience. It is easy to lose sight of your audience because they are not in front of to give you notes.

Nelson also had a small amount of revising and only make minor edit after his secretary edits it.

Nelson spends a great deal of research on understanding his audience. (80% of his time)

Nelson had stylistic rules that he followed with every document, including short sentences, a topic sentence in every paragraph, and uses simple grammar.

How did Selzer prove he was correct?

Selzer wanted to understand a better way to prepare his students for a career in writing. He felt that studying Nelson would teach his students to re-use previously written material. Nelson helped prove Selzer right because of he was able to do his job quickly and effectually.

Selzer tape recorded the before and after Nelson would write. Not during because it was an unnatural feeling.

Selzer did physically observe and interview Nelson of a few occasions and looked at all his drafts, notes, and edits written by other people.

Why did Selzer use multiple data collection methods?

If Selzer was to just do a face-to-face interview with Nelson then he would be unable to see what Nelson does without thinking. When you are being interviewed, you think before you say, even if you don't mean to. Selzer outsourced to people that edit Nelson to understand what he does consistently.

Types of writing that professional writers do and the types of job titles they hold

There are a great number of different types of professional writing. The are academic, technical, scientific, and numerical to name just a few. Any job you many hold in the future will most likely have at least one professional writer on staff.

Some job titles include Journalist, Editor, Webmaster, Author, Student, Screenwriters, Lawyers, and Politicians. These are general job titles, but each one can break up into a vast number of sub-categories. This would take up a multiple blogs.

Because communication is the key to understanding, I wish to hear about your experience with writing. Whether it is for fun or a job. Wrote a good paper, but got a bad grade? Tell me about it. I want to read about anything and everything you wish to post about professional writing.

welcome

To my fellow students of English 301,

This is just an simple intro.

I look foward to working with all of you and hope for a productive class.

Sincerely,
Jesse Irons