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*April 25 Tumblr 3*

This Female Wrestler is Redefining Strong 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3ktOmMgfs

In this entry I will examine critical questions using an artifact of a counterpublic. These questions are why or how is it counterpublic? What is its rhetorical message? And how is it empowering and/or limiting? To investigate these questions, I examined the interview of top female wrestler Adeline Gray as my rhetorical artifact. The interview shares uplifting messages of women empowerment, hard work, and risk taking, which is ultimately empowering with very few limiting characteristics.

Adeline Gray is a top female wrestler not only on a national scale but on a global scale as well. She is not new to success having been wrestling successfully since she was six years old. Adeline approaches the sport differently than most people in her situation and she believes that is what sets her apart from others. She grew up wrestling top competition and gives that competition credit for making her into the champion wrestler she is today. 

Squires (2001) explains that counter publics are a public formed by a group of marginalized people with the goal of taking on particular genres of discourse or action. The type of discourse they involve themselves in depends on culture, relations with the dominant public sphere and the state, and socioeconomic forces (Squires 2001). Felski (1989) also explains that counterpublics seek to define themselves against the universal logic and ideals of global mega culture of modern mass communication. The goal of counter-publics is to voice needs and articulate the oppositional values which the popular culture fails to address (Felski 1989). 

The group that Adeline represents is described as a counter public because universally, rough sports are seen as being made for men and men only. Women who participate in these sports are seen as non feminine because of this stereotype. Adeline Gray seeks to define herself and others against this universal logic that rough and physical sports are designed for men and should only be partaken in by them. Also, women are still marginalized in the world of sports even though the world is making headway in respecting these professional women in their crafts. They are seen as inferior because many sports rely on physical ability and men are naturally more gifted in that department. Their skill and technique is very often overlooked for this reason, leading to their competitions being less anticipated than their male counterparts. 

Adeline Gray aimed to uplift and empower women in this interview and she made multiple points that helped her to do so. One message she had was that there is not one particular image or definition for the word strong. Adeline states, “I want to redefine feminine to some extent, and to have people challenge the way they look at the word strong and not see a boy that pops into your head.” The word strong is often synonymous with masculine characteristics but she aimed to say that anyone can be strong, including women. She also had that message that in order to be great, risks must be taken and one must be willing to do things that others are not willing to do. She says, “I got to train with the best guys in the world and they made me tougher. They made me work for every single point I had to wrestle with and they made it so that I can be a champion on the women’s level now.” Adeline did not become great by training at a mediocre pace but instead she pushed herself and her body to its limits. The risks that she took in her training are what allowed her to improve to such a high level and compete with the best and be the best. 

The artifact is seen mostly as empowering because it gives young girls a great person to model themselves after. Her lessons go further than wrestling, they are lessons that can be taken on in any aspect of life. Young women also see that her roadmap and mindset has led to success for herself. Seeing success in the process is more of a reason to trust it and see where it can be taken. This interview also shows women that regardless of how great she is, she is still human and is similar to them in many ways. Gray says, “I’m still struggling with that concept that I’m worried about not being perfect when I step on the mat.” Many people think they are alone in their suffering and that success will lift them out of it. Adeline shows that no matter how successful one becomes, our natural reaction is to always be critical of ourselves. This shows that no amount of work should ever be satisfactory and that people should always strive to be better regardless of how great they are.

With all of this being said, the interview can still be seen as limiting because of how far Adeline has taken her career. Adeline was a 3x world champion, ranked #1 in the world in her weight class, and had been undefeated for over two years. There can only be one person at a time that is as great as her, there cannot be two people ranked #1. This fact may be discouraging to some people because they don’t have the confidence it takes to make it to that level. The amount of work it takes to be the best is rejected by many because it requires sacrifices that not everyone is willing to take.

In summary, Adeline Gray succeeded in her endeavor to empower and uplift young women so that they know they can accomplish their goals as well. Through representing the counter public of marginalized women in sports, she in turn hopes to affect the future generation of female athletes. 

Felski, Rita. “Feminist Literature and Social Change.” Beyond Feminist Aestethics, 1989, pp. 164-172.

Great Big Story. “This Female Wrestler is Redefining Strong.” Youtube, Aug. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3ktOmMgfs

Squires, Catherine. “The Black Press and the State.” Counterpublics and the State, 2001, pp. 111-113.

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*April 5 Tumblr 2*

Adam Silver Joins the Show To Discuss Suspending the NBA Season | NBA on TNT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u55iWTViAxk

In this entry, I will examine the critical questions: What is the main purpose of Adam Silver’s addressment interview and how are ethos, pathos, and logos used in this rhetorical artifact to achieve that purpose? And also, are the ways in which these rhetorical appeals are used ethical?

To investigate these questions, I examined an interview style addressment speech by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as my rhetorical artifact. The main purpose of this speech is to provide insight on the decision making process and to ease and provide answers for the community as to why these decisions are being made. Ultimately, Adam Silver’s rhetorical appeals proved to be ethical through his frequently shown compassion towards the community and people involved. 

This speech was done in accordance with the coronavirus pandemic that is currently affecting the world. The NBA recently had to make a decision to cancel the remainder of its season due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus. This speech however was done prior to the official cancellation of the season and was instead done the day after the league had suspended its operations. The NBA is an association that is popular worldwide and all the teams have economic importance, bringing in large sums of revenue to their respective areas. The decision making process is something that the public must be included in because they are the ones that the league is dependent upon. NBA basketball games are loved and viewed by millions of people and the cancellation of these events will, and have affected many people. 

James A. Herrick (2013) explains Aristotle as being pragmatic and inclined towards science in his approach to rhetoric. The word scientific in this sense can be equated to having a set formula or systematic approach in rhetorical actions. Much of Aristotle’s theory of rhetoric is in response to the ideas that Sophists hold regarding rhetoric (Herrick 2013). Aristotle states that the Sophists “deal mainly with non-essentials” and focus on courtroom speaking, which Aristotle does not find useful (Herrick 2013). To Aristotle, the Sophists had not fully tapped into the powers that rhetoric holds, saying that they had not presented a true techne of rhetoric (Herrick 2013). Aristotle’s form of rhetoric does contain three artistic proofs that serve as the techne of rhetoric with those being logos, pathos, and ethos (Herrick 2013). Logos is the arguments and logical reasoning, pathos is the names and causes of various emotions, and ethos is the human character and goodness (Herrick 2013). These all serve to be the driving artistic force in Aristotle’s form of rhetoric. 

Silver builds his logos appeal by providing factual information that has a direct effect on human lives and that cannot be rebuddled or argued. He states, “I think we’re at the point now that this has been declared a pandemic. That it’s virtually impossible to contain it.” The keyword in this quote is impossible because it eliminates all other potential avenues for dealing with this situation. Silver and other decision makers have reached a point where the suspension and possible cancellation of all NBA basketball operations is the only feasible option for the health and safety of millions of people. If people themselves are unable to contain this virus then the only other option is for the cessation of all close contact between the public. What is at stake here is the lives of individuals which is not something that can be taken lightly, and that is what makes this argument a strong one. 

Silver uses a pathos appeal by showing his compassion, thoughtfulness, selflessness towards the public when trying to make these tough decisions along with other board members. The commissioner says, “In the two full board meetings I had yesterday and today, not one team raised money. The entire discussion was about the safety and health of the players, the community around the NBA, and our fans.” Many people at this time are frustrated and angry that all this is happening at such quick notice. It is great for the public to know that this tough decision was made without a monetary focus. This can ease the mind of the audience knowing that much of the decision making revolves around them and their safety. It also can combat feelings of malice that others may have had towards the situation knowing that situation is about them. This decision did not come from a place of greed it comes from a place of compassion, and while many may not like that decision they will at least know now that it is for their betterment. 

Silver builds his ethos appeal right from the start of the dialogue showing signs of arete (virtue) and eunoia (good will), both being a part of effectively building an ethos appeal. Silver starts his interview by stating, “Charles, I hope you’re feeling better. I didn’t even know you’d had a coronavirus test and obviously I hope it comes back negative.” Starting with this immediately portrays his concern for the individuals during this dangerous time. Doing this gives the impression that his judgement in this decision may have been influenced by this fact. There would be an entirely different impression if he had instead stated his concern about the economic hit that the NBA would soon suffer from. Compassion is one of the main characteristics that can be used to build credibility in accordance to this health pandemic. Adam Silver is not a medical expert, so he cannot build credibility by knowing factual information on the pandemic. He is a leader, and leaders need to show that they are concerned for the people in their circle in order for those people to show them support and abide by their decisions. 

Had Adam Silver used the artistic proofs in an opposite fashion the decision would have been the same, but the relationship with the audience would have been entirely different. If he had not consistently shown that he cared for the community, then the public would respond negatively. Everything he said and did in the speech was for the people to understand the magnitude of this pandemic. Had he not gained their trust in this endeavor, the public would not have heeded his words and they would have continued to live their normal daily lives. Essentially, for the purpose of his speech to hit home with the audience he had to gain their trust.

Adam Silver proved throughout this speech that his rhetorical appeals were in fact ethical. He frequently and consistently showed his ability to sympathize with those who have been affected and those who are at the mercy of this pandemic. The way in which he addresses the people in this speech could be categorized as very human. Regardless of how high his status is at the time, he places himself in the shoes of the public when making these decisions. Everything he has done has been done for and influenced by the people in the public. 

Herrick, James A. “Aristotle on Rhetoric.” The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction, no. 5, 2018, pp.69-81.

NBA on TNT. “Adam Silver Joins the Show To Discuss Suspending the NBA Season | NBA on TNT.” Youtube, Mar. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u55iWTViAxk

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*March 1 Tumblr 1*

Trenchmen, Bellevile. “Mediocre people DONT LIKE HIGH ACHIEVERS.” Youtube, Jul. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx5W25V913U

Nick Saban - mediocre people DON’T LIKE HIGH ACHIEVERS

https://youtu.be/bx5W25V913U

In this entry, I will examine the critical questions: How is Nick Saban constituting his football players and staff around a certain ideology and how is he using rhetoric to do so? And what is productive or possibly limiting about this sort of constitution and should it be considered more productive or limiting? 

In order to investigate these questions, I examined Nick Saban in a speech where he addresses everyone that is part of the Alabama football team, but more specifically his players. The speech shows a narrative that in order for the football team to have success they must all hold themselves and each other to a high standard of hard work and attention to detail. Ultimately, this is a productive form of rhetoric because it is teaching and making the players and staff aware that they must hold themselves and their teammates accountable. 

The Alabama football team is a program that many would agree has been at the pinnacle of college football prowess for quite some time now. They are a program that expects nothing less than perfection and everlasting effort from all their athletes as well as the staff, all the way down to the equipment managers. The expectations did not change when Nick Saban was officially announced as the head football coach in 2007. Typically when a new head coaching hire is made the expectations increase, but this case is extreme because Alabama was already at the pinnacle of college football achievement. Every year, in order to keep up their great reputation, he must make sure that every person on the team and the staff are aware of what is to be expected of them and each other. 

Michael C. McGee (1975) explains that constitutive rhetoric is a type of rhetoric that is designed to create “a people” with certain characteristics and duties that should be followed. There are multiple ways in which McGee explains what constitutive rhetoric is concerned with. According to McGee (1975) constitutive rhetoric looks at how the audience is constructed with the speaker typically asking the audience to “become” something. This sort of rhetoric is also focused on the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion, how an audience’s construction can warrant social action, and is more concerned with construction of a group not individuals (McGee 1975). 

One of the narratives present in Nick Saban’s addressment to his team is that if everyone is not on the same page, the team will never be successful. He stated, “And you can never have any team chemistry for this reason: mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” Immediately, the idea that this rhetoric is focused upon the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion is evident. This is done by deciphering what kind of people are considered to be in the group and what kind of people are excluded from it. He only gives the group two options so as an audience they must choose whether to be included or excluded from it. This quote promotes McGee’s truth that speakers of constitutive rhetoric ask their audience to buy in or become a certain thing with specific characteristics. At this point, the audience is aware of the traits of a mediocre person and of an overachiever. They must decide whether or not they are prepared to live this lifestyle of near perfection because if they are not, they will be what is in the way of the team achieving full chemistry. From the start, Saban makes this about the team in its entirety and avoids any ideas that this may be about one individual. “And you can never have any team chemistry for this reason…”, his focus is placed on the team chemistry right from the start. This shows evident that much of what he will say after this point will have the entire team’s best interest in mind because at the start he made it about everybody and not just himself or someone else. 

Another ideology present in his addressment is that there is a group of right people and a group of wrong people. Saban says, “You know what my goal with spring practice is? Get the right guys on the bus, get them in the right seats, and get the wrong guys off the bus.” This quote promotes McGee’s truth that the use of constitutive rhetoric can warrant social action from the audience. Someone that is on the team and has aspirations to play will hear this and immediately want to identify themselves as one of the right guys. To become one the right guys takes sacrifices and hard work that not everyone is prepared to do. In this case the social action is how the players respond upon hearing Saban’s statement. Will the players react positively by realizing that they will have to do something different than everyone else to get on the bus? Or will they react negatively and potentially leave for a less stressful situation or even be content with being a player that does not make it on the bus?

Saban tries to constitute the group around the ideology that there is no complex system that will be useful to them in order for them to be successful. Saban says to the team, “You know when I worked for Bill Belichik, we had one sign in the building. It was, do your job.” Bill Belichik and the New England Patriots football organization are another group that consistently finds themselves at the top of its professional competition very frequently. He uses their success to show the team that they too can be successful, all they need to do is what they are supposed to do, nothing more nothing less. This phrase, ‘do your job’, holds a lot of weight however because there are many things that a job consists of. There is still much simplicity in this statement because it is only one single order. Saban promotes McGee’s truth that constitutive rhetoric is more concerned with the building of a group more than individuals. Saban is trying to get the entire group to do their job so that it creates one cohesive prominent group. 

There are both advantages and disadvantages to this form of rhetoric, but the advantages do outweigh the disadvantages. The disadvantages could consist of differences among the individuals in the audience. Some people do not function as well if they are not being directly addressed and that may have an effect on how their future performance and how they will perceive the message. However, this form of rhetoric is typically used to address a larger group instead of individuals, meaning that for its purpose it is not considered to be effective when addressing individuals. In this situation that Saban is in, it can be considered to be especially effective. With such a large group it is easier to address the group in its entirety rather than takes days to speak with everyone individually and continuously repeat the same things over again. This specific case of it being a football team, the message sparks a fire into the players making them more hungry for success. The more competitive the players are amongst each other, the better they will make each other and that will automatically translate into success on the real stage. 

Sweet and McCue-Enser (2010) further explain how constitutive rhetoric works by focusing on the creation of that group environment. They state, “For McGee, the constitution of ‘‘the people’’ requires individuals to set aside their personal interests and to enter into a loosely formulated collective relationship that always remains an ‘‘artificial identity,’’ a fictitious group subjectivity summoned by the promise of shared ideological commitments (McCue-Enser & Sweet 604).” This is especially important when trying to form a group because individuals with their own agendas can ruin the success of the entire group by themselves. One person not being on the same page or if they are refusing to comply with the group's focus can ruin the success of every other person, not just the one. 

In summary, this form of rhetoric was successful in its goals in trying to formulate a group identity amongst a football team. This form of rhetoric is the most effective way to communicate to such a large group of people, similar to this one. More specifically, when trying to communicate the same exact message to a group of people this way of communication is the best.

McGee, Michael C. “In Search of ‘The People’: A Rhetorical Alternative.” The Quarterly Journal of Speech, vol. 61, no. 3, Oct. 1975, pp. 235-249. 

Sweet, Derek, and Margret McCue-Enser. “Constituting ‘the People’ as Rhetorical Interruption: Barack Obama and the Unfinished Hopes of an Imperfect People.” Communication Studies, vol. 61, no. 5, Nov. 2010, pp. 602–622. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10510974.2010.514679.