Final Exam Essays: Laycee Liston

Short Essay

The girl jerks awake as her head does a sudden nose dive toward the floor. She rubs the back of her neck and looks up at the speaker. “Nodding off in church again?” her father inquires. “You know bishop will give you a hard time about this” he says with a small chuckle.

This young girl was me. I just couldn’t seem to stay awake during church. I am not the only person who has this, “sleeping disorder” when it comes to church talks. Most people have been this girl, most people have struggled to find the real meaning in the words being spoken, most have struggled to stay entertained while listening to a sermon.

Augustine one of the greatest Christian exemplars was too one of these people. At first he didn’t believe that Christian speakers were very good, and maybe in some cases he was correct. Often in the LDS and Christian culture we say “let the spirit guide what you say” without saying “use some rhetoric to make your talk interesting”.  In doing this some of these rhetorical skills are put on the back burner instead of being used to change lives.

Augustine’s life was changed when he finally saw the rhetoric in Christian speaking.  Augustine would then go on to write about the amazing rhetorical tools used in the Bible.

In Christianity, there is an argument about the ethicality of using rhetoric to persuade people to believe in Christ. To this it could be said, is it ethical to use comet to clean your tube while others have to use elbow grease? While this argument is diverse and valid, Why not use rhetoric skills when they are available? Perhaps then the little girl wouldn’t be asleep on the front row of the chapel.

As one Book Of Mormon prophets explains, he did remember the words of his father concerning Jesus the Christ and I did cry unto the father for forgiveness. This remembering perhaps came because of his father’s rhetoric. Augustine too had a similar experience.

In opposition, the ancient Greeks looked at rhetoric as something that controlled someone, this thought pattern is exemplified in ‘The Encomium of Helen’.  Modern belief is that rhetoric is a tool used to persuade. Why not use this tool to help persuade “men to do good” (Ether 4:11).  Quintilian agreed when he defined and orator as, “a good man speaking well”. You too can be this orator by persuade others to do good.

Short Rhetorical Analysis

Seemingly scared to death Jacob goes to the temple to speak boldly to his people about their sins (Jacob 2). Think of when you had to correct someone’s behavior. Like talking to your roommate about leaving the milk out. This can be a daunting task. With this task at hand Jacob speaks boldly and with rhetoric.

This sermon takes place not long after Nephi dies. At this time Jacob probably feels the pressure to lead the people in righteousness. This speech also has Kairos because people are looking for leadership and guidance as their leader has just passed away. Death is also generally a time for life reflection, so the audience being the Nephite people, are probably more open to change.

To accomplish Gods purpose Jacob (speaker) uses a very structured arrangement. Firstly he discusses why he is talking to the people. In this introduction he establishes ethos by saying that he is there to declare “the word of God” and that God commanded him to say these things (Jacob 2:2). This claim caused the people to listen. He also increases this ethos as he later quotes the lord (Jacob 2: 28- 32). He even states, “here me, and harken unto the word of the Lord” meaning that he is speaking the words of the lord (Jacob 2:27).

After the introduction, in Jacob 2:12, Jacob clearly states what he will be discussing then later in Jacob 2:22 he states that he is going to change subjects and talk about another topic. This can be related to when a speaker numbers what they are going to talk about and is used as a great memory tool. This talk had a clear and concise arrangement to help the audience understand and remember what is being said.

Jacob also uses many figures of speech to emphasize Gods message. As in common in scripture, he uses parallelism but he also uses personification (Jacob 2:13), alliterations, and an ellipsis (Jacob 3:2).  His alliteration plays two roles, first it is a memory tool and second, it is used to add pathos. He states “it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame” this alliteration adds an emotional appeal to his plea (Jacob 2:6).

The additional figurative language helps the audience remember his words but also makes his speech flow and gets his point across. For example when he uses personification it helps the audience relate to his words and visualize. This gives his speech more ethos and adds imagery.

He also uses the topics of invention compare/contrast, supernatural and cause/effect. He uses compare/contrast to compare his people to the Lamanites. This helps them understand what they will become if they don’t change (cause/effect). This analogy really hits home because of the strong hatred the Nephites have for the Lamanites.

With the use of figurative language, consistent topics of invention and exceptional Kairos, Jacobs sermon is bold, beautiful and persuasive. 

Nurses Bursting into Board Rooms

Emily walks in the door, slumping into her kitchen chair putting her head between her hands as a tear rolls down her cheek.

 “How was work?” her husband hesitantly inquires.

 “Oh… you know, the same old nonsense.” Emily sighs.

Emily had been trying for weeks to persuade the CEOs of several hospitals to put nurses in their administration board rooms, but to no avail.

 “Nurses aren’t paid enough”, “nurses aren’t as educated as other board room members", they would say.

There was always some excuse for executives to push the issue at hand back into some forgotten corner.

Although Emily was having a moment of weakness, she will continue to press forward, striving to make a difference. Even though some may believe that nurses do not deserve to be in the boardroom, nurses will be a great benefit to hospital boardrooms. With their hands on experience in the hospitals, nurses can make both economic and empathetic decisions about changes to be made in hospitals. For this reason and many more nurses are advocating to be part of hospital hierarchy.

Annotated Working Draft of Final Project / Hot Spots in OR Nursing

1. Communication and Persuasion in My Field Communication and Persuasion in the Field of Operation Nursing
   There can be both positive and negative communication in OR Nursing. The positive persuasion is when a staff member can convince a patient to make a good medical decision. Communication is negative when it is used in the medical field to intimidate and undermine coworkers.
   
2. Storytelling in My Field Storytelling in OR Nursing This blog post gives an example story to illustrate that storytelling is the backbone of the medical field. Many medical problems are figured out through communication in the form of telling stories both orally, and in the written form as a medical history.
3. My field within the history of civilization
   Medicine Through the Millennia This blog post give a broad rang of how nursing came to be as well as going specifically into how nursing became predominately female and back. it also talks about how medicine started in the ancient times with the Greeks.
4. Institutional Authority and Communication Institutional Authority and Communication in OR Nursing JACHO is the institutions designed to create order in the health system. They do this by having constant inspections and also hold an annual conference for nurses. JACHO protocol is changed by the legislature. Hot Spots Hot spot #1- (Personal) - the importance of communication in helping persuade people to make health conscious choices. This has personal relevance because I had to do a lot of this type of persuasion in my last job as a CNA so i can truly see the importance of this. Hot spot #2- (In the Field/ history) - Nursing is a timeless and has had an influence on people since the begining of time. This History is also ongoing and is always changing the health field as of now nursing is playing a major roll in the changes in the medical field. The history of Nursing changes they way Nursing field is today. Hot spot #3 - (In the Field) - JACHO is the protector. I think this is important to include this because it encompasses all of the order keeping sectors of nursing which include keeping communication positive as well as protecting patients and having overall good health care.

Institutional Authority and Communication in OR Nursing

"Institutional Authority and Communication in OR Nursing"

Nancy comes into the hospital. Unlike most days the hospital seems to be in full force. “What is going on?”, Nancy  asks her coworker. “JACHO is company that pretty much runs the heath system. They occasionally audit our facility [1. Authoritative Organization]. “These audits are just one of their many regulation processes”[2. Regulating Standard]. “Nancy, aren’t you going to the conference that they have in San Diego?” her coworker asks. 

“Ya I am! I heard that it was really great last year.” Nancy replays

 “These conferences are a way for JACHO to teach and encourage good nursing practices, but they are also really uplifting, and get you pumped to be a nurse”, the coworker explains to the patient who asked about JACHO [3. Influential Event]. “They also use these conferences to convey and instill values in the nursing leadership so that they can then enforce these values in the work place”.

 Nancy thought back to when her boss, Sara, went to the conference and it was all she could talk about for months. She loved how focused JACHO was on helping the patients. She would quote the conference constantly. She also talked about how she made other nursing friends that she is excited to see at the next conference [4. Authoritative Publication]. This is why Nancy is so excited to go to the conference this year.

One of the meeting that Sara often referenced back to was the meeting about maintaining a system of integrity. This meeting discussed how JACHO is constantly checked on by the state legislature, just as JACHO constantly checks on hospital to make sure they are meeting core measures. The government changes laws and regulates JACHO just as JACHO makes changes to and regulates hospitals [5. Challenging Authority / Changing Standards]. The purpose of this meeting was to help the hospital staff relate to JACHO, and make nurses realize that they are both working to create a positive work environment that benefits the patients. This conference helped in steal a sense of unity between JACHO and the nurses. "That is way these checkups are necessary", Sara would always say. “They can be annoying if you don’t understand the reason for them.” So Nancy was excited to go to the conference and begin to understand, because to her, the audits were still extremely annoying. Perhaps Nancy will gain a new perspective by participating in the conference.

Biblical Eloquence in St. Mark 13:33-37

Biblical Eloquence

Christ was extremely effective with his works and could be considered a master rhetorician. At first glance his figurative writing can be seen in his advanced parables but at a closer look many forms of rhetorical writing can be seen.

These schemes and tropes became clear as I read St Mark 13:33-37

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

First Christ begins with a simple simile. This simile helps the audience understand because it relates his message to something they already know.

Then Christ goes on to use the schema anadiplosis. He does this by repeating the word “watch”, first at the end of a clause and then repeating at the end of a clause what he said at the beginning of the last clause. This repetition incites in the minds of his audience the importance of watching.

He also gives a list of times. These times are arranged in order of nearest to farthest, from most pending to futuristic, thus from most important to least. This is a catacosmesis figure of speech. The purpose of this is to impart on the audience the pending

future. They need to act quickly and consistently. He didn’t just say be consistent and endure to the end. He gave a list of times to allow the audience to concretely comprehend that the Messiah could come any time thus increasing the importance to “watch”. 

Medicine Through the Millennia

Medicine Through the Millennia  

Medicine and history are two fingers on the same hand. They have been companion forces though bloody battles, treacherous travels and expansive exhibitions. There isn’t a part of history that isn’t coupled with medicine, and there is not a section of medicine that doesn’t have history. Since the world began people have been in need of healing. Sadly throughout history and even today we don’t know everything about medicine and there are still many things that we cannot heal. It stands out to me that in history most of the miracles Christ preformed had to do with healing. He was the master of healing. 

The first recorded history of operation room nursing was in 2667 - 2648 BCE with the first recorded surgery and surgeon Imhotep. Surprisingly many of his surgeries were successful. The ancient Greeks were also very concerned with health and became the fathers of modern medicine. Many of the words we use today are derived from ancient Greece. (find this information here)

The history of nursing becomes more specific as we look back on the strides that the health field has made within the last 200 years. During earlier European wars men were assigned to be medics. These medics would put their lives on the line trying to help save their injured friends. At times it didn’t matter if the injured were brothers or enemies they would help them none the less. This shows the empathy that is important in the nursing field. They not only helped heal their friends but also those they were trying to kill.

Soon women wanted to help in the war efforts and took on the role of nurses. Many woman like Florence Nightingale were not paid for their services but instead served out of a strong desire to help.  According to a Krystal McCort (an licensed nurse with about 7 years experience) nursing went from a mostly male dominated field to a nearly entirely female dominated field in the early 1900's and now it is making a change towards a more equal ratio with men on the rise. Today more than half of masters degrees in nursing are held by men (Krystal McCort). None the less, many of the associates degrees and bachelors degrees in nursing are held primarily by women. Despite the slow change in equality among the nursing sexes history is being made day by day as nurses assist in the discovery and carrying out of new medical procedures that literally change lives one patient at a time. 

Works cited 

               "Medicine." Ancient History Encyclopedia. 5 Aug. 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2015. 

Don't Flush!

First version

Don’t Flush!

Kairos/Audience – I usually tell this story to my friends when they want to embarrass me or when we want to have a good laugh.

The other day I walked in to my room after having been up for some time and saw a lone sock on my dresser. My thoughts flashed back to the night before. “Was that a dream?” I questioned out loud as I looked at the sock with a perplexed look. I then ran to the bathroom hoping not to find what I thought might be there. At lass it was not a dream. I looked in the garbage to find one very wet sock.

I remembered back to that night when I had been using the bathroom, apparently in my sleep. That night I had gone to sleep with socks on my hands (that’s normal right?). When I was using the bathroom for some reason in my sleepy state I through my sock into the used toilet. Weird things happen when you are asleep. I sat there for a few seconds in my coma before I realized what I had done. I jumped up reached down and tried to save my drowning sock but to no avail. My sock was beyond saving. My sock was gone.

Second version

Sleep Flushing

Kairos/ Audience – telling my mom about my day.

This morning while like a Maryland storm; you think all is well and then suddenly it hits you like a brick wall [Simile]. The realization hit me as I looked up on my dry sock that sat up on my dresser. This dry stock made me think back to the wet sock that may or may not be in the trash at this point in time [comparison].

“Was that a dream?” or is that dream a reality [Anadiplosis].

At this point in time I raced to the restroom with regret [alliteration]. My eyes darted first to the toilet and then to the infamous garbage can hoping no to see what I thought I would [climax]. In the garbage I found what I was looking for; a sad sock who had been drowned [personification].

Is it really possible that I had forgotten the events of the night prior? Apparently so, it was impossible to deny it with this new found evidence [possible, impossible].  

It was at this point that I realized that what I had taken to be a dream was truly a reality. At this present time I started at the toilet thinking back to the night before when I had nearly flushed my sock farewell [past act, future act]. I was sitting on the seat almost in a slumber when for some reason I took the sock off my hand and put it in the toilet.  In my slumber state it took me several seconds to discover the mistake I had made. At this point in time I jumped up trying to save my sad sock but I was too late. I reached down and discarded my sullen sock with disdain.

David's Real Goliath

Names and Naming,  Anadiplosis,  Rhetorical Question 

The bird, Providence, flew down to the rescue, only to realize he'd come too late.  He heard the cry from David, the doe, as she lamented in her last breath of life "Why am I so foolish?", and then she was gone.

 Just moments before, Providence had been flying over the sea when she'd spotted a crew of sailors heading toward the cliff.  On the cliff stood David, Providence's friend since birth.  Even as a child, Providence had kept a close eye on David, who had always been courageous as she'd been forced to stand up for herself at an early age.  At an early age her parents had been killed by the Goliath's of the forest- the hunters in whom existed no mercy.  No mercy indeed, for David herself had been terribly injured as she stood up to them being left alone, completely blinded in one eye.

It was for this reason that David was at the cliff that evening with her good eye on the lookout for those Goliath's of the forests; and facing toward the sea, consequently, her blinded eye.  Little did she know, her lack of caution toward the sea, a beauty she'd thought of as being so harmless and pure, would be her doom.  All her life she'd stood up to the Goliath's of the forest, only to realize too late the more treacherous fate was that of the sea- to which she'd kept a blind eye.     

Personal Stories Catalog – Laycee Liston

Personal Stories Catalog – Laycee Liston

1. The story of being scared to death by a creepy minivan in the ghetto of Hagerstown Maryland at night. [funny story, Mission story] I tell this story when people as to hear a funny mission story.

2. The story of passing the ball into the wrong teem who then just shot it into the hoop. [embarrassing story, basketball story] I tell this story when I am asked to tell my most embarrassing moment or when I want to make others laugh.

3. The story of hurting my knee playing basketball. [action story, life changing story] I tell this story to explain the scare on my knee or when I want to tell a cool basketball story.

4. The story of going white water kayaking and getting stuck on a rock. Then deciding to bail and flip out of the kayak rather than turn around. [story used as an analogy, life story, changed to be a moral story] I use this story in religious settings to make a comparison to life. I also use this story when swapping adventure stories.

5. The story of getting in a four wheeling accident and passing out. [funny story, four wheeling story, life event] I tell this story any chance I can get. Usually it comes up when talking about four wheeling or hobbies in general.

6. The story of meeting Linda and her overwhelming excitement about receiving a copy of the Book of Mormon. [spiritual experience, humbling story, feel good story] I tell this story when we are talking about things we take for granted or the importance of scripture.

7. The story of getting my back bike tire stolen. [advice story, funny story, ironic incident] I tell this story when I am trying to lock up my bike or when riding my bike with someone else as a funny learning experience.

8. The story of losing my money bag as a child and then praying to find it. [kid story, faith building] I tell this story in talks at church or when I want to make others laugh.

9. The story of putting my sock in the toilet when I was asleep. [recent stories, roommate stories, humorous story] I tell this story to my roommates to make them laugh and then they have me tell it to everyone else.

10. The story of finding a snake in my apartment! [funny story, fear story, Maryland pests] I tell this story whenever someone talks about what creature they found in their house.

Storytelling in OR Nursing

Title Storytelling in OR Nursing

Foreword
In the field of Operation Nursing storytelling is exemplified both in hearing stories of accidents from patients and then reporting these stories to both the physicians and coworkers involved. The purpose of this communication is to inform the surgeon before he sees the patient so he has an idea of what is going on and what tests they need to run. These stories are usually given both orally and in writing. Orally to coworkers and doctors and also documented in writing. The way these stories are conveyed are very different in both situations. The length of the story also may vary depending on the circumstances but is usually more concise and informative in writing then orally.

This is a story I produced based on my experience working in the medical field and represents what most medical field reporting is like.  It is also similar to my story of hurting my knee just from the nurse’s perspective. The story is created to be more specific to OR nursing.

Example Story

This is an example of what a nurse would report to the surgeon orally after collecting information from a patient.

The patient was playing basketball and reports falling to the ground in pain after doing a post move turning her knee laterally. She waited 2 days and the swelling didn’t go down so she came in. I think she may have a ripped ACL or meniscus. She brought in MRI scans that are in the office and may be helpful to determine if the ACL is completely torn. We may also need to drain fluid off to see if it is in fact and ACL tare.

Analysis

The purpose of this story telling is to both inform and persuade. It is to inform the Surgeon about what you can observe in a concise manner so that he doesn’t have to spend time picking the information out from the original patient’s story. The report is also used to persuade the doctor to run the tests that the nurse feels are necessary. Using semi-formal language makes it possible to convey the message concisely while still allowing room for persuasion and the nurse’s point of view. If you were conveying information to the patient your language would be a lot less formal.

Retelling the Story

This is an example of how a nurse would document this story.

The patient Laycee Liston came in at 5:30 pm and was assessed to have a torn ACL. MRI scans are assessed to determine the extent of the ACL injury. The knee fluid will also be tested. The patient exhibited symptoms of excessive knee fluid and a warm temperature in the knee. The patient reported a basketball incident in which she turned laterally before collapsing with knee pain.

The purpose of this documentation is not to convince but to give an accurate objective account of the story. It is not as persuasive because it is supposed to be void of emotion and opinion. The purpose of this is not to persuade using emotion but logic. Is then used in case of a legal liability to give logical documented evidence that all practices were preformed correctly. I put the basketball portion of the evidence after the information because the hard evidence is most important in this form of reporting. 

Communication and Persuasion in the field of Operation Nursing

Communication and Persuasion in the field of Operation Nursing

From soothing words in a time of distress to throwing surgical utensils, Operation Room Nursing has a broad spectrum of communication. One communication problem that the medical field has is verbal abuse in the operating room. Nurses and other medical professionals are trying to remedy this communication problem.

Many nurses report having been verbally demeaned while at work. This abuse comes in part because of the stressful situations that nurses and staff are placed under. The Kairos is setting a verbal time bomb and the hierarchy in the hospitals creates the exploitation. Many times nurses are degraded by their superiors such as doctors, surgeons and teachers. Luckily these stigmas are starting to change. Professionalism with coworkers and patients is starting to be extremely emphasized in the workplace.

If any of you have seen the movie House you will understand the kinds of communication problems that develop in a medical environment. House (the main character) is a really sarcastic, degrading doctor who treats everyone around him poorly. Although he is a hot head he isn’t immediately fired because he is brilliant and irreplaceable. The problems his coworkers face in the movie although a little over-dramatized are similar to the communication and intimidation problems that happen in hospitals today.

The use of intimidation as a form of persuasion is at times effective but has many negative consequences. This abuse often come from those with medical ethos. Their credibility makes them feel like they can act in any particular manner they chose. Although this isn’t a problem in every hospital it happens more often than it should. There are many other form of persuasion that can make nurses and staff work just as effectively.

On the bright side nurses and hospital staff us persuasion for many good reasons. For example nurses may use logos, a logical explanation to convince a patient to undergo an essential procedure. They will also use pathos to comfort a family who has just lost a loved one.

 Overall nursing is based on a strong foundation of communication and persuasion. Working with recovering surgical patient I was able to see the true power of persuasion. Some patient needed a lot of delicately worked enticements in order to perform a specific task while other had self-motivation. Many days I would have to talk to a patent for ten plus minutes before finally convincing them that they could do something. While doing so often I would have to pull out all the stops, logos, ethos, and pathos, anything to convince my patient. Through these experience I not only became more patient person but also a more persuasion person. I believe that a nurse need to be a masters of persuasions and communication.

Sanitation Saves

Sanitation Saves 

“Mom, are you sure this waters sanitary? It looks questionable to me.” Not only was this said by the elephant in the movie Tarzan but I it was also one of the ancient Romans great concerns. The Romans were one of the first society’s to really worry about sanitation. To allow for better sanitation they built the first sewer systems. They even drained swamps to decrees the number of people getting malaria.

As a nursing major I get to see how these first sanitation steps have contributed to our health today. Today we have surgical rooms void of almost all bacteria. These first steps to health had their trials and errors. As Katelynn mentioned Romans would eat while lying on their sides to supposedly help their bowel. Of course this is not the case and as another student mentioned it even upsets a person’s bowels. But Despite some fallacies the Romans were really on to something. We have them to thank for some of the things we know today.

They were also very concerned with exercise and healthy living. Some would spend money on exercise and training rather than on a doctor. Thus we see the first steps to preventative care. They also tried to bring these concepts of exercise and clean water to the poor uneducated citizens. This is because often time the poor were roman soldiers and the roman society was very concerned about keeping their soldiers healthy. We can truly learn a lot from the Romans both about exercise and Health care preventatives. 

Midterm Essays

Medium and Message

Essay Prompt 4

How are ideas formed? Are they formed as we wright and communicate or do they come first from our minds and then into our words. Which came first the chicken or the egg? Does the idea create the words or the words the idea? These are questions that come into play because of the creation of the alphabet. Isocrates believed that it is words and writing that make us civilized. Thus the creation of the alphabet would be a huge advantage to the world, but not everyone saw it this way. Socrates on the other hand gives many reasons why writing is disadvantageous.

During the 5^th to 4^th centuries BC these philosophers tampered with the ideas of medium and what was just and unjust about each. Socrates took the stand that writing was wrong because it could make the unlearned seem wise. He viewed knowledge as remembering. Thus writing things down could make someone without knowledge seem learned.  For example I could memorize one of Dr. Burton’s speeches, give it and sound very professional, but are these my thoughts or his? Well, his of course. I could regurgitate a speech I do not understand and sound wise to an audience giving me false credibility. In writing the unlearned are given an unfair advantage.

Writing also takes away some of the meaning given in the spoken word. Feelings and meaning can be conveyed by body language and tone. Thus delivery isn’t always interpreted correctly when written. It is like water going through a filter; mind/ideas to words being one filter, spoken words to write being the second. Eventually the water will lose some of its natural elements similarly ideas and spoken word lose properties as they are written down.

Socrates chose to teach orally because he could then adapt to the learners questions. Similarly a written speech can be compared to an orally given speech. In Greece common stories like the Iliad were often told. These stories varied slightly when told to different audiences to better captivate their attention. Likewise Socrates one on one oral teaching was very versatile and adaptive to the learner and allowed for greater thought and critical thinking.

 The Irrational

Essay Prompt 1

Hiccups. Where do hiccups come from? There doesn’t seem to be a quantifiable answer out there. I suppose we could just sum it up with the irrational explanation of inhaling a bug that is trying to make its grand escape. All in all there are things in life we cannot yet explain. In the BC years there a lot more things that couldn’t logically be explained. For example why does the sun go up and down? Or rather I should say, why does the earth move around the sun as that is what actually occurs.

In ancient Greece play rights were used to make since of and explore these unexplainable phenomena. Like today this would be related to the first step of a Myth Busters film. Where instead of using science they explained things with stories. These stories were actually theories of how and why unexplainable events occur. These theories usually had to do with the Gods of Greek mythology. In plays these Gods made irrational events seem rational. When told over and over again these stories would eventually become more and more rational in the audiences mind.  

Greek mythology was also used as a way to justify actions. In the play Electra, Orestes seemed completely justified in killing his mother because he was guided by the Gods. Normally it would be ridiculous for us to agree that this was okay but because the Gods were on their side it makes it easier for the audience to justify their actions. Thus the irrational becomes rational and the unjust just. 

Elder Rasbands Encomium

Don’t Be a Bully, Use Rhetoric

Have you ever been bullied or beaten up? Bullying is a way of making yourself look better by making others look a feel stupid and insecure. This is one way to create ethos but there is a better way! The alternate option is displayed by elder Rasband in his talk this past Sunday morning. Elder Rasband’s use of encomium, name dropping and expert delivery sold him as a solid

compassionate apostle with exceptional credibility.

His talk is an encomium because of its extensive praise of the apostles both past and living. He praises them extensively and then compares and contrasts himself to them. He does this by saying “I am not worthy to stand in their shoes”. This statement alone would have left the audience feeling that he was unworthy but with his beautifully added that he will “stand on their shoulders”, it leaves the audience with a feeling of security. In doing this he is the opposite of a bully he literally builds himself up by building up other, and then standing on their shoulders.  

The use of so many apostles and prophets names is a rhetoric tool. If done correctly the audience associates those people with Elder Rasband and his message. This use of namedropping improves his credibility and appeal.

His demeanor and delivery was impeccable he seemed straightforward yet caring. Straightforward in that he strongly bore his testimony and his message with deviated eye contact and a firm voice. He was also very direct in his message stated exactly what he would like the audience to gain from his talk. He was also caring in that he showed emotions at opportune times and even touched his heart when talking about his ancestors. This use of direct delivery and ethos improved his credibility.

With the use of many rhetorical devices Elder Rasband not only convinced the audience of his message but of his personal character and credibility as a true apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Need a Texting Interpreter?

Need a Texting Interpreter?

Socrates was against the writing so much so that all of his recorded words were actually written by his assistant Plato. The problems with writing in those days are still seen today but in very different forms.

Texting – a brief message to convey thoughts or information. This could also be defined as – a confusing brief emotionless message that could deliver multiple meanings. This form of communication is great when you are delivering information but can be misunderstood when trying to convey personal messages.  For example a text may say, “we should take a break” (because I am tired and need to sleep) or “we should take a break” (as in I am breaking up with you). As you can see one sentence can have multiple meanings. These miscommunications can be avoided with the spoken word, YES that means calling someone. Taking in person is more effective because the proper message is delivered through voice intonation and body language.

Emoticons were made as a substitute for voice intonations. This works in some cases but not all the time. They work until… you get one that is crying and you wonder why your roommate is crying about the funny message you just sent. Then after asking someone you are told that the face is laughing, “What! Well that makes sense then” you think to yourself. Yes, this has happened to me on more than one occasion. So although Emoticons are fun and funny they are not a proper substitute for the spoken word.

Speaking in person decreases miscommunication because you can hear the speaker’s voice and see their facial expressions. These things can even be misinterpreted in lengthy essays and articles. Without voice an article may lose something that it had in the beginning. For these and many other reasons I agree with some of Socrates views on writing. What do you think? Was Socrates correct?

True Motivation, Option E?

In “Pericles’ Funeral Oration” the author Thucydides uses Pericles’s words to add more credibility (ethos) to his book. This is why he quoted Pericles even though he didn’t have his exact words. Using quotes as if they were Pericles’ exact quotes gives him more credibility while if you know that fact it slightly diminishes the credibility of the quotes. None the less it gives us a good look at what is happening at this time.

Pericles intended his speech to transcend time. He states, “My history is an everlasting possession, not a prize composition which is heard and forgotten”. To this he was right. This article would transcend time. Even now we can relate to this article. This is evident in Jared Larsen’s touching article about his father death. He mentioned how he related to the feeling that was present at this funeral. Thus this article has Kairos at the time it was presented and presently.

Pericles article seems to have separate parts first he convinces us that his speech is less important than the events that took place on the battle field. Then he takes a turn and talks about how wonderful the city is. While reading this I was confused why he was talking so much about the city and its wonders and beauty. At first thought I considered his alternative motives. I thought that he was taking this speaking opportunity to deliver a political message giving his epidictic speech a deliberative twist. In a sense he is taking advantage of the Kairos of the situation. During this time the audience is looking for something to do to honor their fallen family. He is giving them a purpose. So in this point of view Pericles is taking advantage the peoples raw emotions to convince them to help build up the city. On the other hand as Jared mentioned he may be mentioning the city so much because he is reminding the families why they fought, reminding them what they fought for. In doing this he makes a beautiful personification of Athens, he states, “they gave their lives to her (Athens) and all of us. Is saying this Pericles uses pathos to use the audience’s emotions to cause them to act.

What was his purpose for the call to action? Is his design to rehabilitate families or build up a city? Or option E, all the above. 

Which answer will you chose? 

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My Comfort Zone

My comfort zone has grown tremendously over the years. As a child this zone was skin tight but know it is as big as I chose to make it. This is all thanks to my wonderful mother who was constantly pulling and stretching the impenetrable comfort zone.

One of these stretching moments was when in 7th grade my mom said “you should play rec basketball this year! It would be so fun!” “uhmm…. I’m not too sure about that” I would whisper back. Eventually my mom’s persistence was enough to get me out of my comfort suit and into a basketball uniform.

Then came the time for the real try outs. Should I or should I not, I thought to myself. There were many reasons I gave myself not to tryout but in the end my mind was changed. This change came when I was playing basketball in gym class. My gym teacher came to me and gave me the courage I needed to try.

 At times credibility (ethos) is more persuasive then words. My gym teacher was one of the basketball coaches. She need only give me a few words of encouragement to persuade me to go out for the team. When you are the right person (when you have ethos) you only have to say a few words to win arguments and change lives. Lucky for me my coach was that person.

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                                                                   Iliad Today

The writing this section of the Iliad is littered with rhetoric. As Jon B mentioned from the very beginning to the very end there is persuasion. In the beginning King Agamemnon receives a lying message telling him to go fight Troy. He suspects trickery because of the Jove’s lack of Ethos (or credibility), Agamemnon assumes he is lying. So the rhetoric in the dream fails.

(King Agamemnon)

King Agamemnon uses many rhetorical tools to help him win over the hearts of the people. First of all his timing couldn’t be better. He’s trying to convince them of something that they already want to do, GO HOME. With a little emotional appeal (pathos) drawing on the loss of their friends as well as their lonely families back home he quickly convinces everyone to retreat.

The tides change when Ulysses is convinced by Minerva to stay and fight. Minerva argument is very convincing. She even starts out by complementing Ulysses. Once again her Kairos couldn’t be better. She comes to Ulysses when he is upset about the idea of leaving the fight behind and he quickly is reeled in.

Ulysses then convinces everyone including King Agamemnon to fight Troy. He even addresses a counterargument brought up by King Agamemnon. King Agamemnon said they should go home to their wives and families but Ulysses convinces them that they can’t go home empty handed after being away for nine years, they must fight (284).

The Kairos throughout is impeccable. How does this Kairos apply to us today? As a student or a parent or human being in general, you have many different points of view pulling you one way or another. We can learn from this story that perhaps some of these pulls are as in the Iliad, lying messages. At some point you have to choose which persuasion to follow. Make a good choice. 

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It's Greek to Me

Languages don’t come easily for me. Ninth grade Spanish still stands as my hardest class, slaving for hours and hours just to learn a few words. So it is a surprised to find that I am now learning a new language… the medical language.

Most medical terminology is founded in Greek and Latin words. We owe a lot to our Greek predecessors. Some of the earliest medical terminology was found in Greek Hippocratic writings dating back to the “5^th and 4^th centuries BC”. Most of these Greek terms were later changed to Latin but some still remain.

Although this new language may be hard for someone like me to learn it was common language for the Greeks. Most of the medical terms represented something in nature or society, for example the word the bone in your lower leg is named your tibia which means flute. Thus, it would have been easier for someone in ancient world to learn medical words then it is for us now. It’s completely Greek to me.

It is amazing that this the use of Greek and Latin in the medical world has withstood the test of time. Still today in all of my classes Greek and Latin words are use regularly but now I understand what they are saying. I can’t wait to learn more about the people who changed the medical world forever.

works cited

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Wulff, H. (n.d.). The language of medicine. Retrieved September 1, 2015.