A section that consists of my Rhetorical Analysis Papers. Enjoy.
The Corrupties
Cookie cutter, trendy, popular, sexy, stylish, and just the same, are all descriptions of males and females that unknowingly participate in identity corruption. At first, these people, mostly younger, sought to become individualists but unwillingly conform to different standards. The common social experiment consists of person that has the desire to become an individual by changing their cloths, personality and body image to present an alternative perspective within a different social category. But this individual has no idea that they are actually conforming to a different group and participating in a standard identity. Aside from this individual, there are many more people that are “identified” as the corrupties.
The corrupties, or the corrupted identities, become aware of their identities from various media sources such as television, radio, music, Internet, and movies. This media evokes participators’ thoughts that they need to change, become better people, become accepted into society by attaining individualism. But instead, these images corrupt the corrupties to change not into an individual but a conformer that follows the popular trends manifested by magazine columnists, clothing producers, musicians, celebrities, marketing agents, and television and movie directors. The corrupties pay the price. The corrupties desire to change involves finances, the need to purchase clothing, technology, and cars that the media markets as “indivualistic.” Corrupties are affected psychologically and physically. Their desire for acceptance pressures people to take risks and regard themselves as inadequate. Unknowingly they want to conform to the standard of muscular, skinny, tan, tattooed, pierced, and popular hairstyles. The overall goal for the corrupties is acceptance and popularity. By participating in individual trends, corrupties are just conforming to a different standard. There is no true individuality, there is no true “navigators” is just a long line of corrupties that conform to various social groups.
The corrupties’ ages range from 13 to 25 years old. The corrupties are unaware that they are active participators in conformity. They are blind to the columnists’, the marketers’, and the producers’ main goal: sales. As the corrupties are influenced to change they are also influence to buy the products that will assist them to achieve “individualism.”
The corrupties usually participate in religious groups, fraternities or sororities, gangs, sports teams, club, and work associates. People who belong to groups those members maintain the same ideals, beliefs, and goals. Corrupties join to achieve acceptance, happiness, and individuality. Yet their goal to achieve individuality is washed away with membership, because they are becoming one of the groups that have to abide by certain rules and regulation. But the corrupties still believe that they are different individuals, even though the rest of the members probably look like them, act like them, and have the same limits as them.
Mynamechanges’s blog has been proven acceptable and successful but with very careful methods of introducing the topic of identity corruption. Corrupties are the intended audience. The blog’s goal is to influence to readers that they may be unaware of their own conformity to a group and see themselves differently then before, even if it is just for a minute. For the blog to achieve its goal, the corrupties must be willing to maintain an open mind as the topic of identity corruption is presented. Corrupties must be willing to accept these ideals and stay away from taking this information as criticism or insults to their overall persona. To avoid offending the audience and influencing them to revisit the blog, the blog must present different methods when describing identity corruption.
Language, images, videos, questions, and format are the key elements for the blog to maintain an unbiased tone and avoiding offending the audience. Language is the key element to avoid offending someone and maintaining readers’ interest. The informal syntax allows the text to be read as a conversation instead of a novel. The elongated sentences (run-on sentences) create a comfort level for the reader by allowing space for interpretation, but at the same time illustrating the main points of identity corruption. Also, with slang and low-level vocabulary, it makes a very confusing topic easy to interpret and personal to the readers.
The images and videos within the blog provide an alternative for the illustration of identity corruption. By providing videos of popular American culture, corrupties may be entertained and see firsthand identity corruption instead of imagining it themselves. This is especially helpful with such a confusing topic; by adding a control to the blog it decreases the risk for pandemonium.
The blog’s format is easy: easy to do, easy to find, and thus easy to understand. With a simple format, the reader can concentrate more on the topic rather than trying to navigate the blog. The overall method that is most stimulating is the questions. By asking questions directed at the audience, it places the audience within the experiment, and “unknowingly” the audience learns that they are participating in identity corruption and become labeled as a corruptie,
The overall goal of the blog is not to attract the biggest audience but, instead make a difference in someone’s life and make them think differently for a period of time. Mynamechanges wants to evoke emotion, stimulate interaction, and influence question. Ultimately, the blog tries to make the reader aware of identity corruption and ultimately influence the corrupties to become a true individual—no ties to others except themselves.
Change your name, your identity changes. Change your appearance, your identity changes. Change your personality, your identity changes. Societal pressures attributed to pop culture media have influenced the need for identity change among American youth. Movies, magazines, books, television shows and commercials, music, and Internet videos and pictures paint identity change and spills identity corruption. Identity corruption is the common occurrence of identity change among American youth for the need of acceptance in society.
The media answers what is acceptable in society and how a per son may become the accepted. “Spiderman,” the most popular super hero movie translates identity corruption with a different spin. Peter Parker is not accepted within his school. Instead, he is a good student that pursues photography rather than women. He is “labeled” a nerd but remains true to himself. There is a woman Mary-Jane Watson, who Peter loves since the first grade, but he will never be an adequate candidate for her because of his true identity. He wishes he could be that one that would sweep her off her feet, but instead he gets bit again but this time by a DNA-altering spider. The venom spreads, and he becomes Spiderman, his new identity. He uses his “spidey” powers to save the city from belligerent crime. Throughout the story, Spiderman loses sight of his true identity and struggles with the task to attract Mary-Jane. His new identity becomes his real identity and he struggles with whether it is best to be Peter Parker or Spiderman, or is it best to be himself or the superhero of the city.
American youth corrupted by pop culture media such as “Spiderman,” attack the youth’s emotions based on their identity. Pathos controls the situation. Unconfident and lonely people want to be accepted in society. Their pathos acts as a stimulant for altering their identity. Peter Parker didn’t seek identity change, but did seek Mary-Jane. This common image, man/woman wants the most attractive woman/man, but the pursuer feels inadequate because of their identity, which leads to the desire for identity change. The media falsely illuminates this to the youth by manifesting situations where the one who seeks loves always finds it.
Pop culture media portrays right from wrong, best from worst, easier from harder, and embed these influences within the American youth. At times, I even struggle with remaining true to others and myself. My brother, Michael, age 22, struggles with attracting females and I suggest he change his style. But, he remains true to himself, which should be most acceptable. In his case and many others, females seek the best looking instead of the best candidate for a relationship. “They look at what you are wearing, your shoes, your belt, your hairstyle (Ezinearticles).” Due to the media, women gain a universal perspective of what is attractive: great style, muscular body, and good hair. This minuscule example shows the huge knot it leaves in society. Is it better to change your identity to be more accepted in society, or remain true to yourself? Ultimately, identity, the determining factor that defines one person from another, progresses into a conformity aspect rather than an individuality aspect.
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