Saturday, January 22, 2011
GROUP 2 BLOG
Our group chose the blog "The Problem With Young People Today Is..." by Donald Mills. This blog consists of Donald Mills using comedy to highlight all of the short-comings of young people today. He also contrasts young and old people, and in the process of contrasting he highlights a lot of the old people's flaws comedically as well. The link for the blog is http://crabbyoldfart.wordpress.com/
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This week I’m going to respond to question #4 regarding Don’s ethos. At first I wasn’t really sure how to address his ethos because I wasn’t able to find any credentials that would clue me into his education as a reason to find what he was talking about credible. However, after looking at the amount of comments he received on his posts, I realized that a significant amount of people were listening to what this man had to say. So I thought to myself, why would so many people be interested in what Don had to say? What would cause them to trust his opinion enough to keep up with his blog on a weekly basis? The obvious response to this, I think, is that a lot of people agree with his opinions. How often do we hear how awful our generation is, with our “I want it now” attitude and technology centered lives? Plus, the fact that he has a sense of humor that a lot of people like and find funny also adds to how relatable Don and his opinions are. But I also thought that maybe his age had something to do with his ethos. From his picture he looks like the typical wise-old-man type. A lot of people put stock in what their elders have to say because they have had a lifetime of experiences to base their opinions off of. Perhaps people want to hear his opinions because he looks like he could be your grandfather, who just happens to have a string yet common opinion about youngsters and sarcasm to back it up.
ReplyDeletePromt #1:
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, I start smiling because Donald Mills picked a funny blog name. I noticed the banner was at the top of the blog with an old man picture sitting on brownish/whitish plaid loveseat; on the left side of the banner you can find the name of the blog "The Problem with Young People Today Is..." in a white large font. It is obvious that the blog is a comedy blog. From the words on the banner, we can assume that Donald’s blog contrasts with young people’s attitudes.
I'd like to respond to question number 7 again this week.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through multiple posts in Donald's blog, I don't believe it serves any purpose to enhance the reader's knowledge. I believe that the main purpose of this blog is for it to serve as a source of entertainment. Many of the posts a very humorous even though they are directed mostly at all the "damned young people," which I'm proudly part of this group. For example, the most recent posts with the advertisements for mouth sanitizer and hearing aids were very humorous. Also, another funny aspect about the blog was the "41 Problems with Young People," on the right side of the page. An underlying purpose of the blog could be for older people to complain about their ungrateful grandchildren before their next family gathering. Many comment on the blogs about the under "41 Problems with Young People" are complements to Donald and some complaints about their own experiences. Even after this, I still believe the blog is mainly used as entertainment.
I would like to comment on prompt #7.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through a couple of the posts on the blog I would have to say that it has no effect on people's thought. I think this because the writer writes to his ideal audience. I think this because he only writes things that people who have the same beliefs will want to read and take seriously. If his blog was successful at changing peoples minds he would have more comments from people in the middle of the audience spectrum. Where he has a chance of changing their minds instead of just reinforcing the hardcore fans beliefs or just enraging the teenagers he is talking about.
I would like to response to question #2:
ReplyDeleteAt first glance of all the blog, I was attracted by the article called"made in china". As a chinese, I feel strongly agree with that we can find made in china everywhere in the world. When I traveled to some other countries, I always bought some local gift that made in china Inadvertently. This article emphasize on the effect of this kind of globalization. It states that if united state continue ignore manufacturing, the economy will collapse one day. Almost everyone in the comment agree with this argument. But most people believe that people would be willing to get their hands dirty and work manufacturing jobs if they were available. To emphasize the huge control of chinese goods in the market, commenters usually use exaggeration to express their feeling about this opinion. Also people like to use satire like the only things made in America nowadays are celebrity dimwits, methamphetamines and bastard children.
I'm going to respond to question #6
ReplyDeleteThis guy is hilarious! But I think it's all apart of his persuasive moves to get everyone to follow him. He believes that Americans need to roll up there sleeves and get back on the assembly lines. Also that we need to buy from America only. That is his view and he persuades us in believing it by all the comical pictures and profanity. A lot of people agree with him so obviously this is working well. I do agree with what Tyler said though, about having a target audience that agrees with him and the rest just like the comedy he posts. His blog does seem to have a intended audience of young and old people. He has hearing aids that block out the annoying young people and tattoo patches that reduces your cravings for expensive and poorly considered life choices.......hilarious!And look at him a mean old grandfather figure with 40's glasses and huge ears.
I'm going to respond to question #7
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through a couple of the posts i've come to the conclusion that this blog has no real purpose but to provide entertainment. Some of the things this guy posts are just ridiculous like the ebay one. Who trys to sell a sandwich or a used urn on the internet? Also in most of his posts they have humor tagged in them. So i don't think he is trying to change peoples values or ideas or anything like that. He is just trying to be funny.
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ReplyDeleteI would like to response to #6 as well. Well, Don’s perspective on “Made in China” issue has aroused my interest to go for question 6. I aware of the catastrophe that America might face in the near future, and I do understand Don’s attempt to persuade for the improvement of America manufacturing industry. However, at this point I spotted logical fallacies in his arguments by looking into the whole situation. (Well, I am not quite sure too). I think U.S. shoppers may be forgiven if they are becoming wary of Chinese-made gods and trying to fill their shopping carts with products free ingredients from that country. But the problem is that may be almost impossible. Thus I guess Don’s persuasion on Americans to further industrialize is not quite persuasive as handwork in America can’t be cheap. Still, Don may think he won his argument by engaging in this sort of persuasion, but in actual point of fact, the readers that involved in that decision have lost by going along with him. Don should wants to arrive at the truth, the best solution, or the most logical conclusion by offering the best evidence instead. Perhaps he has no aim in changing people’s value at all; but to be funny!
ReplyDeletequestion 6
ReplyDeletei particularly enjoyed the third to last paragraph under "made in china." he basically makes the claim that young people live very hypocritical, selfish, consumer lifestyles by buying all sorts of extravagant useless things for as cheap as they can (via sweatshop laborers) but then pretend to give a shit about the poor by publicly voicing support for humanitarian organizations. i think that because he is funny, he can actually speak to the subjects (young people) of the jokes. i mean, i'm a young person and i totally agree with him. instead of being real serious and attacking young people, he takes a very comical approach and yet he still makes a pretty bold statement. i also think that because he makes fun of old people (a group of people he is apart of), it's not hard to laugh at myself when he makes fun of young people (a group i am apart of) because i don't feel like i'm the only one who is stupid. i enjoyed this guy's blog a lot.
I choose to respond to prompt 7.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this blog has any real effect on its audience besides for making them laugh. After reading his posts, Don Mills seems to be like a stereotypical old man who is irritable, stubborn, and angry at young people. An example of this is his when he complains about teenagers getting too tall, blaming it on MTV, video games, and arrogance. Most of his posts are absurd cliches like this one, and I think he is more of a character than anything else. Based on some of the blog responses, though, most people who seem to follow the blog agree with his comments. Despite this, I think most of the blog's main readers just find Don's opinions to be funny because they are so absurd.
Prompt #6
ReplyDeleteThe blogger uses his own image to open the blog and give a first idea of it. The banner on the home page has the title and a picture of a old guy, The title gives to the reader what the blog is going to talk about and how it is going to do so. "The problem of young people today is..." (this is the title next to the picture of an old guy (the writer) is something of most intuitive thing a blogger can do, another example could be a patriotic blogger which selects the american flag and a eagle for the banner.
Going through his blog it is possible to find different topics but with all the same point of view. The writer is never out from the topic but always in the center of the discussion, and he always try to make his idea clear to the reader. The way he does that is the ironic and funny way, making fun of something he talks about real and unreal problems. In his posts we can find a dislike against young people but he also talks about something completely different like the funny stuff it is possible to find on ebay and the Chinese production of goods. It looks like the ideas are made by his mind and he doesn't relate himself with any media or other blog. The blog seems to work, a lot of positive feedbacks are made by viewers.
Prompt #7:
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the blog actually does anything that would effect anyone's knowledge or beliefs. Donald Mills complains and complains about young adults, but I don't even think he is expecting them to read the blog. Therefore, absolutely nothing is being done here. Younger people aren't looking at his criticism, and if they did, I doubt that they would look at it and change their way of life. The only thing that it does is make adults (the target audience) laugh at young adults' expense. The target audience isn't actually reading something stimulating and changing their perspective on things. They simply visit the site for a laugh.
I would like to respond to Prompt #6:
ReplyDeleteThe author introduces the idea that young people are responsible for the dependency on China in our economy today. While he makes a good point that the economy isn't the same as it was "back in the day", he doesn't make a valid argument to back up his statement. Rather, he simply mocks some of the new stereotypical roles that have recently been born in the new economy. It could possibly be that "old people" such as the author are partially to blame for our current state of economy. The audience will probably not be influenced by his post, but simply enjoy its humor.
Just so I get credit for responding to a prompt:
ReplyDeleteI'll go with #7 like everyone else.
I really don't *think* that this blog does much in terms of values or beliefs or such but then again that's just what I think. However, how do we know that? How do we know that his true disposition toward the younger generations really isn't shown here? And how do we know that he really isn't trying to teach 'kids' a lesson? As I said, I feel this blog is mostly for entertainment as it plays on stereotypes and typical behaviours and beliefs of teenagers and then how the 'old folk' such as the writer feel about these 'kids'. But who knows. Also, I want to agree with whoever posted before that said he posts a lot of random things like the ebay post with the false teeth and sandwich and what not. That's obviously just for entertainment. Another thing is, i feel like I disagree with the person above that said young people don't read this so he's strictly entertaining older folk. Though most of his viewers are the older generations, while looking through i've seen a few comments, emails, etc. from younger kids telling him off. So I guess Chelsea is right in the sense that even if kids do read it, it wont change anything. But I guess that maybe if his feelings are out there, and others agree, maybe they can try to change it?
Prompt 1:
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I noticed when I came to this page was the picture of him. I found this really funny when you paired the picture with the title because the title implies that he is an old man who just really hates all the new technology and young people, and then when you look at his picture you see that he looks like an old, pissed of man. From the title and the picture you can tell that the central theme for this blog is going to be about a man complaining about all the new things that are going on in the world and how they are ruining everything. The one thing that I would like to know is why is he so pissed off at the world and young people? He never really explains why he is so mad. Did someone do something to him to just hate young people?
Prompt #4
ReplyDeleteAfter looking through several posts, i believe that Don Mills thinks the world of his "Experience". Throughout his posts he references the work ethic and the strong willed mentality of his generation, and comparing this to the "lack" of these qualities in todays youth. I feel that his ethos gets in the way of anyone with a different feeling. His writing will appeal to anyone of the same viewpoint, but to any differing opinions he can seem very biased and uneducated about the present world we live in. With respect to the article on how everything is produced in china and how that is america's fault for being lazy, he lets his ethos get in the way of the truth. He feels that because in his day everyone worked in manufacturing plants, people who don't want to now are lazy. When in reality it is called the advancement of society. America no longer produces basic goods because we have evolved to much higher levels. Way more of today's youth go to college than ever before, and of these more and more get specialized training in advanced fields such as medicine, research, and technology. Unfortunately his Ethos won't allow him to see that, so i feel that this method of arguing with experience backfires on him.
Prompt #7
ReplyDeleteI really liked the Myth Busting section. I thought it was funny that he was refuting stereotypes of old people with stereotypes of young people. I thought both groups' stereotypes were pretty funny, but obviously not true for all members of the groups. I agree with some of the other bloggers in that he does a great job entertaining the readers and making them laugh, but doesn't really influence them on the social issues he brings up.