Rhetorical Analysis Of Steve Jobs Commencement Speech

Harmon 1 A Rhetorical Analysis of Steve Jobs Commencement Speech for Stanford Universitys Graduating Class of 2005: Jobs titled his speech Youve got to find what you love. Steve Jobs is best known as an American entrepreneur, inventor and industrial designer. He was the cofounder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. and founder, CEO and chairman of Pixar Animation Studios. Jobs and cofounder of Apple Inc. Steve Wozniak are wildly recognized as pioneers of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. The Rhetorical Analysis is a prepared text of the Commencement Address delivered by Steve Jobs on June 12, 2005, published by Stanford News which is produced by the office of University Communications and updated daily on the web†¦show more content†¦Jobs found an effective way of balancing his use of Ethos, Pathos and Logos to control the delivery and receipt of his message. His tone is informal, he speaks in the first person singular to his audience (I) himself and (you) his audience to the components of (we) as equals. He constructed a persuasive rhetorical stance with the use of Ethos: The persona of the rhetor is larger than life, a world renowned an innovative genius in his field. A very credible and appropriate choice to excite college graduates. Isnt this an uncertain goal college graduates aspire to achieve? Yet from the onset of the speech, the rhetor engaged his audience with his use of pathos to soften the larger than life figure addressing them. First with his use of pathos announcing the title of the speech they would hear.‘You’ve Got to Find What You Love’ suggesting to his audience, this is not about me. It is about me only to the extent of aiding you on your journey to achieve your success. I am here for you today. After the traditional â€Å"I’m honored to be here and your University is one of the finest in the world he unified his audience and himself. We are both honored to be in the prescience of each other and we are both important people in the world. He immediately went a step forward with this rhetorical stance by sharing that he never graduated from college or attended a college graduation. Jobs announced his message was simple. Many rhetors have chosen to tell their story. That is notShow MoreRelatedSteve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech Analysis1394 Words   |  6 PagesSteve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech: Speak from the Heart A- Speaker and Subject Identification. When technology, innovative and new products subjects is brought up, a few names come to mind. Between these names is that of Steve Jobs, the founder of Pixar Animation, NeXT, and Apple, Steve Jobs, was widely known for changing the world of personal computers and electronic fields. His determination led to significant developments that have affected the lives of everyone of us. There is no denyingRead MoreSteve Jobs Commencement Speech Analysis1462 Words   |  6 PagesOn his commencement speech to Stanford students on June 12, 2005, Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple computers and PIXAR animations, used carefully crafted inspirational anecdotes and rhetorical devices like ethos and pathos to move his audience to explore, follow their dream and do what they love no matter the odds. Jobs’ gave his commencement address at Stanford students graduation ceremony in 2005, which had an audience size of about 23000. The audience is composed of immensely diverse groups of peopleRead MoreArt of Public Speaking5805 Words   |  24 Pagesall major aspects of speech preparation and presentation. Throughout The Art of Public Speaking I have followed David Hume’s advice that one â€Å"who would teach eloquence must do it chiefly by examples.† Whenever possible, I have tried to show the principles of public speaking in action in addition to describing them. Thus you will find in the book a large number of narratives and extracts from speeches--set off from the text in a contrasting typeface. There are also many speech outlines and sample

Changing Self Essay Free Essays

The texts studied in the Area of Study have been very significant in shaping my understanding of the concept of Changing Self. The novel Willow Tree and Olive, written by Irini Savvides, the short film Be My Brother (directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009) and the film About A Boy (directed by Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002), while different in form and cultural contexts, have both affirmed and challenged a range of ideas about Changing Self. One significant that these texts explore reflecting the complexity of changing self is that a change in self can involve a shift whether physical, emotional, social or intellectual change. We will write a custom essay sample on Changing Self Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Further, the texts explore the idea that a change in self can be facilitated by an external catalyst. The novel â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides explores the idea that changing self can involve a shift whether physical, emotional, and social or an intellectual change. Initially, Olive has experienced some trauma in her past, and only has brief recollections of it. She feels different from others and is detached from her family and friends because of the trauma. This is presented through the nightmares she recalls from the night of her rape: â€Å"It’s a memory – like a flashback, and I’m in it. The use of the simile reflects the event that took place upon her and recalls what happens. Later throughout the novel, Olive has a new appreciation for her family and friends. This is reflected through, â€Å"Dance. Watch people. Go for walks. Write poetry in my head. And I fall in love. With my people and their passion for life, and their acceptanc e of me, even though I am different. † Here, Olive comes to the realisation that the people, who she loves, support her even throughout the horror and change she has experienced because of her past. Thus, a change in self can involve a shift and is clearly demonstrated through the novel â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides. Likewise, the film â€Å"About A Boy† (Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002) similarly explores the idea of changing self-involving a shift through a social and intellectual change. The main character, Will Freeman, is a rich, childfree and irresponsible 38-year-old slacker who, in search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. Initially, Will is a self-centred person who is unable to connect with people and being scared by commitment and love. Through cinematography, the montage of scenes of women Will has been out on a date with and also a connection with sentences convey the personality Will has, â€Å"I’m sorry, you’re breaking up with me? You, self-centred bastard, I can’t believe I have wasted all this time with you, you useless superficial loser. † On the contrary, as Will meets Marcus, an awkward 12-year-old boy his view on life changes through a series of events. Once you open your door to one person, anyone can come in. † This conveys that as he has let Marcus come into his life, more people are invited and he begins to make friends and have a closer bond with each of them. In addition, he has changed his view towards people which demonstrates social change. As a result, the film, â€Å"About A Boy† directed by Paul and Chris Weitz demonstrates that a chang e in self involves a shift, particularly a social and intellectual change. Another idea explored in the novel Willow Tree and Olive is that an external catalyst can facilitate a change in self. The catalyst of Olive is Kerry who is her mentor in helping her through the trauma she has suffered. Initially, Olive is afraid of what Kerry will say if she told her about her traumatic past and if she will have a different view about Olive. She attempts to trust Kerry by telling her: â€Å"I CAN’T BELIEVE I SAID IT. WHAT IF KERRY NEVER SPEAKS TO ME AGAIN†¦ BUT IT IS THE TRUTH. † Through the use of capitalisation, it shows that Olive is conscious and anxious about what she has told Kerry. She also is reflecting upon what she has said and in disbelief about how and why she had told her. Later in the novel, Olive begins to trust her friend Kerry that is shown through: â€Å"I wouldn’t have made it without your love. † Olive shows an appreciation for her friend Kerry and it is evidence of Kerry’s support for Olive through her past trauma through her affection towards Olive. Thus, it is evident that an external catalyst can facilitate a change in self. Similarly the short film â€Å"Be My Brother† (Genevieve Clay, 2009) explores the idea of changing self being facilitated by an external catalyst. Initially, Amanda is in insularity and has a disconnection with Richard because she acts negatively towards him through body language. Amanda’s posture is averted away from Richard and her facial expression with discomfort. In addition, Amanda and Richard are framed singularly and the proximity of their seating; Richard is on far left hand side of the seat and Amanda in the opposite. Later in the film, her previous assumptions about Richard’s intellect have been challenged and proven incorrect. This is characterised through the juxtaposition of Richard and Amanda in the same frame as well as the change in Amanda’s body language; her facial expression is positive as she is miling and she is facing Richard as they both converse. Thus, the short film, â€Å"Be My Brother† directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009 clearly demonstrates the idea of changing self being facilitated by an external catalyst. In conclusion, the range of texts I have studied have been influential in shaping my understanding about the concept of changing self, emphasising that changing self is a complex process that is highly individual and shaped by many factors which can be both internal and external. The texts, â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides, â€Å"Be My Brother† directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009 and â€Å"About A Boy† directed by Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002 explore a range of ideas such as a change in self can be facilitated by an external catalyst and it can also involve a shift whether physical, emotional, social or intellectual. The texts have assisted me to appreciate that there are various methods, which may be complex, that allow an individual to change self. How to cite Changing Self Essay, Essay examples

Cultural diversity policy Essay Example For Students

Cultural diversity policy Essay Another coordinator of a cultural diversity project said it had helped to foster a realisation, understanding and sense of self. Existing collections are employed to similar ends. In this case, artefacts are treated as a kind of mirror into which visitors gaze in order to see themselves. Rajiv Anand, cultural diversity development officer for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, ran a project in West Yorkshire with 16- to 25-year-olds, working with the museums South Asian collection. The aim was not to appreciate South Asian art. Instead, the project was called Who am I? , and it aimed to use the collections to explore the young peoples sense of identity. The group produced a video talking about how they bridged the cultural differences between school and home life, and whether they felt British or Asian. The aim, said Anand, was for the group to see themselves reflected in various artefacts (18). Although many of these projects target ethnic minorities, the issue is not really about ethnicity. Instead, the focus is on peoples private sense of self. The same kinds of project could apply for visitors from all backgrounds. So why the focus on minorities? One reason is opportunism. Minority groups are seen as the most vulnerable and excluded, and in most need of public recognition. Another reason is guilt. Because cultural institutions no longer believe in cultural value, their collections of Rembrandt and Constable look shamefully narrow and exclusive. By collecting the most everyday things from the most marginalised in society, museums are engaging in self-admonishment, castigating themselves for once being so high and mighty. Because this policy sees every object in terms of personal identity, it is blind to imaginative or well-crafted paintings, interesting or rare historical artefacts. It is indifferent to form, colour or pattern. Cultural diversity officers must barely glance at the paintings they are putting on their walls, or the Asian art they use in their discussions about identity. Everything is judged by the amount of personal meaning invested in it. The illumination that art can bring is lost. In actual fact, it is the painting, not the artists emotion, that is the valuable thing. As the New York art critic Jed Perl has written: What counts is that whatever the artist is thinking or feeling is absorbed into the look, the character, the intricacies of the work. The painting, the sculpture makes its own terms, and we judge what we see. (19) Strong private emotions are no guarantee of art that can be understood and appreciated by others. Similarly, self-obsession can limit our enjoyment of art: we can gain satisfaction by examining the paintings texture, colour and form, rather than by glorying in our reflection in the glass. One museum director described the process of entering into the world of the painting as unselfing, giving up self-centred defences and concerns (20). Moreover, it is only by examining art as an object, as something that exists outside of us, that we might hope to judge it by cultural standards of value. As the critic Lionel Trilling put it: Objectivity, we might say, is the respect we give to the object as object, as it exists apart from us. (21) Cultural diversity policy makes historical artefacts similarly dumb. Chinese paintings, Greek brooches, and Egyptian mummies provide a glimpse into another time and place. They can take us out of our own lives, and give us an insight into other societies worldview and way of life. Fragments of pot can speak of a long-dead civilisations myths, social structure, economy and diet. Study of these artefacts in turn helps us to put our own society in perspective: seeing it as the latest step in the march of human history, rather than as the only possible way of living. If historical artefacts are viewed in personal terms, they stop telling us anything. Instead of learning about human diversity, then, we end up stuck in our present-day lives. This policy also has a low view of its visitors. The assumption is that visitors are uninterested in or unable to learn about the world. On the Road Essay PaperThe artefacts of different cultures are judged in terms of the colour of the faces that they bring in. Meanwhile, some of humanitys greatest artistic achievements, in European art from the Renaissance onwards, are sidelined for attracting the wrong kinds of people which is a loss for everyone, regardless of ethnic background. Diversity targets view ethnic minorities as uniform members of a group, rather than as intelligent and curious individuals with a range of interests. They are often assumed to be only interested in art relating to their particular culture, which is why cultural institutions try to attract the Chinese community with exhibitions about Chinese culture or the Afro-Caribbean community with exhibitions about slavery. The effect of this approach is to institutionalise cultural divisions. A black artist is marked out as different from other artists, a minority-ethnic individual as different to other museum workers, and a British-Chinese museum-goer different to other museum-goers. The possibility of an open and universal public culture, in which each person can develop their own capabilities and learn from others, is placed yet further away. * Measuring up to the past Cultural diversity policy is founded upon the collapse of traditional cultural policy. The celebration of diversity for its own sake expresses the disorientation of the cultural elite, once belief in standards of cultural value had waned. But the same policy is also a response to this disorientation, providing a new logic and role for cultural institutions. Todays cultural policy justifies itself through a critique of the past. According to contemporary wisdom, traditional cultural policy was merely an extension of the worldview of particular individuals. People such as Matthew Arnold and John Maynard Keynes were trying to foist their taste and values upon everyone. All that talk about sweetness and light was just sugar for the pill. Given that cultural values are merely cover for individual identity, goes the argument, how much better to allow as many different people to express their preferences as possible. Why should Turner be given so much room to represent his sea voyages in the National Gallery why not allow more people to portray their travelling experiences? In fact, todays diversity officers are foisting their cultural assumptions upon the past. The past is judged by the limited horizons of the present, and the present gets to pat itself on the back. The traditional British elites cultural policy was, to some degree at least, true to its rhetoric. Although cultural institutions were set up for ideological reasons, they were much more than ideology. Museums and galleries really were a separate sphere, where art and history could be studied for their own sake. These institutions aesthetic and intellectual judgements cannot be reduced to cultural, political or personal identity. After all, we must remember that it was cultures lofty aspirations that attracted the nineteenth-century bourgeoisie in the first place. Those lofty aspirations should be defended. Todays cultural policy actually has much in common with the nineteenth century brand of bourgeois philistinism that the men of culture were rebelling against. According to the philistines, the only standard of cultural value was the amount of pleasure it gave to the individual. On this basis, English philosopher Jeremy Bentham decided that: Prejudice apart, the game of push-pin is of equal value with the arts and sciences of music and poetry. (25) Another trademark of the philistines was the celebration of everyone having their own opinion. Matthew Arnold satirised this doing as one likes, as he called it: the aspirations of culture, he said, are not satisfied, unless what men say, when they may say what they like, is worth saying (26). In Benthams pleasure principle, we can see something of cultural diversity policys emphasis on making visitors feel valued; in doing as one likes, we can see the celebration of diversity. The common assumption is that culture is merely about individual preferences and pleasure. This is not a question of whether ethnic minorities should go to museums, or whether museums should show exhibitions about immigrant history or Islamic art.