Public Speaking: A Roller Coaster

My most recent in-class public speaking endeavor would have to be the speech we gave in class on our civic artifact papers. For me, I had my content well-memorized, but my timing ended up becoming the main issue as I spoke for far too long. My greatest strength in that speech, I would say, is expressing passion for a topic. I think I do well to utilize strong word choice, which is often very difficult in that context, to convey my thoughts with precision. My greatest weaknesses, in my opinion, would be pacing, posture, and eye contact. I speak far too quickly, primarily as a function of nerves. My posture often becomes very casual past the point of confidence, which can become a detriment to my speaking. And finally my eye contact is often more of a cursory glance rather than sustained and prolonged connection.

More recently than the speech, I presented in a case competition to a small group of 5 judges with a team of 4 and then to a larger group of almost 50. In this context, while I was significantly less prepared, I felt much more comfortable. I think the poor preparation contributed to weakness in that I sometimes left out critical information, but it may have contributed to my poise. I often think well on my feet, and in this situation I might have come just short preparation-wise of the valley of awkwardness and found a balance between preparation and on-the-spot invention. In doing so, I feel like I balanced my strength of improvisation with my weakness of flaws in public speaking. Looking back, I know that my eye contact again was fairly superficial, but I feel that I was more composed. Perhaps this is a result of the group setting or the change in my preparation, but I believe I performed much more effectively in this setting.

Concussion Paradigm Shift

For my paradigm shift essay, I will be analyzing the changing perceptions of concussions and traumatic brain injuries primarily in the NFL. My paper will begin with a brief intro to the topic
before diving into historical background on the evolution of football since the early 1900's to today. After developing this context, I will look into some of the changes responsible for the shifting perception, such as improved research/technology as well as more prevalent cases of suicide amongst former players with CTE. Using this information, I will look to demonstrate the cultural nature of the shift in believes and values as well as what it indicates about our own culture, primarily the shift in manliness from being a rough-and-tumble suck it up philosophy to one that values making mature decisions as equally tough and manly. Through particular individuals such as Junior Seau and Chris Borland, I will frame the shift in cultural terms before concluding with the modern impact in pop culture and the overall lesson to be learned from the shift.

My working thesis statement right now is:

•         Increased awareness to the effects of traumatic brain injuries on former professional athletes stemming from improved research and poignant anecdotal examples has vastly altered the game from one of machismo and pushing through pain to one of caution and logic, demonstrating a significant shift in the perception of concussions in sports.

Right now, my sources come from a variety of places. Below is a working works cited page:

Beschloss, Michael. "T.R.'s Son Inspired Him to Help Rescue Football." The New York Times. New York Times Company, 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/upshot/trs-son-inspired-him-to-help-rescue- football.html?_r=0>.

Cole, Carrol. "Uncovering Concussions." Chicago Health. Northwest, 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://chicagohealthonline.com/uncovering-concussions/>.

Conway, Tyler. "Concussion Movie: Trailer, 2015 Release Date for New Will Smith Movie." Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting, 31 Aug. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2558444-concussion-movie-trailer-2015-release-date-for- new-will-smith-movie>.

Fantz, Ashley. "Chris Borland, 24, to Retire from NFL, Cites Fear of Concussions." CNN. Turner Broadcasting, 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/17/football/chris-borland-retirement-nfl-concussions/>.

Karaim, Reed. "NFL Controversies." CQ Researcher 4 Sept. 2015: 721-44. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Locker, Melissa. "Football Head Impacts Can Cause Brain Changes Even Without Concussion." Time. N.p., 1 Dec. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://time.com/3611146/football-head-impacts-can-cause-brain-changes-even-without- concussion/>.

Mayo Clinic Staff. "Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/basics/symptoms/con-20113581>.

"New NFL Rules Designed to Limit Head Injuries." NFL.com. NFL, 6 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81990bdf/article/new-nfl-rules-designed-to-limit- head-injuries>.

Sherman, Richard. "We Chose This Profession." The MMQB. Sports Illustrated, 23 Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/23/richard-sherman-seahawks-concussions-in-the-nfl>.

Velasco, Schuyler. "Junior Seau tragedy shakes NFL, intensifies concern about head injuries." Christian Science Monitor 03 May 2012: N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Vrentas, Jenny. "Where the Game Is Headed." The MMQB. Sports Illustrated, 25 Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://mmqb.si.com/2013/10/25/concussions-future-of-football>.

Paradigm Shifts

I’ve had a very difficult time coming up with two potential paradigm shifts to write a full essay and compose a TED talk about. However, I’ve finally reached a couple potential ideas.

First of all, I think it would be very interesting to dive into the historical connotations and ramifications of the proliferation of the personal computer. The development of technology to the point where anyone could own a computer and have that sort of computational power at their fingertips was a wild change from prior limitations on human productivity. While the change was somewhat slow, gradually moving from punch card operated behemoths to the razor-thin laptops that we carry today, I think focusing on the work of some influential entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs could illuminate a lot about the origin of our dependence on technology. By looking at this first boom of the personal computer market, I’d hope to not only learn about the technology involved but also the sociological consequences of such available technology.

I’m also very interested in the changing attitudes of young people towards college. I’ve read studies regarding the higher suicide rates amongst college students today than in the past, and the high pressure environment that has taken hold in universities across the nation must have some cultural basis. A thorough analysis of the beliefs of students, both high school and college level, to college life and the stresses associated with could be fruitful. So many stories hit the news about high performing students hitting a wall that leads them to depression or suicide, and I’m curious as to how this could be observed as a paradigm shift from earlier, less stressful cultures to the intense one we live in today.

One other idea I’ve thought about is the prevalence of bottled water. I don’t understand why people spend so much on it, and I think this would be something interesting to look into. I’ve fleshed this idea out much less, but I think there is some potential for an interesting project. Analyzing the causes and effects of the shift from drinking tap water to bottled water could be quite intriguing.

How Ethical is Kairos?

At first, the ancient Greek notion of Kairos seems incredibly straightforward. Akin to ethos, logos, and pathos, Kairos initially struck me as a simple extension of these methods of persuasion, another aspect to take into consideration when developing rhetoric. However, closer analysis reveals the nuance of the matter.

Take Kairos as an ethical or moral dilemma. Appealing to one’s own credibility, crafting logical arguments, and emphasizing the emotional response to certain topics are all quite aboveboard means of persuasion. Kairos, however, can be seen as their sly cousin. To use Kairos, in my opinion, could be taken as deceptive and conniving.

Utilizing the ideals of Kairos – the cliché “to strike while the iron is hot” – is generally a perfectly valid rhetorical facet to keep in mind when constructing arguments and appeals. To capitalize on the germaneness of a certain issue is perfectly reasonable. However, I contest that fabricating one’s own Kairotic situation is an underhand ploy, one that validates the stereotypical misunderstanding that rhetoric is deceptive.

As students in class, the example blogs provided, and the book itself detailed, one can easily manufacture one’s own Kairos by, for example, buttering up your parent before making a request that would normally fall short. In this context, Kairos is an unnecessary crutch to a poor argument/appeal. If one’s rhetoric requires this sort of artificial Kairos, perhaps it’s meaningful that the argument wasn’t effective enough to succeed without it.

When the situation creates its own Kairos, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech or President Obama’s smoking habit resurfacing around New Years, utilizing Kairos in an invaluable way to seize the fleeting nature of opportunity in the fast-paced world we live in. However, to artificially manufacture Kairos is an underhanded tactic that unethically inflates the effectiveness of one’s rhetoric. When an argument cannot stand on its own and requires groveling to a parent or necessitates support in the form of false Kairos, utilizing the ancient ideal gets more complicated.

While there is value in understanding and exercising Kairos in plenty of rhetorical situation, there are certain complications, be they ethical or otherwise, that one must consider.

If Churchill Knew Calculus, Could He Make the NY Times?

Honestly, coming up with something to write about for this passion blog has plagued me for over a week. Perhaps my muted enthusiasm doesn’t constitute passion; hours and hours of brain wracking have yielded at least a few viable topics, though. I’m the sure the title might’ve caught you off guard, but allow me to explain.

My first topic revolves around the pithy aphorisms of the esteemed Winston Churchill. I’ve always found his oft-quoted sayings to not only reflect his direct candor, but also to demonstrate an inner intellectualism that can be detected upon slightly deeper inspection of the language and meaning of his most famous expressions. I hope that through a thorough analysis of select quotes, I can uncover the contained meanings while applying the lessons learned to my own life in order to create an analytically intriguing and increasingly applicable blog.

As much as I find Churchill’s words interesting, they light no fire in me like mathematics does. My true passion lies therein, but I have qualms about developing a blog revolving about the mother of all sciences. I’d like to cite examples from popular math texts and expound upon them in an attempt to cultivate appreciation for mathematics and to instill fondness for its elegance and beauty. I worry that this topic is simply not applicable enough to a majority of students, but I believe that channeling the deep passion I have for it, in the proper medium and with appropriate examples, could create an engaging blog.

Finally, I am acutely aware of my own dismal participation (read: lack thereof) as a citizen of this nation. In an attempt to inform both myself and my readership, I think another interesting blog idea would be to read and analyze the cover story of an issue of the New York Times each week. In doing so, I would attempt to not merely summarize but to dissect, synthesize, and disseminate the more important facets of each cover story. In an era of compartmentalized information being boiled down to 140 character messages and 15 second sound-bytes, a thorough analysis of good old newsprint could be especially rewarding.

Practice Post

I am learning how to blog.

This website will show you about Penn State.