I chose to discuss how "A question of civility, an open letter to Hu Jintao" functions as sustainable public discourse according to its "symbol-using." In Enoch's article "Becoming Symbol-Wise," he identifies an indexing exercise in which students analyze key terms within a text, and find out what they "equal" or mean within that specific text (Enoch 282). "Certain elements equal "bad or socially inferior while others equate to good or socially superior". In Lung Ying Tai's, Letter words such as censorship, inequality, and dictatorship are equated to violence and wrong, socially inferior positions. On the other hand, the terms value, freedom, respect, and share are associated with good and the socially superior.
Ling Tai's main use of negative symbolism appears in the section entitled "Cut Throat." She equates the Government's forced shutting down of an outspoken Chinese Newspaper, an act of both dictatorship and of censorship, with the violent act of throat cutting and execution (Ling Tai 283.) Execution and throat cutting which both are forms of murder can be confidently identified as "bad" in this context. Since these actions are carried out by the Chinese government which is represented by Hu Jintao, this bad/negative association can be assigned to both the country and its leader.
Ling Tai reveals what she believes to be socially superior in the section entitled what is your true face. Almost in opposition to the prior "negative" terms, she identifies independence, freedom of expression, and honesty as values that correlate most with her identity and that must be present in any place she chooses to live (Ling Tai 4,5). She says that living and growing up in Taiwan has imbued her with the respect for these certain values.
We can see that a definite corollary is set up Ling Tai in the Letter. Taiwan, is the country which is associated with values identified as positive like freedom and respect. The Peoples republic of China is oppositely associated with socially inferior terms like execution, censorship, and lies. Ling Tai states that she is most likely to side with the country which correlates most closely to the values she has identified as positive, and in this case that country is obviously Taiwan.
A word like execution is not always a negative term. Say for instance we were discussing the execution of a serial killer. In this case a government controlled execution might be seen as a positive.
Works Cited:
Lung, Ying-Tai. "A Question of Civility: An Open Letter to Hu, Jintao." OpenDemocracy Ltd. 15 Feb. 2006. Web. 10 Jul. 2010
Enock, Jessica. "Becoming Symbol-Wise: Kenneth Burke's Pedagogy of Critical Reflection." College Composition and Communication 56.2 (Dec 2004)
Part 2.
I would like to analyze and research the organic/natural food movement. In media such the film Food Inc and the book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, the processed, packaged, convenient foods that are consumed by many Americans are blamed for the rising levels of obesity and health problems in this Country. It is argued that eating a diet high in vegetables and processed foods is the healthiest way to live. I'd like to explore the divide between the two opposing sides, those in favor of organic/natural foods and those who for whatever reason see no reason to believe there is anything wrong with processed foods. A brochure or short PSA might be able to capture what I attempt to present.
