I decided to kick off the blog project with a post of my own so that you can practice commenting. I chose a New York Times Opinion/Editorial article by Jonathan Franzen from May 2011. I chose this because it relates to our conversation from class on Wednesday about how simply "liking" something on facebook is a snap judgment, which closes down analysis and conversation. Use the link below to read the article and then practice posting a short (5-10 sentences) comment. As you read, (hopefully) enjoy, and comment away, remember that our goal is to avoid judgments as well; so the goal is not to discuss whether we like, dislike, agree, or disagree with Franzen's point, but rather to observe how he makes his point and what effect it has on the audience.
Here are a couple of questions to guide you as you comment:
1) What sorts of metaphors or comparisons does Franzen set up to make his point? Are they effective?
2) How does Franzen provide evidence for his claims (data, citing other writers, observation, personal experience?). Is his use of evidence convincing?
3) Describe the tone of the article. Does the piece seem to be more analytical or more argumentative? Why?
