SWA #4

TRACE

The rhetorical situations in two types of texts pose both differences and similarities in the contexts and subjects of which and to whom they are written. An online blog by academic economists and law school teacher, David Friedman, predominantly differs, yet still contains a few similarities, from an online “place for friends” as the slogan for Myspace states.
David Friedman’s blog is a sophisticated yet understated forum in which he poses relatively non-biased and random topics in order to generate various responses. Though a Myspace member may also post random questions on their board in hopes to receive an answer or response, these questions tend to be of a more trivial and sometimes more personal nature such as: “Can anybody tell me where tom’s party is and what booze I need to bring?” and “My boyfriend and I are going to Europe this summer and don’t know what to pack, any suggestions?” Though the texts in both forums contain questions and topics worthy of a reply, depending on what you consider worthy, David Friedman’s blog is an intelligent presentation of ideas with simple aesthetics that don’t detract from what you’re actually reading. Whereas a Myspace account has a bright and distracting background accompanied by music and videos that are automatically playing in the background while you’re trying to read the new favorite bands your friend just posted.
Both created on the internet, these online forums must technically have a universal audience because both profiles are available to anyone with internet access, unless, of course, a Myspace member has set their profile as private. Although their audience may be unknown, it is likely that a friend or relative of a Myspace member will be viewing their profile as opposed to a stranger who was coincidentally searching Myspace for someone with the same name. In addition, it is also likely that a person who searches online for “Low Cost Cooling”, the title of the most current topic posed on Friedman’s blog, will have the option of reading and posting a response rather than someone who searches for a question-asking Blogspot member in need of an opinion. On the other hand, since these coincidences do occur, the true question is, “ do I care enough to read and pay attention?” as Lloyd Bitzer states in a document entitled, The Rhetorical Situation. Anyone is subject to actually reading and commenting on Friedman’s blog topics or actually viewing and participating in the social networking of a Myspace member. As part of the audience, it’s all just a matter of selection in a rhetorical situation.