Reflection of the Course

I really liked how in this course we were able to write and reflect on other pieces of writing. I liked how the material was able to be applied to current events and see how stories can change over time. It is also interesting to explore how different websites or news sources portray stories in different ways. I think in the long term this course helped me realize the sources from which I get my information and realize the importance of keeping up with the current issues of the world. 

Two Parts to Every Story

On May 1^st, 2011 the US government succeed in its long time goal to end Osama bin Laden’s life. This feat, which had been a goal of the US for decades, was a huge turning point for the United States and a big accomplishment in the international struggle against terrorism. Found in his compound in Pakistan, the al-Qaeda leader was shot and killed in the compound. Throughout different areas of the world reactions to the same story are different. By following the same story it is interesting to note how the same information can be interpreted differently by different audiences or portrayed differently to different audiences. In this essay I will attempt to understand the meaning of the same story in different press spheres and how they are portrayed differently within different societies.

News travelled fast around the US, the news of the long sought after terrorist seemed to be in every sort of media possible. Gone viral on Facebook, Twitter and what seemed to be every news source across the internet. On his blog, the Daily Dish (italicized?) he states:

“I pray tonight for the souls of the departed who died that awful day, and all their family members and friends. I pray for the souls of those great Americans who resisted on Flight 93. I pray for all those who have died in the two wars that followed this atrocity”

Sullivan expresses the solemn memories that the event rekindles. He also illustrates the relief that the country seems to feel as it slowly recovers from the terrors that occurred on September 11^th. The events of 9/11 signified a sort of unifying of the country in a time of mourning. The death of Osama bin Laden did somewhat the same thing, demonstrated the solidarity that comes from uniting for a common goal. This reaction is demonstrated in Sullivan’s reflection.

            The reaction of al-Qaeda was much different, as one would imagine. In a statement which was released be CNN, the leaders express the deep devotion to their leader who seems to be idealized throughout the statement.

"Congratulations to the Islamic Nation on the martyrdom of their devoted son Osama…the blood of the mujahid sheikh Osama bin Laden, may God have mercy on him is VERY dear to us and more precious to us and to every Muslim from being shed in vain and this blood (OBL’s blood) will be a curse that will chase the Americans and their agents, a curse that will pursue them inside and outside their country” (1).

In description of bin Laden’s “martyrdom” al-Qaeda attempts to illustrate the significance of the leader but also the bin Laden’s essence as a leader for them. While most of the world is celebrating, al-Qaeda attempts to emphasize the importance of bin Laden’s death. While the overall essence of the reaction does come through in this testimonial it is important to recognize that since the statement is translated, some of the original meaning is lost simply because the vocabulary is not completely invertible.

            Depending on the country the press releases were different. In Egypt the press did not release a story about bin Laden’s death until almost a day later than the rest of the international community. This lack of urgency in the media, demonstrates their lack of enthusiasm on the subject. This could also be interpreted as a sort of companionship with Pakistan for it shows that the demolition of a major terrorist leader and a negative representation of Pakistan as a country. In a proclamation regarding the al-Qaeda leader’s death the Egyptian foreign minister, Nabil al-Arabi CNN cited his statement saying, “When it comes to the declared death of Bin Laden, Egypt is against all kinds of violence. The Egyptian government does not have a comment”. In his address he states that Egypt is not trying to take a stance even though much of the world has celebrated the decent of the much-feared leader.

In many forms of the media the emphasis on certain issues, or lack there of as the case may be, is a form of bias in itself. Not only is the way in which a story is portrayed important but also the prominence that is placed on that certain issue within the media source as well. Each story is shown differently in each place that it is represented and the people it is intended to reach are important as well.

As well as different emphasizes are the places in which we get a news story. A person can get news from many sorts of sources. The internet is a popular place of information but even within this there are many places that people can acquire information. There is news sites, social media sites, blogs and even YouTube. Like the emphasis that is placed on each story, the source from which you get the news also affects a person’s personal interpretation of the story. For example if a good friend tells you about a current event rather than you stumbling across it on the internet the story is going to hold different connotations. When told to you by a friend, a certain personal aspect is added to the story, the importance is greater or lesser depending on your views of that person.

As Martin recalls of his students in Egypt he points out the differences in communication of the stories among people. He states that:

“While Twitter and Facebook pumped news of bin Laden’s death around the globe, word-of-mouth still mattered. Most of the fifty or so students in my two journalism ethics sections, who are wealthier and more digitally connected than most of the other 80 million people in Egypt, heard the news from a friend, taxi driver, relative, or me…[demonstrating] the interplay between digital and interpersonal communication.”

Martin illustrates the importance of where we get our news and how that affects our overall outlook on the story itself.

            The media has all sorts of influences over the public and depending on the audience they are trying to appeal to and the importance that they place on that certain subject. Each society has different views about certain issues and the media strives to cater to these issues that are prevalent. Each story changes from source to source and no source is unbiased. The source from which we take our information and the medium from which it is portrayed all influence how each person perceives the event that takes place. The way in which a story evolves and changes from source to source is astonishing and adds to the overall reaction of the public that perceives it. A news story is never simple and the layers that add to the overall interpretation that a person gets from the story are endless.

Taking an Approach

Like many of Harris’ other chapters in his book Rewriting, when discussing the topic of taking an approach, Harris breaks it into three different ways of considering it in your writing. First, is to acknowledge your influences, this is done by expressing how other authors have personally influenced your view in your argument. Often this is done without citing the others text specifically. Another way of doing this by what Harris explains as turning an approach. For this kind of writing you simply ask the same questions that another author used but asking them of a different topic. Lastly, Harris describes how to use reflexivity. In this instance one reflects on how to the main choices one makes as a writer change the way one writes.

In his text Harris uses all three of these to demonstrate ways of taking an approach. When writing within a place where there are many writers and editors, I think that taking an approach is much more common. The New York Times has a certain way that they prefer all the writers to write and as a writer you adapt to the style of writing that is around you. When you are writing for an academic class you change your style to what you think will most please the teacher, which is often a closer form to their own style. When writing an email you alter your style and choices to who you are writing to, an email to your mother is different than an email to your best friend. In all these instances you are adapting your style and mode from another’s work.

Biases of Blogging

Previously, in a post reflecting on Harris’ text on rewriting, I pointed out that while in rewriting you are commenting on the other person’s idea and reflecting on them but also that blogs have become a sort of reflection or rewriting of your own life. While, I felt I made my point clear in the previous publication, I felt there were areas in which I would expand a bit more.

In his book Rewriting, Harris comments on the ability of writers to expand upon another’s work. The beauty of writing is that to each person a simply sentence, even a simply word, has a slightly different interpretation from person to person. Each person’s biases add to the meaning of certain texts whether we are aware of it or not.  Harris explains that to when reflecting on a piece, it is important to point out your personal interpretation of the text and the different meaning that could come of the piece. When reading a reflecting it is more interesting to learn of others different perspectives rather than simply getting the context of the piece. The same is true with blogs. While you can write a paper about a reflection of a piece or an article, in a way blogs are a way for people to reflect on the world and their daily life. In a sense our blogs are a inside look at your personal biases in daily life and commenting on how those effect how you perceive the world.  Even when not comment about events in the world a person can get a glimpse of who you are as a person just by reading what you have to say on your blog that day. Upon reflection of my own blogging I have come to realize that even subconsciously the blog that are posted say a tremendous amount about us. Just based on the pieces of the articles that we have reflected on you can understand what the importance of certain things to a person. In this way, blogging not only becomes a reflection on certain articles but a reflection of one’s life, an insight to one’s personal intrigues, biases and personality.

Forwarding

In forwarding, another’s work is simply used for the project of another author. In his book Rewriting, Harris describes the process of using others work within your own writing. He describes forwarding using four categories: illustrating, authorizing, borrowing and extending. As far as his four ways of forwarding Harris describes how his each of these four uses can be used to benefit your writing.  When using a text as an illustration the author suggest that in addition to your argument other authors writing can be used as evidence to back up your argument, to illustrate your point. When using it as authorizing you are using the status of another writer to affirm your argument. Borrowing, Harris describes as a way of using the others idea to fit into your own personal argument. Lastly, Harris points out that you can use another text to extend upon your own writing.

Each of these can be used to forward another’s text but has a different purpose. Harris explains that forwarding ”tests the strength of its insights and the range and flexibility of its phrasing” (38). Showing that no matter what it is used for the text is used for a slightly different purpose than the original author intended. It is about adopting other forms of text to yours and using it in a different text to bring it to attention in different spheres. When using another text for you purposes the original purpose is always altered a bit because in each context the original statement takes on new connotations. The art of writing is to try to point out the author’s original purpose and how it can be altered to adapt for a different purpose. Harris explains that writing is a conversation, a way to bring new ideas to the table and point out the genius of idea that has already been proposed.