Visual Arguments and Eating as Entertainment April 6, 2008

We all are bombarded with visual arguments everyday. We walk around campus and see posters inside and outside the buildings. I have had the experience of finding out about educational opportunities and organizations by simply approaching a door to open it, reading an advertisement posted on the door, and being attracted by it and encouraged to look into the activity. While driving, there are billboards everywhere, license plates, and visuals on people’s cars. Even I make arguments concerning my person when I write a letter, turn in assignments, or do a presentation. It’ amazing how much information we take in with our eyes. In EA, the authors mention that visual arguments can be used to establish credibility, to convey facts, and to appeal to emotions. Images are powerful because they reach a greater audience, depending on the source. One comment that I found interesting that was mentioned in EA and brought up in class was that each one of us has our way of seeing things. The book mentioned that this can be equated to how eyewitnesses to a crime scene, for example, give variations in their testimonies because they perceived things differently. I think this is true because sometimes we don’t see the message that a visual argument might be making until we hear commentary about it. We may have interpreted way differently than the author intended. Going into the unit of eating as entertainment, I can see how visual arguments are effective in this area. For example, an advertisement for pumpkin pie may associate this food with family gatherings during Thanksgiving; the warmth of family time accompanied with a warm slice of pumpkin pie. Oftentimes, emotions are associated with the food we eat, and the media can shape the connections that we make with food and emotions through visual arguments. I think that there should be some enjoyment in the food we eat; we have taste buds not only to keep ourselves away from toxic foods, but also to enjoy food. In reading Anthony Bourdain’s book and his attempt to find the perfect food, I have really seen the influence of culture on food choices and how an outsider, like Tony, receives from the culture through food aside from language and physical expressions.