I find it very true that we, the consumers, must be “made to desire things in order to consume them”; I also find it very true that this “desire often incurs debt” (369). I think it is interesting how consumer advertisements have been able to spark the desire to consume by carefully incorporating logos, ethos, and pathos into their ads. Likewise, the counter-rhetoric examples portrayed in the reading are equally as interesting in that they show us how silly our desires can be. Do you really only like those nike shoes because they have a swoosh? Does that make them WAY COOL? I’ll admit it, the swoosh wins me over.
The way colleges have been using emotional, ethical, and logical appeals is critical for winning over prospective students. Colleges know that they must make themselves appear desirable; this desire will lead to “consumption,” as education can be thought of as a consumer item. Gallaudet Univesity uses phrases on their website such as the “pursuit of education,” “commitment,” “respect,” and “community.” The school gives prospective students reasons why they should desire to go there. Look at Kutztown as well. One of our biggest claims is our diversity. That is just one way that KU uses rhetoric to make the campus more desirable.
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