Words as distraction

I found the concept of terministic screens presented by Burke to be a very interesting one. The idea that the way we construct an argument and the word choices we make affect our interpretations. We see examples of this constantly.…

Vico’s Influence

Tina Bell 5001 Commentary Week 5 19 March 2009 Vico’s Influence I continually find it interesting in our study of the history of rhetoric, how long the discussions and debates concerning the proper way to educate our youth have endured.…

Commentary on Goffman

My immediate reaction to Goffman in The Presentation of Self was that he was saying we are all fakes; all “actors on a stage.”  However, after much consideration, I have changed my position. I believe his essay describes human nature,…

Goffman Commentary

I believe it was Shakespeare that said “all the world’s a stage.  And all the men and women merely players.”  This is precisely what Goffman is saying in The Presentation of Self.  We are all actors on this stage.  We…