Friday, March 23, 2007

Cell phones, handy or deadly?

In Angela Daly's "A Call To Action" she makes a good point about our countries obsession with communication. The facts make a strong point about the dangers of driving while distracted, no matter the form. She makes a good series of appeals about the degree of danger associated with a cellphone, as compared to driving while intoxicated, and also makes several sympathetic appeals using accounts of the various deaths caused. Her point itself is a good one, but she lacks punch. Her essay rides almost entirely on the facts she uses and not the ideas associated with it. These facts are strong, but she doesn't play on emotions as much as she could. The facts are almost all capable of this sort of appeal but she ignores them. Overall it makes a good point, for its use of research especially.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree that she has some great facts to back up her point and that she could use some more sympathetic appeals. The question is whether this sympathy could ever truly peak as much as to be affective. In the end we are talking about "death by cell-phone." Is sympathy a good approach for this particular persuasion?

Anonymous said...

I just dont think that its even logical to say that cell phones cause death. It can be a distraction but not to the extent of drunk driving!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Bryce that Angela Dayls did point out important facts about hazardous driving. Cell can cause death while driving, I know from experience. A friend of my mind was killed by a sober driver who ran a red light who was too busy talking on cell phone. So we should always assume that a driver has to be under the influence to have a death- cause accident.

Anonymous said...

Yea Cell phones are no were close to drunk drving. Drinking impares your visoin and reaction time and cell phones just distract you at times.

Marisa said...

I do agree that cell phones are deadly but that's why you'll get a ticket for being on your phone. Yes, it is a new technology that we have and a good one at thatb but does it mean risking our life for a simple conversation that could wait till we get to our destination. I know that I myself may seem helpless without a cell phone but how was I before I had it, fine. So cell phones aren't that important as we think they are. They are just another device to carry on a conversation while the other is not around and we are out and about.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Lauren, I think that cell phones are not the cause of deaths. I think that many people do not use their common sense when driving and talking on their cell phones. I mean you should know that your on the phone so you should know that you have to be aware and be very conscious of your driving.

Anonymous said...

I agree that cell phones are not at all deadly and drunk driving is very different!! I think that people get so wrapped up in their conversation that their attention to the road becomes a lesser concern. This is a concern because it takes their focus off driving and more things are likely to happen due to carelessness.

Anonymous said...

I disagree. Back home in England, it is illegal to talk on your cell phone whilst driving. I don’t know what the law is in the United States, but one thing is for sure, there are far more car accidents in America. Now this maybe due to the poor driving skills of certain individuals, or it could be that a distraction such as a cell phone is a cause to these accidents.

Anonymous said...

I agree with her that cell phones are dangerous while driving, but they are not always a cause of death. It's true that when people are driving down the road talking on the phone, they can cause accidents and the drivers don't really pay attention to the road. I agree that people talking on the phone and driving at the same time is like having a drunk driver on the street.