Journal 45: Persuade Me

Persuasion someone is probably one of the most powerful skills that people want. The reason is that we always have goals before we wanted to persuade others. For instance, John wanted to go to a concert during the final exam week. All of his friends are allow going to the concert, except John. Therefore, he would like to convince his parents to let him go to the concert. In this case, John not only needs to have effective communication skills, but also he needs to present some kind of “evidence”. By evidence, I mean like test scores or some basic requirements for his parents. For example, John might have to study extremely hard before he goes to the concert in order to persuade his parents. On the other hand, he might need to make a promise to his parents like he can get an A on his final exam. These two ways are probably the more convincing ways to persuade his mother and father. For me, I have tried to convince my mother to hang out with my friends before. The situation is similar to my example – John. The way I used to persuade her is the same as John. I told my mother I could get an 80 on my exam. So, she let me go out with my friends. However, I had to study very hard to fulfill my promise.

Journal 44: Reason Sits Firm

The interesting part of this English novelist’s quote is that, she uses personification to describe reason and judgment. In the quote, she says that reason sits firm and holds the rein, which can be interpret as reason is a person that holding the rein and trying to control everything. And, our passions can rage furiously and cannot be stopped without our clear sense of judgment. Indeed, according to the quote from Charlotte Bronte, sometime we do makes something furiously or out of mind. However, reason and judgment are still the two basic instincts we have. These two things control our mind before we wanted to do something crazy or unrealistic. For instance, one might perform a murder if he/she is lacking of judgments and reasons. He/She will do anything as long as it is worth. This can happened to anyone in the world. Every person on this world has different sense of judgment toward everything. Some got good judgment; on the other hand, some got bad judgment. Moreover, people do things with reasons. So, that is also why I think these two instincts are related together. In order to do the right thing, one has to perfom it with great judgment and accurate reason.

Journal 43: Unconvincing Argument

            Sometime we tried to argue or convince people to do something for us. However, how can we be sure what are their real purposes? On the other hand, how can we understand what are a successful argument and an unsuccessful argument? According to my experience, there are several ways we can convince other people. For instance, one has to pretend there’s no benefit at all for oneself. Otherwise, who would like to do something just for a stranger? Take salesperson as an example, if he/she tries to sale a vacuum cleaner in order to raise his/her “performance” to his/her boss. I believe no one would purchase anything from him or her. Yet, if the salesman addressed each advantages of having a new vacuum cleaner, and each points sound extremely convincing. More and more people ought to buy machines from this company. Therefore, I believe the way to convince people are speaking what they wanted to hear. See, people wanted advantages on everything. Thus, if one can find out what a person wants and give as much as one cans. I think one can convince anything to this person. Indeed, I have failed to convince to my mother before, but that is when I was a child. They way I used to persuade her is begging and crying, which make me gain nothing from her.

Journal 42 - Evaluating an Argument

Do you believe anything you read or hear. For me, I definitely  believe almost everything I see, read, or hear. I'm the kind of person who is lacking of confidence. So, I am usually not confident at my thought or opinion. Nevertheless, I can still evaluate whether an event is believable or unbelievable. "Does this make sense?" I believe this is the most often question that people ask themselves. In addition, I usually compare and contrast the event I faced with reality and moral. Sometimes I think critically about an argument, yet I go on my instinct sometimes. These all depend a on the situation or decision I met. For instance, if I think of something critical but beneficial to me. I will follow my thoughts and instinct to perform it. On the other hand, if there is something significant and meaningful to me. I will think thorugh it a bunch of times until I fully understand what is helpful and what is harmful. I think that if one knows how to evaluate an argument, one can surely construct one of his/her own argument. The reason is that one can analyze and understand what is wrong and right. So one can identify what needs to be adjust and create a new one.

Journal 41: Opinion v Thought

The way that world is run. I never think of this statement before. Yet, I believe that most people are drives by other people's opinions. Only individuals are willing to support their own opinions toward the public. Nevertheless, opinions can be sound and faulty. Not everything is correct and should be followed by others. For me, I honestly do not have opinions different from the world. The reason is I am the kind of person who is afraid to raise my own thoughts and opinions. Therefore, I think the world will not run differently with my opinions, because I only follow others. But, if I need to persuade someone that my opinions are better. I guess it depends on what event I'm persuading. Emotional, logical, and ethical appeals are probably the three different methods I will use to persuade others. First, by using emotional appeal, one reveals his/her expressions and feelings to others. Some will get persuaded by this appeal. Second, by using logical appeal, one gives out statistics and datas in order to convince people logically. Third, by using ethical appeal, one conveys the writer’s integrity and knowledge and call on people’s senses of right and wrong. These are three main ways that I will use to persuade others.

Journal 40: Get What You Want

           Freedom is probably one of the most frequent and significant things that most children asked from their parents. How come? For instance, what should you do in order to convince your parents successfully if your school or friends are trying to raise a trip during spring break, which you wanted to go eagerly? Should you use logic, emotion? Or should you try other techniques to reach your goal? In this case, I believe most children will use emotional appeals in order to persuade their parents. For example, all children are good at whining. Therefore, they usually use whatever facial expressions they had to convince their parents as much as they can. Yet, this method can create two problems. First, some parents might use emotional appeals against their children. They will probably get angry at their children, which persuade your parents unsuccessfully. On the other hand, some parents might agree with their children, because they do not want to see their children crying, whining, and shouting. There’s another method called logical method. This is the method I used most often. The reason is simply that my parents seldom go with emotional appeals. For this, if you provide specific examples, such as some of your trusted friends or adults are going with you to the trip. Your parents might agree, and let you go to the trip with your friends.