Jeremy Lin

Typical stereotypes about Caucasians being superior to Asians have been around for ages, but thanks to basketball’s newest star, this stereotype is slowly changing. This video also shows that, by using the right technique, and through hard work, one is on the path to success. Lin for the win!

That is how At first, the boy seems like your typical angst- ridden teenager who uses the street walls to showcase his art à la Banksy and comes home at ungodly hours, worrying his mum. However, he was not out on the streets defacing properties for the fun of it but actually, drawing flowers so that his sister would always see the inspiring message amongst it and it truly shows, that where words fail to inspire, art does.

The King’s Speech

The King’s Speech is the story of how King George V dies in 1936, only for eldest son Edward (Guy Pearce) to abdicate because of his romance with American divorcee Wallis Simpson (Eve Best).

Second son Albert (Firth) becomes King George VI, but he’ll have to overcome a terrible stammer if he’s to inspire the war effort through that new-fangled thing called radio.

In watching this film,  viewers can see that when a person has a leadership position, the ability to speak well is a vital trait one needs. During the film, you can tell that King George himself believes this based on his lament, “The nation believes that when I speak, I speak for them. But I can’t speak.”

In order to overcome his stammer, he sees a speech therapist named Lionel Logue.To compound the difference, we learn that Logue is a self-made man, a would-be Shakespearean actor, who has no formal degree in speech therapy. So you can understand my surprise when he is successfully able to help “Bertie” with his stutter.

Logue’s approach shows some intuitive understanding of psychodynamics and the role of psychic conflict in physical conditions. He is firmly convinced that dealing with the person- al dynamics of his patients is essential to resolving their speech impediments. In fact, that conviction creates conflict between the two primary protagonists

It is Elizabeth who seeks out Logue. We are treated to a cute dance, as Logue does not understand who his prospective patient is.

“Well, we need to have your hubby pop by. Tuesday would be good. He’ll give me his personal details, I’ll make a frank appraisal and we can take it from there.”

“Doctor, forgive me. I don’t have a hubby. We don’t pop. And nor do we ever talk about our private lives.”

It is this last point that will prove crucial to the course of the treatment. In fact, we know that many patients are reluctant to talk about their private lives. In the Duke’s case, that defensive reticence is reinforced by a life spent trying to keep the private life private, a special issue for the rich and famous, for whom confidentiality takes on added meaning. When told that his new prospective patient is the Duke of York, Logue shows more understanding of the situation, but still insists on conducting the sessions in his office.

In his own way, he begins using an analytic approach with the Duke in their initial consultation.

Lionel: “Well, I believe when speaking with a prince one allows the prince to choose the topic.”

With hesitation and stuttering, the Duke answers, “Waiting for me to commence a conversation one can wait rather a long wait.”

These are actually the first words he has spoken to Logue. We can recognize the Duke’s reluctance to speak along with his mildly self-deprecating humor. After a pause, Lionel asks if he knows any jokes and again, with a sharp sense of humor, the Duke answers through his stutter, “Timing isn’t my strong suit.” Despite his difficulty speaking, we can easily find him engaging, even as he shows us his resistance.

Lionel deals with the resistance by going along with it. He offers the Duke a cup of tea and when the Duke refuses, turns to the fire- place to make one for himself, humming as he does it, in essence provoking his patient by demonstrating his own willingness to wait him out. The Duke takes the bait.

“Aren’t you going to start treating me, Dr. Logue?”

“Only if you’re interested in being treated.”

The message is clear that it is the Duke’s responsibility to be an active participant in his treatment, challenging his passive resistance.

He continues, “Call me Lionel.”

This has a double meaning. As we are watching it, it appears to be an attempt to establish the relationship on a personal basis, something that the Duke resists strenuously. Much later we shall see that Lionel has a second purpose. He is covering up the fact that he does not have a degree.

The dialogue devolves around the issue of intimacy. (Throughout these dialogues,    the Duke’s speech is generally halting with extreme stuttering.)

The Duke say, “I prefer ‘doctor’.”

Lionel: “I prefer Lionel. What’ll I call you?”

The Duke: “Your Royal Highness. Then, it’s ‘Sir’ after that.”

Lionel: “It’s a little bit formal for here. I prefer names.”

the Duke: “Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George.”

Lionel: “How about Bertie?”

The Duke: “Only my family uses that.”

Lionel: “Perfect. In here it’s better if we’re equals.”

The Duke: “If we were equals I wouldn’t be here. I’d be at home with my wife and no one would give a damn.”

The tension increases when Lionel asks Bertie for his earliest memory.

“What on Earth do you mean?”

“First recollection.” (With increased stuttering and a raised voice) “I’m not here to discuss personal matters.”

“Why’re you here then?”

(Exploding – stammer free) “Because I bloody well stammer!”

When Bertie is openly angry and cursing, the stammer disappears. (It is reminiscent of Tourette’s syndrome.) Throughout the film there will be a suggestion of a connection between aggression and stuttering.

Lionel responds, “Temper.”

“One of my many faults.”

 “When did the defect start?”

“I’ve always been this way!”

“I doubt that.”

“Don’t tell me! It’s my defect!”

“It’s my field. I assure you, no infant starts to speak with a stammer. When did it start?”

“Four or five.”

“That’s typical.”

“So I’ve been told. I can’t remember not doing it.”

“That I believe. Do you hesitate when you think?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“One of my many faults. How about when you talk to yourself?”

When Bertie doesn’t answer, Lionel adds,

“Everyone natters occasionally, Bertie.” “Don’t call me that!”

“I’m not going to call you anything else.”

“Then we shan’t speak!”

I’ve given the dialogue in detail to give the flavor of the interaction. Even without hearing the tone, the exchange rings with competition and angry tension. There is interplay of a barely friendly tennis match, with Lionel throwing Bertie’s phrase, “One of my many faults,” back at him; and, with intermittent outbursts of overt hostility on Bertie’s part, in this last instance when he is probed with intimacy. The session ends with the patient walking out, saying this is not for him, but not before Lionel has gotten him to read Hamlet’s soliloquy into a recording device while listening to loud music through earphones. As we can guess, the reading was virtually perfect. It will later convince the Duke to return.

Later in this film, we will learn that the Duke’s problem started in early childhood, in fact at the heart of the Oedipal period. As if to confirm a dynamic speculation, we next see him with his father, King George V. The king, looking regal, delivers a radio address in a voice worthy of Michael Gambon, who plays him. He then forces his son, Bertie, to read the speech into the (now dead) microphone. As Bertie meets a wall of stuttering, the king coaches him like a horse driver with a whip, throwing out comments such as, “Get it out, boy! … Form your words carefully … Relax! … Just try it! … Do it!” What began as encouragement ends as sheer bullying, the future king reduced to a whipped pup.

Based on this dialogue, I am able to learn that communication can be affected psychologically and cause us to develop speech  deficiencies or in the duke’s case, causes him to stammer.

Hi, you’ve been STOMP-ED!

“Hey! Don”t sit on the floor! Do you want to appear on STOMP?!”

Does this sound familiar to you? Resting your tired legs after a long day at school now seems illegal as we are being constantly watched by other commuters. Every single move we decide to make is carefully processed lest it gets recorded and appears on STOMP thereafter?          

I am certain that every true blue Singaporean would have at least heard of STOMP even if they do not frequent that website. In any case, this is the website I was referring to if you are still clueless as a headless chicken. STOMP, the one and only online citizen journal that provides a channel for Singaporeans(who are really fond of complaining and criticising) to “discuss” about anything and everything under the sun (more often than not, issues that bug them).

The phenomenal growth that the popular interactive portal experienced so far is one that has always amazed me. You might wonder how did STOMP manage to garner such a huge audience within such a short period of time. In my opinion, the seemingly great extent of freedom of speech here as compared to many other conservative online portals found in Singapore is just one of the many reasons that contributed to the overall popularity of STOMP. Other factors would include the usage of Logos and Pathos approaches by the STOMPers who take part actively in the many different forums. The pictures below are instances of how Logos and Ethos were exemplified in this interactive portal.

For example, to highlight to Singaporeans the risk of being labelled as a fashion disaster due to dressing inappropriately and to take this chance to criticise the unfortunate (but deserving) victims.

Or the chagrined act of being caught treating MRT seats as one’s bed.

 

“This lady here was so selfish and inconsiderate, sleeping like this with her slippers up, I wonder how many commuters lay against that wall after that. “

“She woke up after a few stops and went out feeling so energetic.”

Or the shot at stardom by behaving incongruously in public .

 

“I believe it is becoming a trend among young couples who can’t get their own rooms to engage in such raunchy behaviour in public.”

“Maybe it is time for parents to be aware of what their kids might be doing when they are out.”

As seen from the various examples shown above, STOMP is indeed used as an online portal by many of our citizens for the discussion or posting of incidences where the issues that are plaguing our community were witnessed by them. As such, Pathos (the persuasive appeal of one’s character) is often used first. It is used in such a way that citizens “persuade” the audience of STOMP via the method of peer pressure or in this case community pressure. By doing so, Singaporeans are forced to act in a manner which society deems fit. Thus acting as a alleviation to incongruous, indecent and selfish acts in Singapore.

In conjunction, the Logos ( the appeal to reason) is also often used in this interactive portal. This is done so by providing logical reasoning behind almost each posts that STOMPers put up on the domain like the one shown below.

“I believe it is becoming a trend among young couples who can’t get their own rooms to engage in such raunchy behaviour in public.

On a different note, even though such an online interactive portal allows Singaporeans to bond and interact online, it has a downside to it as well. It encourages Singaporeans to be more begrudging and discontented over the smallest things. Thus, translating this into nit-picking of the slightest issues, basically making a big hoo-ha out of nothing.

In a nutshell, STOMP is a useful tool for communication. However, it has to be used in moderation like all things have to be in order for it to fulfill its original purpose and not deviate from its intended one.

 

 

Obama’s State of the Union Address

Today, I reviewed Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, and I will be analyzing his communication techniques and styles that he has used in his delivery.

Obama starts off with mentioning the progress that America has achieved so far in terms of their economy and their state in their War on Terrorism. Before he moves on to what America is yet to progress on, Obama starts off this way to warm encouragement among the American people that whatever they have achieved, means that they’re capable of achieving more. Obama particularly uses a lot of pathos in his delivery to build a sense of patriotism and togetherness among his American viewers as a nation. It is a successful way for Obama to gain the trust of his audience in the promises that he makes. The emotions that he aroused helped engage his audience in mindful thinking of his points. Obama successfully gains applause after applause using this technique.

Stereotypes in the Mass Media

The mass media (i.e. Hollywood) has been discriminating against Asian Americans and African Americans. The discrimination of African Americans is mainly due to their skin color and how they are assumed to be the ones that commit all the crimes, whereas the Asian Americans are mainly stereotyped for their accent and skin color.

The stereotyping usually comes from personal bias and judgement against others whom we do not not and by our peers who have been taught by their peers. This causes those who are stereotyped to feel inferior about themselves and if the discrimination goes too far, it might cause the victim to go into depression.

This is actually not true, as there are many African Americans who have contributed to society, like Oprah, Micheal Jackson, Barack Obama. Also many Asian Americans can speak proper English, but they are discriminated due to their parents not being able to.

I am not saying that stereotyping will cease to exist even when this stops, due to the facts that there are many other kinds of stereotyping and discrimination (like ostracizing someone just because he or she looks weird), one of the ways to handle this situation, would be education, to teach people to not judge, but get to know others before judging them.

Steve Jobs & Apple

Today’s post is a review of a clip which saw Steve Jobs unveiling Apple’s’ then new product the iPhone. It is no doubt that he has a certain gravitas and eloquence, matched with the signature jeans and black turtleneck that can turn rational and skeptical grown men into rabid, hormone driven teenagers at their first concert.

He certainly embodies the canons of rhetoric as his little presentation has most certainly pushed Apple Inc into one of the worlds leading multinational corporation. His style of using simple but punchy words, delivered in a friendly and teasing manner and the way he arranges his speech so that there are dramatic pauses for the crowd to cheer as though he is the messiah, is successful enough to drill his message deep down into the cranium of his  flock so that no other company has sway over them. And judging from their ecstatic, gleaming faces, Apple seems to be the only fruit in their basket.

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