Monthly Archives: October 2011

Rhetorical Theory–Love Speeches

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Plato, Phaedrus – Love speeches

  • Loving like the Greeks – Adult man “adolescent” boy
  • why?
  • it’s a homo erotic culture back then in the Greek – 21st century “gay” terms don’t matter
  • it’s just for body and pleasure
  • This “pleasure” point is a controversial thing – erotic “pleasures” – good or bad?
  • Pleasure for man; mentor for boy
    • older man – they question about whether or not he could keep his pleasure in
    • the mentorship – could last for years and years
    • the younger boy
  • 2 key problems emerge:
    • “whose” pleasure?
    • problem of manhood – citizenship vs. sexual
    • from being a beloved to becoming a male prostitute
  • got to question about whether or not it is a good or bad relationship
  • Plato, Phaedrus – 1st love speech
    • scandalous idea – that the boy should go with the non-love instead of the lover
    • the non-lover is mostly pleasure
    • the young boy is most likely to go down the prostitution
    • Key assumption: Lover’s madness
    • as your are madly in love – that the man will follow the young boy around
    • this explains the crazy behaviors – saying that the strange behaviors is when the lovers gone mad
    • once the pleasure/sex is fulfilled then the lover’s madness goes away
    • the lover becomes rational again
    • and realizing that they are unable to give gifts forever or taking care of you forever
  • gifts exchange – sexually (the boy gives up his beauty to the man & the man needs to give gifts to the younger boy)
    • assuming the relationship is based on respect and trust
    • thinking that it’s a long term friendship
    • the gifts keep on getting bigger, ultimately giving the politically power
  • Plato, Phaedrus – 2nd love speech
    • the speech itself isn’t that special (show off)
    • it repeats itself over and over
  • Socrates says that I can make a better speech (p16)
    • the speech is the same as the 1st speech
    • organizational differences
    • defines “love” first – that love is madness (dialectical element)
    • a good speech vs. bad speeches is how well it is a organized
    • it has a connection with the good/bad soul
    • question of organized
    • if you see an organized speech, others view them as a good soul/people = well organized
  • main points from more importance to less importance – hierarchy
    • mind – non-lover will care for your mind/soul (1st)
    • body – non-lover will protect your body (2nd)
    • possession – non-lover will protect your things, no stealing (3rd)
  • Socrates gave a better speech than Phaedrus
  • Socrates great speech
    • Socrates freaks out after 2nd speech, why?
    • because he thinks that he has spoken ill of love which is from the gods
    • love – lovers will take your mind, body, possession in 2nd speech
    • speaking ill of love, is speaking ill of gods – because it came from the gods
    • because love is one of those great gifts that gods has given us
  • So Socrates gives a second speech – this is the platonic love comes from
    • New thesis – give favors to lover
    • New definition of madness (p25)
    • not all madness bad, god given
    • god given madness is good
    • love is a god sent madness
  • So now a well organized speech is not enough for a good speech.
    • a good speech has to be organized AND telling the truth
    • meaning first speech is bad and so is the second speech
  • Platonic Love
    • if you are a true philosopher, if a young boy offers his love then he shouldn’t take it
    • because the philosopher should be taking give of the boy’s soul instead of the body
    • taking care of the soul allows to reincarnate base on the Greek culture
    • the right thing to do is not to give into your bad pleasures
    • question: what makes it moral/immoral?
    • Plato – it’s pleasure orientated, doing what’s best for your soul or other’s soul
    • promoted pleasure as an “end” – bad
    • promoted pleasure to have good benefits in the long run for the soul – good
    • to care about the soul of another is to help them take control over their pleasure
  • basics – friendship, politics, knowing yourself, etc.
    • having self control
  • the point of this story is about a long relationship
  • The Soul in the Story
    • The soul according to the great speech immortality of the soul – “heaven, fall, return” 10,000 versus 3000 years to return. – if struck by love the soul can return in 3000 years.
    • Soul before the fall
    • metaphor – chariot – driver and winged
    • 2 horses – 1 good horse (good) & 1 bad horse (pleasure)
    • Before the fall see pure knowledge – recollection theory of knowledge
  • Soul in Human body
    • soul falls into human body – lose wings
    • why fall? – because of the bad horse & forgetting weighs down the chariot – pleasure pulls you away from true knowledge
    • the time spent in a human body – is to remember what they saw
  • Hierarchy of souls – soul types basedon what they saw of truth
    • 9 different types of souls (1 to 9 – the farther away from the truth)
  • God given madness

    • Public Health Notes–Chronic Disease

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    Chronic Disease … the public health challenge of the 21st century

    “health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being – not merely the absence of disease, or infirmity”

    Headlines

    • obesity
    • high blood pressure
    • etc.
    • what is your definition of chronic disease
    • Disease comparison
      •   Acute Disease Chronic Disease
      onset how do you know if you have this? these are not noticeable, it’s slow
      duration short self contain, you either get over it or you die very long, life long
      cause fairly limited – usually a single agent/cause there could be multiple or unknown
      diagnosis more accurate have to experiment and ruling out things
    • Statistics of Chronic Disease
    • 70% of deaths
    • 75% of $2 Trillion
    • 1/3 YPLL
  • Leading Causes of Deaths are mostly chronic diseases
  • Chronic disease price tag – estimated annual direct medic al expenditures
    • cardio disease and stroke $313.8 bill in 2009
    • etc. – on slide show
  • Chronic disease determinants
    • behavior and lifestyle – 50%
    • lack of health access – 20% (unsure from lecture)
    • socioeconomic – 20% (unsure from lecture)
    • genetics – 20% (unsure from lecture)
  • Diabetes Mellitus – a metabolic disease involving insufficient production of insulin or a failure of cells to utilize the insulin produce (sweet smelling urine)
    • Number of people in U.S. with Diabetes – 1997, 10.3 million people in the U.S. had diagnosed diabetes (more on slide show), this is a six fold increase during the past …
    • Prevalence of Diabetes – mostly in the southern states are heavy with diabetes, while the central/west are in the middle
    • Age – adjusted Prevalence diagnosed with diabetes by race/ethnicity and sex, U.S. (1980-2005) – more on slide show
  • Glucose – a form of sugar produced during digestion by breaking down food; transported by blood of cells (must have)
  • Pancreas – a gland located near the stomach that secretes a digestive ….
  • Insulin – a pancreatic hormone that allows cells to take up glucose from the blood
  • Hyperglycemia – “diabetic coma” – too much blood sugar, can have too much glucose – sugar not getting from the blood to the cell
  • Hypoglycemia – “insulin shock” – too little blood sugar
    • convulsions coma
    • irritability/aggression
    • double vision/blurry vision
    • fatigue
    • nervousness
    • rapid heart rate
  • If you encounter an individual you suspect is experiencing a diabetic reaction (hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia)
    • feed a something little that is sugary
    • call 911
    • etc. (more on slid show)
  • Type I Diabetes
  • Type II Diabetes – previously called noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus/adult onset
  • other types of diabetes
    • gestational diabetes
    • 2% to 5% of all pregnancies
  • other specific types – more on slide show
  • long term effects
    • requires lifelong management
    • treatment emphasizes control of blood glucose levels
    • monitoring
    • etc.
  • consequences
    • kidney disease
    • foot sores and gangrene
  • risk factors you can control
    • body mass index
    • blood pressure
    • overweight
    • etc.
  • Arthritis – comprises over 100 different diseases and conditions
    • most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout
    • common symptoms include pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around the joints
    • forms
    • lupus
    • etc.
  • arthritis – attributable work limitations affect 1 in 7 working age
  • associated with weight
  • most common causes of disability among young Americans
  • Osteoarthritis
    • classic wear and tear on the joints
    • causes inflammation/pain/swelling
    • leads to stiffness
  • progresses with age
  • common in knees, hips, shoulders
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • chronic inflammation of membranes that line the joints
    • inflammation lead to joint damage
  • COPD – general term applying to chronic lung disease
  • Emphysema – lung disease involving destruction of the walls of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs
    • leading cause is smoking
  • Chronic Bronchitis – inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, producing chronic coughing
    • leading cause is smoking

    A public health response to asthma

    Please look at slide show … there are more information there

    Intimate Relationships–Dances of Intimacy

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    • How is intimacy a dance?
    • action – reaction – interaction
    • separation – parallel – connected/coordinated interactions
    • relationship as emerging entity
  • Affective Attunement
  • Basis of interaction – communication
  • Expressive Skills – communication is everything
    • clarity – being clear about how you feel
    • congruence – nothing matches about you’re saying, your feelings don’t match how you act
    • depth
  • Receptive Skills
    • listening with the whole body – 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason, your body have to show the other that you are listening with everything, not blocking things off, be welcoming, and not building a barrier
    • checking it out – make sure that the other person has it right, know to ask when you don’t understand something.
    • openness to the other’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives
  • Reflective skills/meta – communication
    • stepping back – seeing the big picture, that your relationships means something and needs to be taken care of too
    • debriefing
    • self reflecting/owning responsibility
    • perspective – taking/switching
    • contextualizing
  • Threats to the intimacy Forming provess
    • lack of skills
    • expressive
    • receptive – thinking down on the other person “it doesn’t matter what you’re saying – because I’m looking at your pathetic”
    • reflective
  • Anxiety – Fear – “what are you afraid of?” – “why can’t I be honest when I want to be with this person” – “what is the problem?” – as soon that you’re doing “I’m fine” or “nothing” in the relationship, there is something wrong – got to ask what is wrong with us
    • attachment anxiety
    • tension and stress due to anticipation of loss of emotional connection – worsened by emotional memories of rejection or abandonment – oftentimes not clearly understood or available to the conscious mind
    • authentic & genuine communication is to be honest about when you’re afraid
    • this makes the relationship dissolve slowly
  • spillover anxiety
    • emotional responsiveness to another’s stress/tension increases your stress/tension
    • changing from “me to you” and from “past to present”
    • doing the relationship in response in someone’s else responsive to their day – not being yourself
    • whether or not you have a good day completely depends on the other person’s mood
    • you feel like you have to fix things
  • “sometimes there is no way to make it better –sometimes you only need to honor”
  • That’s why there are burn outs in these relationships
  • What do we do when faced with relationship anxiety? – everyone has it
    • engage & grow
    • facing the anxiety & talking about it – turning the boat around and turning it into what is causing you to feel fear (tsunami story – 15 years old boy)
    • “I am willing to take the chance of losing you to have our relationship survive”
    • they might leave because you might overwhelm them
    • “there we go again” – trying to chop down trees with sledge hammers
    • You’re trying so hard because it means so much to you, but you have to pick up a different tool. – doing something different.
  • All growth involves risks! – working out at the gym, sores the day after, and the muscles grow back stronger
  • don’t be afraid of fights – they make the relationships stronger
  • When we don’t engage & grow…
    • we react when intensity is high – vs. observe and think
    • we over focus on the other – vs. focus on ourselves
    • we polarize to our own viewpoints as universally “best”
  • temporary relationships “ruptures” strengthen bonding
  • pursue/chase
    • Relies on reassurance of sense of closeness to resolve anxiety – which is generally experiences as out-of-reach or short-lived
    • always want to chase or reassurance
    • the other person can view it as suffocation, too intensive, etc
    • they are usually reassured for a short time and always want to always be reassured.
  • distance/withdraw
    • relies on self control to resolve anxiety
    • they pride themselves on being independent
    • it can be very alone and limited
    • it is weak – it’s your defensive mechanism to not let anyone in
  • individual may become or feel stronger, but the relationship does not
  • pursuer-distancers dance – they are putting each other on the defense side / seeing a pattern
    • the more one pursues, the more one distances
    • the more one distances, the more one pursues
    • this will create the spin of patterns, the more they spin the worse they get
  • Principle of least interest
    • the person in a relationship who appears to have the least interest is the person who has the most power and control
    • if you are less interested, then the cards are in your hands
  • attempt to control
    • exerting influence over the other
    • power – efforts to induce the other to do something they otherwise wouldn’t
    • control – efforts to induce the other to refrain from doing something they otherwise would
  • can lead to escalating conflict
  • if both are active in exerting power or control then the abusiveness of this would not happen
  • triangulate – motorcycle analogy
    • involvement of a third party
    • brings anxiety down
    • decreases motivation to change
    • decreases other’s support for relationship over time
  • when bringing in another person, the relationship may be stable but the relationship stops growing
    • telling the selective person will not deal with the problem in the relationship
    • how people will be able to support you when you’re only telling people the bad things about the relationship
  • this will hurt the relationship and the relationship is done growing
  • if you are triangulated, then you tell your friend to work it out with their partner.
  • use communication substitutes
    • dating scripts
    • pre-conceived notions of how a dating encounter should proceed
    • what you’re “suppose” to do – usually not good
    • this will cause confusion – when you don’t say what you want.
  • culturally derive rules for both men and women
    • how you are brought up
  • barriers to authentic communication
  • gender roles – “watch, He’s not that into you”
    • expectations for behavior which are comprised of notions about what is proper, normal or ideal for men and women
    • maybe knowing what to do – not being honest or authentic with each other
  • barriers to authentic communication
  • Other intimacy dances
    • over-functioning/under-functioning – where one of them is always in charger, when the other one is pretty helpless, one of them can’t do anything independently without the other knowing what you’re going to do.
    • violence cycles
    • positive-partner/negative-partner – negative partner (everything is bad to them – egor style), the positive-partner (is always there to make them feel better) – the positiveness will slowly start to die or burn out – too much energy or out to always try to convince you that things aren’t that bad.
    • etc.
  • the challenge of changing
    • slow down and think
    • don’t have to agree
  • be aware of polarizing
  • “I/self” focus vs “you/other” focus
    • state our differences and allow others to do the same
    • stay emotionally connected to significant others even when things get intense
    • balanced view of both strengths and vulnerabilities
    • “asking what did I bring in the relationship” – making sure that you are accountable for your actions and change it for the better. – knowing what you’re going to bring and taking responsibility
  • Change a behavior because it is good for you (self-focus), not with anger toward partner (other-focus)
    • learning how to deal with it – held onto your own anxiety and be at peace with that
    • you will feel the victory about yourself but doing it for you
  • do it for you
  • communication all the time vs. only when there is a problem
    • don’t hold it back, when you feel it, you, say it
  • communicating regarding what is good vs. what is bad
  • focusing on behavior vs. character
    • things you do – behavior
    • be honest – making requests about behaviors
  • character – things about other’s or self image
    • don’t attack your partner’s character
    • it’s normal, all couples bug each other
  • win/win vs. compromise(lose/lose) vs. win/lose
    • going into it with the mentally of win/win
    • e.g. arguing about small things, like hanging towels in both places instead of just one place and arguing about which place
  • being assertive vs. being aggressive
  • honesty vs. niceties (e.g. “nothing”, “fine”)
  • dyadic communication vs. triangulation
    • be honest and authentic – think about things, and talk about things with a clear min
  • time outs and cool-offs vs. marathon finishes
    • if you’re angry and you’re wiped out, don’t keep fighting, you need to stop and find a better time and place when you are in a better mind.
  • balancing conditional vs. unconditional love
    • “the giving tree” book – the tree keeps giving, and the man keeps taking – bad way to do relationships
  • we have relationships that do not operate at the expense of the self
  • we have a self that does not operate at the expense of the relationship
  • 1+1=2

    • Rhetorical Theory Notes–Phaedrus: Introduction

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    Phaedrus: Introduction

    • A little history
    • talking about Plato’s theory of rhetoric at the end
    • rhetoric is everywhere
    • a group of people – establishment
    • fully recognizable that rhetoric is completely integrated into the culture
  • rhetorical establishment and the problem of bad decisions by Demos
    • Plato has an answer in Gorgias
    • people making bad decisions because they just don’t know the truth
    • they may have overly persuaded the audience or speaker
    • audience and speaker wasn’t able to get together to figure out the truth.
  • Begin Discussion of Phaedrus
  • quick review of Gorgias
    • There are hints of what a photonic theory of rhetoric could be.
    • only telling the truth
  • First Two Love Speeches.

    • Plato & Rhetoric of Truth: Phaedrus

    • History: Return of Athens
    • dialogue is between 380-360 BCE (around 365)
    • Spartan rule ends 371; 362 2nd Athenian Empire
    • Athens realize they are not the most powerful empire anymore
    • writings were written about the rise of Athens again – and how powerful they are
  • 4th Century Rhetoric Est.
    • Rhetores – people in the assembly, in the congress, in political arena, highly educated, philosophical education, rhetorical education
    • qualified to be in an assembly
    • free men
    • owns properties
    • leaders – different from the voters
  • This is the most democracy as can be those days.
  • institutionalized as part of political/legal culture
    • they were required to have more education in these days
  • Plato goes after them on their terms.
    • your thoughts about good speech making is bad – Plato’s theory
    • Plato brings back “pleasure” – that is why he was talking about love
  • Rhetorical Scene mid 4th century players
    • Rhetores – public speakers in Athenian institutions, generally sympathetic to democracy, speak for self in courts – People were able to blame bad choices on the speakers
    • Bad rhetores – ignorant unable to understand, Don’t wish best for Demos – took a bribe, loyalty to another group (no to Athens, that’s not truly of the Athenians), would be very persuasive, pretended that they knew but they don’t know, no moral claims, people will make fun of their love and home lives
    • Good rhetores – loyal to ideals of demos (loyal to Doxa, “we are good the best, we should imporve”), moderate in desires/middling in social status, open to public scruntiny, leadership warranted because of ability (they develop a track record of good decisions), usually the middle class not fancy or show offs
  • teachers – rhetorikoi (sophists)
  • Logographoi – speech writers
  • philosophers

    • Plato, Phaedrus – What doe love have to do with it?

    • Plato at the end of Gorgias
    • philosophy over Rhetoric
    • Only good rhetoric is truthful
    • only philosophy provides the truth
  • How does philosophy secure the truth?
    • “philosophical conversation” Elenchus is replaced by Dialectic
    • Dialectic – questions and answers to find the truth
    • Rhetorical must attached itself to the truth through the dialectic method
    • the proper use of Dialectic will tell you the truth about rhetoric.
  • Why Love?
    • Speech making based on Dialectic
    • it can show what is good and bad rhetoric.
    • There are 3 love speeches
    • Given by Phaedrus
    • Re – did Lysias
    • Phaedrus ran into Socrates
    • Socrates wanted to see the copy of the script
  • Genre – Epideixis
  • Thesis – Boy go with non-lover not lover
    • Who should the boy give his favor to, the non-lover or lover?
    • lover – older man
    • non lover  – someone who doesn’t love the young but desires him.
  • Support – Examples of lover harming boy
    • Seduce the boy by giving good speeches to the boy
    • trying to seduce the young boy bed him
  • Key Assumption – lover’s madness
  • Socrates (1 of 2)
    • Thesis is the same as Phaedrus
    • 1st one – giving your love to the non-love
    • 2nd one – defines love, saying the first two are bonkers and you should always give your love to the lover
  • Major Difference Organizational
    • define love (dialectical element)
    • Main points from more to less harm
    • mind, body, possessions
  • Who gives the better speech?
    • speech/soul organization
  • IMPORTANT – lovers are those who really needs you and vise versa, the definition or lovers and non-lovers are flipped in Phaedrus (emphasis by Socrates, on page 14 – lovers that are mad “crazy”, can’t trust people who are mad)

    • Stressing about Nothing?

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    IMG_20110924_152503Well sometimes I that I bring the stress onto myself but it’s actually not it. Everyone has options and decisions to make. Sometimes my decisions need more work to achieve it or take responsibility for it. Once you have made that decision then you are responsible for it and take various actions from there.

    School is going good but it could be better. I’m liking my classes because they are more of interest to me, therefore, I’m hoping that I’ll do better in these classes than the ones last semester. I just need good grades to continue onto my major. Also I have to finish my proposal. That is going to take a while just because I don’t really know what to write for my proposal. There are so many things to do.

    At work, we are getting new uniforms. It is completely polyester and a see-through white, with colored sleeves. I’ll take a picture of it once I get it. It is short sleeved, so if you want long sleeves you have to get the undershirt, which is $15 each. It has to be the same colors as the sleeves. But what I’m planning to do is buy a sweat shirt for $35, instead of buying the undershirts. I’m getting 2 shirts with orange sleeves, because that’s my favorite color. I also heard the undershirts are ugly and the sweat shirt is warmer. So I’m going with the fleece sweat shirt.

    Kyno, my puppy, is graduating tomorrow, or hopefully graduating tomorrow. He is graduating from intermediate class. He will be able to continue more training. He is getting the commands, wait to go through the door, go to bed, go potty (more), and somewhat heel. I’m trying to teach him about picking up an object and holding it in his mouth until I said drop it. It’s kind of hard. He has definitely gotten the hang of shake and up (5-five). He can even do that laying down. I know it’s quite silly.