Triumph of the Yell free essay sample

With this thought provoking essay, Tannen exposes the dangers of continuing this confrontational style of public discourse and suggests a more thoughtful and compromising approach to solve problems. Although Tannens article was written in 1994, her argument is just as pertinent today. She bemoans that public discourse has devolved into a theater filled with name-calling, labeling opponents and focusing on trivial or sometimes made up claims in order to score points. She states that this problem is perpetuated by journalists, academics and politicians who have turned serious public discourse into fights where theatrics are more important than the gist and solution because they make for better ratings. Her observation of the quarrelsome nature of public discourse is correct because we witness it daily but fail to recognize its futility. A glaring example is the way the budget crisis is being handled in Washington. Politicians and commentators are resorting to lying, fear mongering and misrepresentation and they are adopting untenable positions with no serious effort at compromise. We will write a custom essay sample on Triumph of the Yell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Furthermore, complex matters relating to war, the economy, religion and public policy are reduced to sound bites, devoid of critical thinking and collective intellectual exertion. This fact can be easily demonstrated – one has to merely tune in to Fox News or MSNBC and see the vitriol and abrasive nature of the treatment of issues. According to Tannen, the pervasive culture of critique incites one to claim victory by scoring points and making others look bad. However, in reality, winning should be a team effort where society at large benefits because the solution is derived after careful exploration of all sides of an issue. The arguments we have today are making us lose sight of what is important and are diverting us from the truth. Tannen argues that it is a misinterpretation that every issue must have only two sides. The culture of critique treats public discourse as a fight which is a contest of opposites- pros and cons, right or wrong, for or against, winner or loser. This limits open-mindedness and forces the sides to take extreme positions. I agree with Tannen that truth is found in many faces of a crystal. No issue is just black and white but rather it is multifaceted; therefore, public discourse should reflect that. However, in today’s culture, complex issues are reduced to black and white with opposing sides taking extreme positions while ignoring the middle ground. This kind of public discourse is not effective in problem solving. Moreover, as Tannen states, it has the undesirable effect of turning people against each other and dividing the nation instead of bringing them together to solve the problem. The culture of critique is indeed â€Å"stifling† us, as Tannen puts it, and is leading us away from the truth. Political leaders and commentators must set the proper tone to rectify this problem. Tannen states that although â€Å"†¦critique is surely one form of critical thinking, so are integrating ideas from disparate fields and examining the context out of which they grew† (3). Most issues require that we make compromises to reach a favorable conclusion. Therefore, we should heed Tannen’s highly rational conclusion and proposal to seek the strengths, rather than the weaknesses, in the other side’s arguments which would alleviate the atmosphere of animosity. Tannen’s skillful use of examples and facts add depth and clarity to the complex subject. Throughout the essay, Tannen makes rational and logical arguments about the adversities of public discourse in todays society and backs them up with clear facts and evidence. To support her thesis that public discourse has lost civility, she provides several examples. Tannen questions the motives of a journalist who resorts to â€Å"vitriolic attacks† to â€Å"win† an argument. She exemplifies this further by recalling her first-hand experience with the dishonest television show participant who confesses in private his liking of her book and then proceeds to launch a vicious attack on her on live TV. She also provides an example of a student who abandons her dream to pursue academia after experiencing its combative and personal nature. Tannen argues that the culture of critique encourages misrepresentations. She illustrates this point with the example of the Holocaust; scholars had to waste their time and creativity proving that it had happened because of some fanatics who claimed otherwise. She also uses this example to illustrate that â€Å"the determination to find another side can spread disinformation rather than lead to truth† (Tannen 2). Tannen also enhances her credibility by using ssertions from experts such as psychologist Paul Ekman, as needed, to strengthen her arguments. Tannen’s use of examples to illustrate her points makes it easy for the reader to sympathize with her views. Deborah Tannens style of writing is remarkably persuasive, insightful and smooth. It is devoid of unnecessary emotion although one can sense that she is substantially affected by this subject and concerned about its impact on society. Tannen’s essay is concise. Her diction is clear, formal and concrete. She relies on illustrative examples to clarify her message. Her literary pictures allow the reader to visualize her claims. Her line of reasoning is extremely logical, and the points she brings up add a lot of depth to the topic. Her essay applies deductive reasoning and adheres to the universal intellectual standards in an effort to make the people open minded and rational. Tannen displays the characteristics of a critical thinker by pointing out the flaws in one’s thinking. She induces the reader to pause to do some critical thinking of their own. Tannen’s masterful use of anecdotes and introduction to new ideas creates a compelling argument for the reader and brings uniqueness to her piece. Although Tannen is successful in stating her claims, she does not provide the perspective of those who contradict her position and in that respect her essay lacks breadth. A rebuttal of the opposing viewpoint would have strengthened her case. One may argue that disagreeing and pointing out the weaknesses in one’s logic does, in fact, lead to truths and help advance the argument. Her article would have been more complete and effective if she had included a discussion of the proponents of the current nature of public discourse. With The Triumph of The Yell, Deborah Tannen has produced a piece that is worthy of reflection. It has the noble objective of elevating public discourse to a higher intellectual level to solve problems while seeking to bring people together for a common cause. Her writing style is persuasive, and her arguments are highly logical. She clarifies her reasoning by providing examples for the reader. Her use of illustrative examples typifies the universal intellectual standards of clarity, accuracy, depth and logic. All in all, The Triumph of the Yell by Deborah Tannen is a well-written piece that deserves its due recognition.