English 584 Theory and Practice of Modern Rhetoric

7/24/2019 English 584 Theory and Practice of Modern Rhetoric

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Edwards and Falkenstein 1

Andrea M. Edwards

Winston R. Falkenstein

Dr. Donald Kraemer

English 584- Theor and !ra"ti"e o# Modern Rhetori"

1$ Mar"h %&1$

Re'ised( Fall %&15

Rhetori"al Analsis o# Ted Ka")nski*s +The ,naomer Mani#esto

Abstract

/0r aer looks at Ted Ka")nski*s +2nd0strial 3o"iet and 2ts F0t0re otherwise known

as +The ,naomer*s Mani#esto #or how his rhetori" warns readers to the dangers o#

te"hnolog deendent so"iet. Along with other so0r"es we anal)e how 0rke*s entad

#o"0sing on the s"ene-agent ratio "omes into la as se'eral eole like 6eidegger arg0e the

"0rrent sit0ation o# so"iet #rom o0r ma"hines or the nat0re o# Ka")nski*s arg0ment #or how it

ertains to the li'es o# Ameri"ans. 2t is the "ollision o# di##erent #a"tors o# so"iet rele'ant to the

a"ti'ities o# Ka")nski where de#enders o# organi)ed instit0tions 7s0"h as law en#or"ement or

the "ommon erson assert their ositions. We 0se the metahor o# the taestr o# so"iet eing

too "on'ol0ted #rom ma"hinations and dis"arded rights #or the eole. Re#le"ting a"k to

simler times is a di##i"0lt reset so"iet needs to re'ent es"alation th0s "on'in"ing the a0dien"e

to an emathi" resonse thro0gh athos.


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Edwards and Falkenstein %

Theodore Ka")nski or the +,naomer was listed as one o# the most +s"ariest

"riminals in Ameri"a a""ording toPlayboy maga)ine 79ewton %4. 2n +9egation Theor as a

:a0se o# Del0sion( The :ase o# the ,naomer ;erald 6. lained 0sing a #o0r-

oint negation theor 7$$&. This theor "o0ld e>lain

his need to +sread his gosel to the world 7


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Edwards and Falkenstein $

+"hara"teristi" o# modern le#tism as a whole while o'erso"iali)ation 7si" is "hara"teristi" onl

o# a "ertain segment o# modern le#tism 0t this segment is highl in#l0ential 71. Ka")nski*s

rhetori" is ro0ght to the #ore#ront in n0mero0s arti"les in"l0ding an arti"le entitled +3"ien"e

and the 60manities( the :ase #or 3tate 60manities

:o0n"ils ;.W. e#twi"h and we wish to #o"0s on

the rhetori" o# his mani#esto along with the histor

ehind this mani#esto the "ontro'ers ehind its

0li"ation and its signi#i"an"e to the wa we now

'iew s"holog te"hnolog and the o'erall se"tr0m

o# o0r "0lt0re and so"iet 0sing Kenneth 0rke*s

!entad Kant*s theories and theorists who will ring more "larit to the iss0es that ha'e een

resented in +The ,naomer Mani#esto. 2deologi"al taestr "reated Ka")nski*s

+mani#esto in'ites dis"0ssion and e'al0ation o# the "0rrent sit0ation with te"hnolog #or what

has to e done. 2t wo0ld e a good metahor sin"e te>tiles are man0#a"t0red #rom te"hnolog

and we are Csla'es* to the sstem.

Ka")nski*s rhetori" "an e 'iewed thro0gh White*s theor o# "0lt0ral st0dies( +we oen

with dis"o0rses gro0nded in two di'erse et related 0ni'erses ethnograh and "0lt0ral st0dies.

3o"iet is not r0n the eole 0t the dominant ower that whi"h g0ides others 7White

B$4. Ka")nski mentions +#eelings o# in#eriorit 71 and he de#ines these theories as +a whole

se"tr0m o# related traits low sel#-esteem #eelings o# owerlessness deressi'e tenden"ies

de#eatism g0ilt sel#-hatred et". 71 and Co'erso"iali)ation* or(

eading to low sel#-esteem a sense o# owerlessness de#eatism

g0ilt et". /ne o# the most imortant means whi"h o0r so"iet

2 #o0nd m0"h o# this to e ironi" d0e

in art to Ka")nski*s state o# mind

when he wrote his mani#esto and 2

#elt as tho0gh 2 sho0ld ha'e

elaorated on this "onne"tion in this

area o# the essa. 6e has s0"h a

distain #or te"hnolog et he needs

that same te"hnolog to 0lish his

mani#esto.


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so"iali)es "hildren is making them #eel ashamed o# eha'ior or see"h

that is "ontrar to so"iet*s e>e"tations. 2# this is o'erdone or i# a

arti"0lar "hild is ese"iall s0s"etile to s0"h #eelings he ends

#eeling ashamed o# 62M3EF 7$.

6e "laims that 0ndergoing internal trans#ormations re'ent sel#-a"knowledgement onl "reates

negati'e sel#-dere"iation detrimental to o0r #0t0re generations. This #alls into


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released in %&1&. This ook "ontains most o# the 'isionar 0t 'iolent sketi"*s writing s0"h as

the original mani#esto letters to 3krina answering the ro#essorIs H0estions and other essas

written #rom the ,naomerIs rison "ell. With attemted "orresonden"e to #ind a ers0asi'e

arg0ment the s"ene "hanges when the ,naomer "an talk ao0t his ideas witho0t endangering

others. An ase"t o# the sstem that goes against what he "laimed and di##ers #rom the

+rimiti'e li#estle he so0ght 'oid o# o'erso"iali)ation.

Whit"om elie'es the "ase o# Ted Ka")nski and his a"tions as the ,naomer will hel

in er"etions o# those with his mental illness. /'io0sl a 'er right mind Ka")nski "an e

seen as someone who needed medi"al attention 0t has not re"ei'ed it. The s"ene is #or"ing harsh

restri"tions to the agent. 6is a"tions eret0ate the stigma against those with s"hi)ohrenia the

are dangero0s to those aro0nd them. While Ka")nski*s

#ate has een alread determined li#e imrisonment his

"ase ma romt the legal sstem to #or"e eole into

treatment. 2nstead o# 0nishing them #or their "rimes

the "an e transitioned into medi"al aide at some oint

d0ring legal a"tion as Dr. E F0ller Torre se"0lates #rom

e>amining Ka")nski*s "ir"0mstan"es. Alston :hase

0lished a ook ao0t Theodore +The ,naomer

Ka")nski that was determined to address and answer the

H0estion o# wh Ka")nski "ommitted these "rimes 0t the onl "on"l0sion the a0thor "o0ld

"ome down to is he was +a mentall 0nstale loner 7Maslin E.1&. 6is need to "omm0ni"ate his

message in addition to eing laeled +a mentall 0nstale loner add to his mental state and his

"lini"al diagnosis o# aranoid s"hi)ohrenia 7


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Edwards and Falkenstein B

;erald 6. traordinar s0rrise

to those that know the indi'id0al 7


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Edwards and Falkenstein @

+#eelings o# in#eriorit we mean not onl in#eriorit #eelings in the

stri"t sense 0t a whole se"tr0m o# related traits low sel#-esteem #eelings o#

owerlessness deressi'e tenden"ies de#eatism g0ilt sel#-hatred et". We arg0e

that modern le#tists tend to ha'e some s0"h #eelings 7ossil more or less

reressed and that these #eelings are de"isi'e in determining the dire"tion o#

modern le#tism 71-%.

Ka")nski e>resses his 'iew o# the world while we swit"h to the "0rrent sit0ation where he

sends mail oms +dist0ring the ea"e we m0st end0re and en"o0nter those 'i"tims whose

li'es were lost on a""o0nt o# those mail oms.

A""ording to o0 6odges in +:ases and :ommentaries the two giants o# o0rnalisms

The New York Times and The Washington Post had no "hoi"e 0t to 0lish the mani#esto +/n

3etemer 1? 1??5 The New York Times and The Washington Postointl 0lished 7rinted

and distri0ted thePost onl the $5&&&-word Cmani#esto* o# the ,naomer 7The name

"omes #rom the 0sti"e Deartment*s a"ronm #or ,9A/M 76odges et al. %48-?. 3te'e

;eimann dis"0sses the 'ario0s sentiments on 0lishing Ted Ka")nski*sIndustrial Society and

Its Future. 3ome elie'e we rewarded Ka")nski or he #or"ed 0s to la his game while he had

all o# the "ards. There is one 0nanimo0s sentiment among these memers o# o0rnalism law

en#or"ement sho0ld ha'e arehended Ka")nski witho0t 0tting newsaers in the osition o#

"atering to a terrorist*s ego. +2t was the wrong de"ision said a"k e'in an e>ert on serial

killing at 9ortheastern ,ni'ersit in oston. +2t is shortsighted. ... The rolem is it rewards a

terrorist and it insires do)ens o# wannae serial killers. The lame was on the rint media

7whi"h the a""eted 0t law en#or"ement was not e>emt #rom attention.


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The statements onl grew worse #rom there +3ome o0rnalists lamed law-en#or"ement

o##i"ials not The Postor The Times #or re"ommending the aer 0lish the mani#esto lea'ing

the 0lishers to #eel resonsile #or s0seH0ent mail oms. The go'ernment 0t the 0lishers

in an imossile osition and whate'er de"ision was taken it wo0ld ha'e een the wrong one to

someone said oan Konner the dean o# the ;rad0ate 3"hool o# o0rnalism at :ol0mia

,ni'ersit. Their a"ks were to the wall and the had to

make a 0dgment "all. For all o# the 0sti"e and honor

,naomer tries to "laim he has he 0shed law

en#or"ement and newsaers into a ad de"ision and so

the s"ene is the agents o# dis"ord #or so"iet. Reginald

3ta0rt resident o# 3o"iet o# !ro#essional o0rnalists

stated +we sho0ld ha'e done what we "o0ld to stand

#irm on not aiding a terrorist and let o0r law

en#or"ement "ontin0e working into this "ase.

2n the area o# the mani#esto entitled +Te"hnolog 2s a More !ower#0l 3o"ial For"e than

the Asiration #or Freedom 7Ka")nski 15 +The ,naomer addresses the destr0"ti'e #or"e

o# te"hnolog(

Te"hnolog ad'an"es with great raidit and threatens #reedom at man

di##erent oints at the same time 7"rowding r0les and reg0lations in"reasing

deenden"e o# indi'id0als on large organi)ations roaganda and other

s"hologi"al te"hniH0es geneti" engineering in'asion o# ri'a" thro0gh

s0r'eillan"e de'i"es and "om0ters et".. To hold a"k an /9E o# the threats to

#reedom wo0ld reH0ire a long and di##i"0lt so"ial str0ggle 7Ka")nski 1B.

There were ortions o# this art o#

the essa that "o0ld ha'e een

omitted 0t 2 wanted to emhasi)e

how m0"h o# a danger Ka")nski

was to the general 0li" and how

these e'ents transired in themanner to whi"h the did. 2 wanted

to aint a detailed i"t0re o# what

the news media and law

en#or"ement had en"o0ntered in

terms o# the se'erit o# Ka")nski

and the danger he resented to the

0li".


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Edwards and Falkenstein ?

Ted Ka")nski had a strong hatred towards te"hnolog ahorring the strong hold it had on

"ontrolling so"iet. 6eideggerIs +Essentialist Resonses to the :hallenge o# Te"hnolog on

age 48@ "laims +An"ient dis0te etween determinism and #ree will 7Wallerstein 1??@ that is

to sa where str0"t0ralists arg0e that h0man tho0ght and a"tion are determined s0"h things as

ling0isti" iologi"al and s"hologi"al str0"t0res ad'o"ates o# agen" arg0e that indi'id0al

h0mans are #ree to de"ide the #0t0re "o0rse o# their li'es 0n#ettered an 0nderling or gi'en

#ramework. We wo0ld arg0e that this "an e 'iewed as s"ene 'ers0s agen". The ,naomer

arg0ed on this and wanted to 0sh #rom str0"t0reJs"ene to agen"Jri'a".

+The ,naomer also rings 0 an iss0e ao0t

histor h0manities and li#e e#ore te"hnolog and

whether or not o0r li'es wo0ld e etter o## witho0t the

te"hnolog o# modern so"iet(

Think o# histor as eing the s0m

o# two "omonents( an errati" "omonent

that "onsists o# 0nredi"tale e'ents that

#ollow no dis"ernile attern and a reg0lar "omonent that "onsists o# long-term

histori"al trends. 6ere we are "on"erned with the long-term trends 71%.

E>loring ideas +that rehistori" h0mans e>isted in a #ree and liss#0l state o# nat0re onl to e

interr0ted the imrisonment o# "i'il so"iet resonates a "ent0r later in the anti-

Enlightenment Romanti"ism o# ord ron !er" 3helle Mar 3helle William lake

Thomas :arlle and ohn R0skin as well Ameri"an trans"endentalists s0"h as 6enr Da'id

2 wanted to emhasi)e the "hange in

the s"eneJagen" ratio to that o# the

str0"t0reJs"ene to agen"Jri'a"

ratio e"a0se Ka")nski*s writings

#or"ed a "hange in those ratios.

Whereas 0rke wanted to kee

these ratios inta"t someone s0"h as

Ka")nski "omes along and

"on'ol0tes those ratios.


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Edwards and Falkenstein 1&

Thorea0 and Ralh Waldo Emerson. 6owe'er 0nlike 6eidegger nowhere do these thinkers "all

#or the anishment o# te"hnolog or a lanetar e##ort to destro te"hnolog 76eidegger 4?$.

+The ,naomer resents his sol0tion to the te"hnologi"al rolem( Destro it all 6e

resents his theor in a wa he elie'es he will sark a re'ol0tion(

Those who want to rote"t #reedom are o'erwhelmed the sheer n0mer

o# new atta"ks and the raidit with whi"h the de'elo hen"e the e"ome

aatheti" and no longer resist. To #ight ea"h o# the threats searatel wo0ld e

#0tile. 30""ess "an e hoed #or onl #ighting the te"hnologi"al sstem as a

whole 0t that is re'ol0tion not re#orm 7Ka")nski 1B.

Go0ng rings 0 the iss0e that +thereIs the "han"e that a serio0s "onsideration o# the

,naomerIs ideas "o0ld en"o0rage others to send oms to get attention. At times that tho0ght

made me want to sike this stor. 2n re"ent months "o"at killers "iting the ,naomer as their

insiration sent mail oms to nanote"hnolog ro#essors in Me>i"o 0lishing their own anti-

te"hnolog mani#esto. A killer in 9orwa who g0nned down do)ens o# st0dents at a "am last

ear wrote a mani#esto that in"l0ded hrases li#ted #rom Ka")nskiIs 7+The ,naomer*s !en

!al. !ossil a "all a"k to an online arti"le ao0t rewarding terrorists #or mail oms 0t the

disagreement stands as to whether or not this was the "ase or i# this was stri"tl #or 0li" sa#et.

A sense o# d0t "an e dangero0s with some eole 0t others in so"iet "an 0se it #or

nole 0roses. Kant asserts +gen0ine moral worth #rom d0t witho0t eing +in"ited an

in"lination. Des"rition o# agent 'iews how +te"hnolog has shaed 0s. We had this idea o#

d0t and its sa"ri#i"es 0t we ha'e still een "hanged te"hnolog thinking o# the "olle"ti'e

so"iet than 0st a #ew #amil memers. +Man eole ese"iall those who #a'or the 'irt0e


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ethi"s aroa"h ha'e een "riti"al o# Kant on this oint arg0ing that there is something morall

de#i"ient with the "old-hearted do-gooder e'en tho0gh he is doing good 7+The =irt0e o# :old-

heartedness %$?. ooking at agent "omared to what the ,naomer asserts how he goes

ao0t it what he has done 7tho0gh the mail oms weren*t in the ,naomer mani#esto. 2n a

sense regarding the ,naomer and his rother as( +:oldheartedness "omined with a sense o#

d0t "an in s0"h "ases e etter than lo'e and athologi"al smath 7Kant 1??@ g 1%

+#ilial lo'e "an onl go so #ar in "ondoning madness that was mail oms #rom Ka")nski.

3o"iet reH0ests we rote"t o0r neighors something a Cmore rimiti'e* li#e ma not ask o# 0s.

We elie'e this "an e 0sed as an arg0ment against the 'al0e destr0"tion o# +the sstemJso"iet

the ,naomer "laims te"hnolog has done. While it o#ten does la"e #amil against #amil

there is still a degree o# +ositi'e s"ene instead o# wholl eing negati'e #rom the

,naomer*s analsis. This is also a H0estion o# a"t. +The ,naomer elie'es the sstem

onl a"ts #or itsel# 0t in this "ase it thinks in the igger i"t0re and rote"ts its eole.

Ka")nski*s mani#esto de"lared a state o# "orr0tion and degradation "an e #o0nd with

o0r so"iet r0n te"hnolog and its interests. /0r li'es had een ri'ati)ed where we "o0ld

li'e o0r li'es 0n#ettered 0t now this not the "ase. ,n#ort0natel Ka")nski*s lost some o# his

deatal meaning#0l "rediilit with his mail oms making the o'erall s"ene m0dded with

antagonism on his side as well as a "reation o# "ometition instead o# a s0ort #or ego th0s

e"oming a "ometiti'e so"iet and not a so"iet #o"0sed on the wel#are o# #ellow h0man

eings. ooking a"k at the taestr metahor 0sed earlier in the aer Ka")nski stirred

dis"0ssion into the "on'ol0ted inner workings o# so"iet ased on "ons0merism and sel#-interest

that lag0es others. These working arts intera"t with ea"h other 0t o#ten "ollide to the oint o#


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Edwards and Falkenstein 1%

as0rdit. Ka")nski "ontin0ed the ongoing tradition o# "riti"i)ing what o0r so"iet had e"ome

where 0sing 0rke*s entad the s"ene di"tated eole into te"hnologi"al ser'it0de.

Reflection

looking into Ted Ka")nski*s +2nd0strial 3o"iet and 2ts F0t0re or +The ,naomer

Mani#esto whi"he'er nomination seems more aroriate and his other writings with 0rke*s

entad one "an onder how m0"h ma"hine in#l0en"es a iologi"al so"iet in general. The s"ene

itsel# deser'es hea' dis"0ssion #or how we imro'e o0r "onditions with te"hnolog while as

Ka")nski* asserts are #0rther "onstrained limits ena"ted as laws. We 0se the metahor o# a

taestr #or o0r thesis where e'en mal#ormed ones "an still "ome together their imer#e"t

arts lowering the o'erall H0alit o# the #inished rod0"t. The te>tiles sentiment ties with the

"ons0merism that he arg0es against #or how it "ontrols h0man a"ti'ities. /# "o0rse o0r arti"les

dis0te the lowered H0alit o# the sstem Ka")nski "ondemns. This aer "onsiders se'eral

di##erent s0e"t areas and "ontested them against his mani#esto e'en tho0gh Ka")nski wanted a

straight#orward agreement against te"hnolog. F0rthermore o0r aer looks at the moti'ations

o# indi'id0als #or how the "o0ld "ontri0te to Ka")nski*s s"ene agreeing with the sentiments

he de"lared 0t still re#0sing to #0ll "on"ede to this +madman. We wo0ld like to think this

aer looks to 'al0e the 0sh #or ersonal emowerment as how Ka")nski ma ha'e wanted

awa #rom tring to destro te"hnolog. There was a "onsens0s o# wanting to rote"t h0man

rights e'en i# it wo0ld al e>"l0ding Ka")nski and attemts to oint o0t the te"hnologi"al

s"ene still had this. 0rke*s entad ga'e 0s a wa to think #0rther awa #rom Ka")nski*s te>t to

the igger i"t0re o# li'ing in o0r so"iet whi"h we elie'e is tr0l +"onstr0"ti'e rhetori"

emowering o0r li'es.


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Edwards and Falkenstein 1$

Work :ited

;eimann 3te'e. L,naomer Ethi"s.L nabomber !thics. Alion ? /"t. 1??5. We. %4 Fe.

%&1$.

6odges o0 ane Kirtle Ri"hard 6arwood Rem Rieder and !a0l K M"Masters. L:ases and

:ommentaries( The ,naomer.L"ournal of #ass #edia !thics 1&.4 71??5( %48.

Ka")nski Theodore. L2nd0strial 3o"iet and 2ts F0t0re.L !ditions$hache%com. 6a"he Et es

A0te0rs 3a0# 2ndi"ation :ontraire B Ar. %&&@. We. %4 Fe. %&1$.

e#twi"h ;.M. L3"ien"e and the 60manities( The :ase #or 3tate 60manities

:o0n"ils.L Technology in Society %4.4 7%&&%( 5%$-5$&.

Maslin anet. LThe ,naomer and the I:0lt0re o# DesairI( Re'iew.LNew York Times 7%&&$(

E.1&.

Meers :. D. LThe =irt0e o# :old-heartedness.L Philoso&hical Studies' (n International

"ournal for Philoso&hy in the (nalytic Tradition1$8.% 7%&&8( %$$-44."ST)R. We. 1@

Fe. %&1$. !rint. %4-5.

9ewton Mi"hael. The !ncyclo&edia of Serial *illers. %nd ed. 9ew Gork( :he"kmark %&&B.

Taa"hni"k Da'id E. L6eideggerIs Essentialist Resonses to the :hallenge o#

Te"hnolog.L +anadian "ournal of Political Science4&.% 7%&&@( 48@-5&5."ST)R. We.

1? Fe. %&1$.


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Whit"om Roert. Lessons earned #rom the ,naomer.L The Free ,ance$Star

Frederi"ks0rg =irginiaN 8 Ma 1??8( @. !rint.

Go0ng e##re R. LThe ,naomerIs !en !al.L The +hronicle Review. The :hroni"le o# 6igher

Ed0"ation %& Ma %&1%. We. 1? Fe. %&1$.

Documents

English 584 Theory and Practice of Modern Rhetoric