Assignment Instructions
Your first step is to watch Julia Dhar’s TED Talk “How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground.” Dhar is a behavioral economist and consultant, and her talk addresses why “public discourse is broken” and the ways in which it can be fixed. After watching Dhar’s talk on productive disagreements, you will next consider what you have learned from it by reading and responding to two arguments: Saida Grundy’s “The Risky Business of Branding Black Pain” and PEN America’s “The Pro-Free Speech Way to Fight Fake News.”
In your response, please respond to the following questions:
(1) Writers of arguments spend time establishing that a problem exists and needs to be addressed. In “The Risky Business of Branding Black Pain,” Saida Grundy argues that Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign is problematic. In a paragraph, identify the specific reasons she believes this campaign is problematic. Explain these reasons fully and in your own language, making sure to quote and attribute the author’s language when used. In a subsequent paragraph, respond to Grundy’s argument. Were you persuaded by her claims? Why or why not?
(2) In Julia Dhar’s TED Talk, she argues that the most persuasive speakers invite listeners into a “shared reality.” In a paragraph, what does this term mean and why does Dhar think it is important? In a subsequent paragraph, apply this idea to PEN America’s “The Pro-Free Speech Way to Fight Fake News.” In what ways does this article seek to find common ground among readers of various ideological perspectives? Identify the specific arguments and/or passages where such common ground is built.
(3) Argument essays often show readers why attempts to address an issue are difficult or have failed. In a paragraph, how does “The Pro-Free Speech Way to Fight Fake News” show the difficulties of solving the problem of fake news? Identify the specific arguments and passages that show the difficulties in solving the issue. How do these passages add complexity to the argument that might otherwise be missing without them?
(4) Many arguments use precedents to help readers understand the issue or their solution to the issue. A precedent can be defined as a previous example that is similar to and sheds light on a current situation. In two or three paragraphs, identify a precedent each author — Dhar, Grundy, and PEN America — uses to illustrate their position. How is each precedent used? Discuss the ways in which you find it effective or ineffective.
