Introduction
The internet might easily be conceptualized as the greatest invention of our time, but some critics view it as the germ of puzzling technology-induced behavioral anomalies in humans. One such pessimistic thinker is Brandon Ambrosino, the author of “Smartphones and Our Memories: Don’t Take a Picture. It’ll Last Longer.” He argues that smartphones and the internet have adversely affected people’s concentration, memory, and ability to immerse themselves in and truly experience moments fully.
Similar sentiments about technology echo in Tristan Harris’ “How a Handful of Tech Companies Control Billions of Minds Every Day.” In this speech, Harris contended that few tech giants prey on the masses’ psychology for their selfish economic gains and recommends an urgent design renaissance in which technology promotes genuine liberty. Although both Ambrosino and Harris demonstrate admirable authorial prowess through appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos, Harris’s overreliance on emotions rendered him and his argument less credible compared to Ambrosino’s article.
Comparing Appeal to Ethos
Both Ambrosino’s piece and Harris’s TED presentation evoke strong ethos appeals. Ambrosino’s consistent reliance on many reputable sources throughout the essay strengthens his credibility as a “freelance writer.” His clipped and articulate conceptualization of the problem as “pre-remembering” and invoking expert opinions indicate exhaustive research and reflection on the topic (Ambrosino, 2018). He further draws from personal experiences to introduce and sustain his argument, thereby implying a personal stake and first-hand experience with the issue. Similarly, Harris appeals to ethos by making explicit references to his professional qualifications as a design thinker.
Near the speech opening, Harris mentions that he worked in a control room as a “thought ethicist at Google” to steer people’s thoughts – the topic he discusses in the rest of the talk (Harris, 2017, 00:31). Ambrosino and Harris successfully appeal to ethos, convincing their audience that they have researched the issues and are qualified to lead the public in discussing them.
Comparing Use of Logic
Besides the expert utilization of ethos, both sources appeal to logos, albeit with varying success. Ambrosino’s piece is the most successful in this aspect as he employs many facts and statistics that allow his ideas to progress logically compared to Harris’s speech. For instance, Ambrosino points out facts from his experience while touring Ernest Hemingway’s home and attending Disney World fireworks. He notices that people’s obsessive reliance on smartphone cameras distorted vision and compelled them to view the unfolding present as history. These details set precedence for and sustain Ambrosino’s thesis that people are “no longer remembering but pre-remembering” (Ambrosino, 2018, para. 7).
Additionally, the author cites at least half a dozen experts throughout the essay and two current scientific publications to explain two main adverse effects of smartphones: “documentary vision” and “digital amnesia” (Ambrosino, 2018, para. 8-18). On the contrary, Harris relies exclusively on expert power and relevant, concrete examples to discuss the problem’s severity while prodding listeners to hypothetical scenarios and possibilities.
Comparing Reliance on Emotions
Along with logos appeals, the two sources evoke emotions to persuade their audience. Harris’s TED talk is arguably the most successful in the use of pathos. Harris opens his speech by prompting his listeners to “imagine” and repeats the words severally throughout the presentation. The opening anecdote successfully instigates dreadful feelings towards how a few tech giants are using psychology to steer thought patterns among the masses, which inhibits infringes on the liberty to have conversations and relationships people want. The speaker further instills a sense of hope by challenging the audience to “imagine” the benefits that would result from Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Google, and other tech companies channeling their resources to encourage individuals to live out the timeline they desire (Harris, 2017).
Comparatively, Ambrosino describes experiences that evoke many emotions, including a sense of frustration, towards the drawbacks of smartphones. The writer adds to the idea by using words and phrases such as “irked,” “fateful visit,” “bothered,” “concern,” and “degenerating our spines and affecting our posture” (Ambrosino, 2018, para.1-8). These words and phrases appeal to the audience’s frustration and anger toward technology’s invasive nature and the resulting negative impacts.
Subjective Opinion on Most Persuasive Source
While both sources are plausible in their appeal to different rhetorical strategies, I find Ambrosino more persuasive than Harris. Ambrosino’s article pays equal attention to ethos, logos, and pathos, thereby presenting a robust argument and convincing the readers regarding the importance of discussing the harmful effects of smartphones. While Harris also succeeds in establishing the urgency of the problem in question – tech overbearing power to manipulate human thoughts for financial gains without the knowledge of the subjects – overreliance on emotional appeal weakens his credibility and ultimately his point.
Technology is growing fast, and so are concerns regarding its potential unfavorable consequences. Internet critics such as Ambrosino and Harris explore the dark side of technology that remains unbeknownst to many as justified by the general lack of corrective action from the victims. To highlight these pressing concerns, the two authors use rhetorical strategies in many remarkable ways. Nonetheless, a subjective opinion finds Ambrosino’s argument more persuasive than Harris’s speech. Smartphones are distorting posture, memory, and the ability to experience moments. Mobile phones are speedily becoming commonplace, demanding deliberate measures to mitigate their adverse effects on people’s lives.
References
Ambrosino, B. (2018). Smartphones and our memories: Don’t take a picture. It’ll last longer​. The Globe and Mail. Web.
Harris, T. (2017). How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every day [Video]. YouTube. Web.