Week 4: Specific Analysis

I am intrigued by the idea that argument should be and is largely situational. Pereleman & Olbrecht's state "The study of audiences could also be a study for sociology, since a man's opinions depend not so much on his own character, as on
his social environment, on the people he associates with and lives
among." One of the reasons I continually dread the conversation of argument and the process of arguing is because it seems as if there is a tendency to make it universal, to make it a methodical process, and to make arguing a scientific notion. To develop a claim or assertion seems highly individual and entirely dependent upon the context in which it is being expressed. How, then, can one teach or educate another about the process of argument? Yet this is what we typically do, do we not? We teach our students that to make an argument they must have a claim, followed by data to support their assertion, and its success is dependent upon are ability to persuade others of its accuracy. But, can't an argument's success be dependent upon our ability to communicate it in a intelligble manner?
In my research on digitial activism, I find myself continuing to consider the ways in which arguing is changing. Is it changing? Do the different modalities of our society call forth a new understanding and modified way of communicating one's claims? For example, as I am finding from this class, I find it easier to make a claim and support it verbally than to write an argument. The conclusion I have reached is that my certainty of being able to articulate my thoughts are largely dependent upon the idea of formal education, education through verbal communication, and the ability to immediately respond to any conflicting ideas from my audience. But, to argue in the digital sphere is wrought with uncertainty. Am I communicating my ideas clearly? It is something that I am continuing to stuggle with. And, I am beginning to think that this is an important struggle, one that we should all have with our inner self, our certainties, and our idea of education. I believe that the digital sphere is the new venue for advocacy and activism. The way in which we communicate about a certain social issue or attempt to dialogue about our perceptions is becoming more dependent upon our technological capabilities. The audience for our claims is vastly different. The barriers that once hampered our ability to dissiminate our assertions have been replaced. Now, we must argue without the immediate face to face interaction. We must learn to replace our verbal abilities with our written words. We must learn to articulate more clearly with the possibility of being unable to qualify our claims hanging over our heads. Yet, our environment is expanded, our possibilities for understanding are increased, and the chance of followers is likely.