The video posits that students are guppies in shark-infested waters. It also argues that ignorance is "bad." Yet the videographer must have ignored some elements of the shark<->guppy eco-relationship. Are there salt-water guppies? Are there fresh-water sharks where guppies live? Do sharks eat guppies? If I have a choice to be a guppy or not in shark-infested waters, and I choose not to be a guppy, does that mean I should choose to be a shark? What other schooling fish should I be? Perhaps I should not choose to be a fish at all. The guerilla lives among the people as the fish in the sea (plagiarized).

The video posits that we must be taught technology, that we cannot learn how to use it on our own. It really seems to be arguing that only through school can we learn technology. I am a self-taught 50-something technology user who learned to watch and argue with the TV before I was in school, learned to program computers without a single course, and believe school is not such a great place for learning.

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rdr

The video posits that students are guppies in shark-infested waters. It also argues that ignorance is "bad." Yet the videographer must have ignored some elements of the shark<->guppy eco-relationship.

It's definitely one of those simple metaphors that one would find in a short length message such as this that breaks down under scrutiny.

But I wonder to what extent that metaphor is playing off of the common "fear" of the Internet as a shark infested place--and acknowledgment of that fear--in the interest of promoting better understanding of technology and reducing wholesale blocking of blogs, wikis, and social networks and promoting informational/Internet literacy? Obviously, the implied author within this text seems to agree with the shark/guppie metaphor, but I wonder if it's more of a rhetorical strategy than the position of the author herself?

I am a self-taught 50-something technology user who learned to watch and argue with the TV before I was in school, learned to program computers without a single course, and believe school is not such a great place for learning.

That's an interesting position for a teacher. Is it the institution of education that is the problem? Why teach if schools are not good places for learning? You must have some hope that this can change.

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Charlie | cyberdash

Obviously, the implied author within this text seems to agree with the shark/guppie metaphor, but I wonder if it's more of a rhetorical strategy than the position of the author herself?

A weak analogy weakens an argument. When an author fails to recognize the inaccuracy of hir analogies, s/he undermines hir audience's faith in hir credibility. Hir audience begins to question hir premises.

S/he provides a method by which hir adversary may misdirect hir audience from any valid premises s/he raised. Of course, it is possible that despite its being presented as a vehicle to support dialogic thinking, the video is actually monologic and is not intended to respond to debate. If that is the case, I believe the argument becomes further undermined.

Is it the institution of education that is the problem? Why teach if schools are not good places for learning? You must have some hope that this can change.

I believe that access should not be prevented. I also believe that schools designed to teach minors cannot help but block access. I do not believe that they should, but schools are bureaucratic systems with consumers who have little to no control over what they are forced to consume. Children should, in the ideal republic, have a valid voice in their homes in addition to their schools. But I also do not believe that compulsory schooling is an ideal solution to problems that derive from our ignorance.

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rdr

Well, I don't know if I would go so far as to call the shark metaphor in the video a weak argument. From a logos perspective, it may indeed be fairly weak. But the effectiveness of a visual metaphor can only be judged within the rhetorical situation of audience response to ethos, pathos, and logos appeals. The image of the shark will convey a powerful pathos appeal for some, particularly those who already fear technology (obviously a primary audience for this text).

By questioning the rigor of that analogy, you are questioning the ethos of the author, and thus further reducing the effectiveness of the piece for persuading you. This could clearly be the position of many academics. Many K-12 teachers may not be as demanding. They may be drawn more strongly to respond to the emotion stimulated by the image and never question the ethos of the text because of the weakness of the metaphor.

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Charlie | cyberdash

The ethos of the video was ruined for me because my parents would get furious if we ever wrote on ourselves. They thought the ink might get absorbed into our skin and cause cancer. They'd also get biting mad if we were stamped at school, since they'd heard dope dealers were putting LSD into star stamps and what-not. At any rate, after this guy wrote on himself so much, I'm sure he was hallucinating more than freshwater guppies being swallowed up by saltwater sharks.

BTW, where do you guys fall down on the whole pirate/ninja debate?

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Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.

Where do you think I fall in the pirate/ninja debate:

Disclaimer: the link from this screenshot is intended for platypus matt; other users may find the resulting video game too juvenile.

I love it!!! More, please, more!

It's even got a most triumphant chiptune soundtrack.

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Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.

_Bear vs. Shark_ was a pretty good film from Sundance this year, apropos of nothing in your post except the word "shark" . . . it was kind of the Aussie _Napolean Dynamite_.

I think that if Napolean were asked the question, he'd definitely respond "Pirates." Cause Ninjas are about chowing down pizza, whereas Pirates are all about the rum. I know which one I'd rather be hanging around, me matey.

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Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.

oops. got that title wrong. and it was New Zealand, not Australia. this is why i should not blog.