2001 A Space Odyssey Analysis
Straight into the beginning, Carr starts his article with a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey where Dave is trying to disconnect HAL, the space robot, from its artificial brain because of the mishaps HAL made. Carr uses this scene to connect to how he can feel that the internet is reprogramming his brain negatively to think differently than how it was before. He includes how he is struggling with the negative effects of technology that he developed like poor concentration. Carr mentions that anyone can fall into training their brain into losing the capacity to focus, including him. He has difficulty focusing on reading after two or three pages and begins to look for something else to do. Carr states that the internet “is chipping
away [his] capacity for concentration and contemplation” and Carr is not the only one struggling with this problem (Carr 2). He mentions that his friends and acquaintances are experiencing the same development of losing focus. Not only are people losing focus, but developing a bad habit of skimming because of it. The personal anecdote creates the appeal towards pathos because he wants to create a bond with his intended audience on an emotional level so it can be more relatable. He knows that these personal anecdotes are not enough to convince the reader his argument so he includes a study from University College London to support that it is happening to many people to establish credibility.
Furthermore, adding in his personal struggle creates the emotional bond with his audience of the educated demographics and assumes that they are now realizing that it is possibly happening to them. Carr emphasizes on the idea that people could end up acting like robots and that people’s deep thinking will be stripped away. He use personal anecdotes at the beginning to make his argument more relatable and can draw in his reader closer. His does use casual language to make it seem that he his directly talking to his reader. It makes an easier transfer to show information about research and studies being conducted to extend his support.
away [his] capacity for concentration and contemplation” and Carr is not the only one struggling with this problem (Carr 2). He mentions that his friends and acquaintances are experiencing the same development of losing focus. Not only are people losing focus, but developing a bad habit of skimming because of it. The personal anecdote creates the appeal towards pathos because he wants to create a bond with his intended audience on an emotional level so it can be more relatable. He knows that these personal anecdotes are not enough to convince the reader his argument so he includes a study from University College London to support that it is happening to many people to establish credibility.
Furthermore, adding in his personal struggle creates the emotional bond with his audience of the educated demographics and assumes that they are now realizing that it is possibly happening to them. Carr emphasizes on the idea that people could end up acting like robots and that people’s deep thinking will be stripped away. He use personal anecdotes at the beginning to make his argument more relatable and can draw in his reader closer. His does use casual language to make it seem that he his directly talking to his reader. It makes an easier transfer to show information about research and studies being conducted to extend his support.