Argumentative Essay On Ellen Devices

Yesteryear’s Technology Nostalgia tends to affect people’s memories of yesteryear, but the technology is not affected. People have many accounts of their experiences with these now outdated pieces of technology; some realistic, some positive, some negative. Ellen DeGeneres was realistic and admitted that they had their faults. She had another goal though: to show that the children of today’s era have it better. In DeGeneres’ YouTube clip, “Ellen Introduces Kids to the Technology of Yesterday,” of her show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” posted on September 19, 2014, she intended to prove this to her audience on the show and any viewers watching her show on the TV or the Internet. Ellen has three objects in this segment of her show that she shows to various children: the first cell phone model, a typewriter, and an old
answering/recording machine. During each showing of each piece of technology, she introduces the technology to the children and allows them to interact with them, often in a comedic manner. It is obvious that none of the children know much about any of Ellen’s exhibits, further lending to her point. However, none of this is meant to be taken negatively. In fact, Ellen is very positive and comedic about the entire experience, accepting of the fact that technology is changing for the better. She is not trying to shame these children and make them feel undisciplined, she is letting them experience the past and make them realize just how lucky they are. All of these are things that her audience also observe, and the message is clear to them. A clear indicator of Ellen’s audience is the audio cues. Whenever Ellen says something funny, laughter ensues. For example, during the first ten seconds, Ellen talks about the new (well, new for its time) Apple Pay, and she follows by saying, “…don’t get excited, I don’t have anything for you,” (TheEllenShow). The audience laughs, it is a call and response system. This happens repeatedly during the video, especially during the bits with the children. This is a key part of show; this is half of her interactions with her audience. Looking at the visual clues, it is also clear as to who Ellen’s intended audience is. When she is with the children, she is facing straight towards the camera and her audience on the other side of the camera. She is maintaining direct eye contact to create a friendly atmosphere and to make the show interactive. This helps her convince the audience of her ideas. When with the children, her full attention is on them, making many humorous comments to keep her audience entertained. The interactive experience only enhances Ellen’s influence on her audience. Overall, the quality of the entire clip is exceedingly high.
Regardless of the fact Ellen has a large budget, her demeanor is professional and amicable. Ellen is always smiling, and she is polite to the children. She knows where to take the conversation next, especially in terms of comedy, and she does not stutter. She clearly demonstrated her point to her audience. Through three clear examples, she shows that the children of today’s era do have it better, as shown through their frustration. As fitting with her positive attitude, the deliverance of her message is also positive. Her idea may not be original, as the thought that millennials/zillennials are spoiled is all too obvious on media outlets, but her method of tackling the issue is enjoyable and interactive (to a certain extent). She leaves the viewer with an optimistic view on the situation, along the lines of, “They will never know what we had, but at least they have it better.” Ellen is clear and focused; she does not go on a tangent, she keeps her case strong and continuous. Overall, the video is a pleasing experience that leaves the viewer with a pleasant afterthought about the
argument. Ultimately, the entirety of the video is overwhelmingly positive. Ellen’s show is about discussing relevant topics in a comedic manner, and this one does not stray from this formula. Her usage of the cell phone, typewriter, and answering machine all show how much the technology of today has changed for the better, and she exemplifies how frustrating they were to use through the children. All of this is directed towards her audience, whether they were her live audience or anybody watching from another source. The audio and visual cues are present, showing just who she is addressing. Anybody who sees this should just take the time to be grateful for what they today because what they have is more than likely better than talking into a brick with cellular reception.