Dot jots

Dot Jot notes
The use of historical facts like the invention of the gunpowder, the reference to the “Phoenicians”, “the idea of 0” and other such facts play an essential role as these facts make the essay more attention-grabbing. Readers may feel interested in the essay because of the fascinating facts presented by the author. Moreover, using facts in the essay gives the reader the idea that the author is well aware of the topic and has credible and trustable information to offer.
Using generalisation as a lead proves to be very effective as it grabs the reader’s attention. Also, the generalisation may help the reader connect to the essay as the reader may have a similar opinion as the author has mentioned. The use of generalisation as a lead hooks up the reader in the very beginning.
Throughout the essay, the author has made use of diction. The word choice of the author reflects the author’s viewpoint about a certain issue. For example, the author writes “imposing their egos on powers too complex to be understood, too dangerous to be harnessed.” The diction in this sentence clearly lays emphasis on the complexity of the issue that the author is discussing. Also, the proper use of diction in the essay makes the author prove his argument more effectively as the words themselves will basically set a tone in the reader’s mind. Like in the sentence quoted, the diction helps to prove that technology can be dangerous and that is exactly what the author is trying to portray to the reader.
The use of aphorisms in the essay not only make the essay more interesting but also make the reader revisit the main point or the argument that the author is proposing. For example, “New technologies force out the old.” This aphorism from the essay is not only a short, memorable statement, it is the argument that the author is trying to prove to the reader. Not only this, but another advantage of using an aphorism is that it is a memorable statement; that means that the reader will remember the main argument of the essay and hence the reader will easily understand the supportive proof that the author may use to prove his argument; the reader will have a clear understanding of the arguments of the author.
The author has also made use of card stacking; the author has used historical/scientific facts to support his arguments. The author has cleverly manipulated the facts into supportive arguments; for example the author writes, “But wireless communications and the wired telephone turned telegram into a relic, an antique...” This is a fact however; the author has manipulated this fact to make it a supportive argument for the point he is trying to prove to the reader.
The tone of the essay in the beginning is very serious as the author mentions a couple of his historical facts. However, as the essay progresses, there is a visible shift in the author’s tone; the tone becomes harsh and negative. For example, the author has mentioned, “Pick your poison...”, “...have bred the seeds of their own destruction.” The tone reflects the author’s opinions and views about a certain issue, in this case, the negative views that the author has about the technology are revealed by the tone of the essay. There is also a couple of rhetorical questions that the author proposes for the reader to answer; the negative views or the angered feelings of the author are reflected into those questions as well, shifting the tone of the essay from a serious to a harsh and judgemental tone.