Analysis Of My Rhetorical Situation

In order to get the most out of our projects, we have to understand all the dynamics that go along with it. This blog will analyze my rhetorical situation regarding de-extinction.

1) Audience
The audience of my project on de-extinction probably read magazines such as National Geographic, Nautilus, Popular Science, as well as international science magazines. Many people from around the Globe are interested in de-extinction. Most people actively participating in the science of de-extinction are probably more upper class scientists, but any regular person can have an interest in the subject (i.e me). Scientists almost half as likely to believe in a god as the general public. With that being said, most people that follow or endorse this type of work probably share the same mindset. I think this audience would value knowledge and extending that knowledge and growth beyond limits set by the previous generation, asking "why not" instead of submitting. I do not think they would value settling. Just because something may have failed or not gone the way one might have predicted does not mean you just give up and throw in the towel. Instead try it again or a different way again and again and again until either you succeed or there is no other possible way to go about the problem.

2) Purpose
My purpose for this project would be to provide information that people may not know or have the easiest access to. Also I think this "issue" is too heavily looked upon as a negative thing outside of the science community. I am hoping to provide my audience with the knowledge to not only better understand my topic, but also to be able to go explore it more on their own if the wish to do so. I want the audience to know who is invested in this project and whether or not it is a money pit instead of a societal development. My project should provide my audience with the understanding to know how a conference on de-extinction done at a TED conference versus at a church will receive different responses. The time period of my topic is very recent, but by the end of my project, my audience should know how recent technological developments have helped shaped de-extinction and how further developments will take de-extinction to the next level.

3) Author
This is an interesting topic to me. When we were first presented with the projects, I immediately thought of doing them on my favorite animal: elephants. While I was looking for a controversy relating to ph, I found an article on how scientists are currently trying to hybridize an elephant and woolly mammoth DNA. An hour and a half later, I am sitting at my laptop finishing my 6th TED talk and rereading an article that went along with it. I think I am the perfect fit for this topic because while it does pertain to my field, it is not something I am 100% familiar with. I want to know more about the topic instead of just regurgitating what I think our professor wants from us.

Jurvetson, Steve. "The Dawn Of De-extinction" 02/27/2013 via flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic