Tuesday, November 27, 2012

IB 7



          My goal with this proposal is to raise awareness about the research and development of genetic engineering. I know, the statement is general and intangible. So I am wrestling with my least favorite tangible genetic engineering issue today: genetically modified food. Now, the audience is a major problem. I haven’t decided if I should focus my proposal towards the 18-30 web-surfing intellectual that uses their time browsing funny pictures and cool scientific current events or those who openly oppose genetically modified food who represent religious, nutritional, or health organizations. The register, demographics, and enjoyment level are vastly different in both audiences. I would obviously have more fun appealing to internet-savvy audience however; I don’t think they need it. Most people of that audience would agree with my message. The other audience is much more hostile and serious then the lightheartedness of the internet. In other words, it would be a bigger challenge that would be less fun but have to potential to really affect a community if successful. However, writing to either group completes my goal: raising awareness. For now, I will focus “internet audience” (yeah, I’ll refer to them as that).
         Since the “internet audience,” resides on the internet that is where I will publish my proposal. Reddit will be where I post the proposal (for those who do not know what Reddit is, A). Never go there or you will be addicted for life and B). It boasts “front page of the internet,” as its catch phrase so that is why I am posting it there). My argument is that even if you never plan to buy or eat genetically modified food, recommend it to others, and do anything in your power to promote its advancement. This is because methods used in food are just the forerunner of what scientists could be doing to you. And I’m not talking about making you bigger or taste better or brighter in color or resistant to a pesticide; that’s the humor in it. The internet audience craves humor, scrolling down forever, and a little bit of science and history to make them feel like they’ve learned something interesting to share with their friends. As a result, I believe the Tesla article on “The Oatmeal,” did a good job evoking humor, interesting facts, and presenting a cause. I plan to do something similar with visual aids and real science that will hopefully appeal to my audience. 

2 comments:

  1. Cole, I think the idea of writing about genetically modified food is an interesting idea that has a lot of different stakeholders. Posting your topic to Reddit will be a really good site, also I think that's the right place for such a paper to be published. The information that you supply will be really helpful to the readers. You are encouraging people to eat genetically enhanced food because that's the way that the future is going? Are their side effects to that? Has it been proven to be healthy, or is it dangerous?

    - Laura

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  2. Dear Cole,
    I’m glad you decided to focus upon GMOs (I’m sorry you aren’t very fond of them but I thought boys loved food? Haha just teasing). I also like the “internet audience” approach it will be more fun, fit your format (The Oatmeal format that is humorous yet informative at the same time. Oh and as I learned from that post Tesla’s oatmeal>Edison) and fit your voice as a writer as well. I think something you could add in your paper is perhaps show a bunch of delicious food pictures, and then say “Did those look appealing to you, well they are all genetically modified foods” they don’t look like food-Frankensteins but it’s the chemical composition that makes them different. Hope you end up enjoying your topic a bit more, and I’m sure it will be great as always.

    -Joana Sipe

    P.S. I havn’t been to Reddit and I kind of am tempted too even though you said not to go haha!

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