Speculating About Causes: Phenomena or Trends AND DJP #7
What are you wondering about?
Stephen King in “Why We Carve Horror Movies” asks, “When we [see] a horror movie, we are daring the nightmare. Why?” (SMG 422).
Michaeleen Doucleff asks, Why does Adele’s “Someone Like You” evince so much emotion? (“The Anatomy of a Tear-Jerker: Why does Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ make everyone cry? Science has found the formula”).
In “The Telescope Effect,” Shankar Vedantam asks, “Why have successive generations of Americans - a people with extraordinary powers of compassion - done so little to halt suffering on such a large scale?” (SMG 416). A question Vedantam asks in 2010. His question is relevant again as we watch the refugee crisis in the Middle East unfold today.
That’s the thing with a phenomena or a trend. You are not just asking a question that is relevant for JUST TODAY. Your question will continue to be relevant. You are looking for a question about human behavior or a natural situation that is continuous to some degree.
The documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously” asks causal questions about climate change. They do ultimately move to human behavior. But, you will see the documentary episodes look to nature as the subject. (Click on “Years of Living Dangerously” above to watch the first episode of this documentary series. Us your list of argumentative elements to identify the steps the filmmakers make.)
DJP#7
Offer at least two phenomena and/or trends that you are interested in researching.
Briefly summarize each. (Maybe 1 small paragraph for each so that we can understand clearly what you are questioning.)
Use full sentences in your digital journal post.
This DJP is due by Monday at midnight. (November 2).