Susan Sontags 9 / 11 - 1303 Words

The tragic events that occurred on September 11th, 2001 will live on forever in the history of the United States as citizens shed fresh tears for those lost every year. Hundreds upon thousands of articles have been written since the life-shattering catastrophic event, most of which – unsurprisingly – focus on the politics of the entire situation. In one article, â€Å"9/11,† Susan Sontag ruthlessly criticizes the government response following the attacks, making bold claims that they were withholding information from the public and leaving citizens blind and ignorant. Though Sontag is effective in describing a valid argument against the government’s response after the events of 9/11, her success is lost in her failed establishment of ethos in her lacking appearance of knowledge, little fairness toward the government’s side, and lost credibility due to inadequate facts and strong emotions. Sontag’s failed establishment of ethos stems from her lacking knowledge regarding the subject matter, as seen through her vague assertions and incomplete examples. Primarily, Sontag raises the question â€Å"how many citizens are aware of the ongoing American bombing of Iraq†¦Ã¢â‚¬  yet fails to give any sort of description or explanation of events (Sontag). While she establishes the idea that she clearly has more knowledge regarding the situation than the average citizen by questioning an occurrence most do not know about, Sontag fails to follow-up on her question, giving her dubious credibility.Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Susan Sontag s The Cave 2336 Words   |  10 Pagesare viewing. Because we are so focused on the actual action of taking a photograph, we are stripped of the experience. In Susan Sontag’s â€Å"In Plato’s Cave,† she says that â€Å"It seems positively unnatural to travel for pleasure without taking a camera along. Photographs will offer indisputable evidence that the trip was made, tha t the program was carried out, that fun was had† (9). Here Sontag is saying that photographs provide evidence, that the trip was taken and that is it almost like the trip didn’tRead MoreEssay on Photography in Advertising and its Effects on Society3730 Words   |  15 Pagesmatter, nothing that is extraordinary in art, that is celebrated in architecture, that is calculated to excite the admiration of those who behold it, need now perish, but may be rendered immortal by the assistance of Photography. (Harwath-Booth 9) Walter Benjamin argues that the industrial boom of the nineteenth century was also the death of oral tradition. According to Benjamin, oral tradition was dependant on a â€Å"community of listeners,† people who listened to the stories and retold themRead MorePhotography in Advertising and Its Effects on Society3789 Words   |  16 Pagesmatter, nothing that is extraordinary in art, that is celebrated in architecture, that is calculated to excite the admiration of those who behold it, need now perish, but may be rendered immortal by the assistance of Photography. (Harwath-Booth 9) Walter Benjamin argues that the industrial boom of the nineteenth century was also the death of oral tradition. According to Benjamin, oral tradition was dependent on a community of listeners, people who listened to the stories and retold them