Quotation: “New forms of media have always caused moral panics: the printing press, newspapers, paperbacks, and television were all once denounced as threats to their consumers’ brainpower and moral fiber” (Seyler, 2018, p. 382).
A technique that appeals to me: The quotation chosen perfectly addresses the fear that can be instilled by the introduction of a new form of media, presenting relevant examples from the previous eras. I was impressed how Seyler provides an extensive understanding of the subject of media, especially when a newer approach to information consumption is being delivered to the public. In addition, the author presents specific events from the previous historical periods that exemplify the point and further strengthen the argument. This technique is especially appealing to me, as it encompasses the concept of new media in a concise manner, simultaneously demonstrating how the panic created is ridiculous and lacks evidential support.
How I will use the technique: In my essay, I plan to incorporate the technique chosen when discussing the impact of the new forms of media. First of all, I plan to refer to the previous introductions of information consumption, manifesting the idea of public unacceptance through the examination of historical events. Previously, before discovering the quote, I intended to use more contemporary sources, approaching the issue from the current perspective. However, Seyler’s approach has shown me that complications related to social behavior should contain an evaluation of previous circumstances, as it is essential to understand how society evolved over the years. After that, in order to fully capture the problematics of media, it is crucial to establish a pattern that creates a coherent picture according to the historical data. Therefore, it will be imperative for me to employ Seyler’s technique to grasp the overall picture of the issue, additionally strengthening my argument and presenting a complete overview of the difficulty discussed. Although I am still working on my presentation of this approach in the essay, it will substantially benefit the reasoning of the work.
Reference
Seyler, D. (2018). Read, reason, write (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.