The internet has been one of the most impactful inventions in human history. People can now carry with them devices that give them access to the sum total of human knowledge and culture, and that allow them to remain in near constant contact with a seemingly limitless number of people
Essay Purpose:
The internet has been one of the most impactful inventions in human history. People can now carry with them devices that give them access to the sum total of human knowledge and culture, and that allow them to remain in near constant contact with a seemingly limitless number of people. This has had a lot of positive impacts on our society, but it has not come without cost.
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson discusses how public shaming is on the rise in the internet age. In this essay, you must present the argument that Ronson makes about public shaming on the internet, and then argue a position of your own where you assert what it is about the internet that facilitates public shaming. In other words, based on Ronson’s argument and your own experiences, why does public shaming happen on the internet, and why is it such a bigger deal now than it has been before? You should then consider where or not you think public shaming SHOULD be as prominent as it is now, or if you think it actually does more harm than good.
Requirements:
A strong thesis statement that makes clear what you think about shaming on the internet
References from the book.
12 point font, double spaced, Times New Roman
4-6 pages
Due Dates and Length Requirements:
Rough draft due October 1st, at least three pages long.
Final draft due October 15th, at least four full pages
Prompt:
Based on your reading of So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, the primary argument you need to assert should answer these questions:
Why is public shaming currently on the rise in our culture?
In your opinion, is public shaming a good thing, a bad thing, or does it depend on context? Why?
To support your argument, you MUST reference So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed using quoted and paraphrased material from the text. This referenced material should include information on at least one example of public shaming Ronson includes and information about what Ronson thinks of public shaming as a practice.
NOTE: Ronson does not come to a definitive conclusion about public shaming one way or the other, but provides information and his own arguments that support both positive and negative readings of shaming. It will be up to you to include the parts of the book that you deem most useful to your essay, but you do not need to worry about finding or providing Ronson’s definitive opinion.
Structural Starting Point:
A good thesis for this essay should seek to tie your answers to both of the prompt’s questions together: why is public shaming on the rise, and what do you think of this as a good or bad thing? You do not need to have this perfected for your draft, however. A good working thesis, which will help you get started, should answer at least one of those questions.
The early portions of your essay should establish the parts of Ronson’s text you will focus most on, as well as the examples he provides that you find most useful. You should provide a lot of detail here, because you can’t count on your audience having read the book or being familiar with the instances of public shaming he talks about. If there are examples of public shaming that he doesn’t talk about but you want to refer to, and/or updates to the people and examples he uses that have come out since the book was published, you should establish this early in the essay as well.
From there, use the parts of his argument you summarize and the examples you describe to provide evidence for your specific argument about public shaming.
Suggestions and Recommendations:
Though you are required to read and be familiar with the whole book, you likely won’t be able to deal with all parts of it in a 4 to 6 page essay. Pick one or two of his example stories that you find most interesting, and build your argument around those stories and what he has to say about them.
When considering shaming’s modern impact, consider why you think shaming is so common, and what it gets used for. Consider who is targeted by shaming on the internet, why they are targeted, and what happens to them as a result. Then consider if you think shaming accomplishes something positive, negative, or somewhere in between.
Specific Paragraph Breakdown:
For this essay, I’m going to leave determining the specifics of the introduction and conclusion to you, and provide below some information on what your body paragraphs should talk about and in roughly what order.
BODY PARAGRAPH 1 – WHAT ENABLES SHAMING?
Most of the shaming in the book and beyond are made possible, or made worse, by the internet. Discuss here the ways in which the internet has invigorated a modern rise of public shaming, and what aspects of the internet are most influential on public shaming’s impact.
BODY PARAGRAPH 2 – DETAILED EXAMPLE OF SHAMING FROM THE BOOK
Bring up an example of shaming from the book that will help illustrate and argue your thesis. You should go into detail here; assume your audience hasn’t read the book and isn’t familiar with your example, and use this to determine what information you should include and in what order. You should also take this opportunity to lay some groundwork for why this example fits your thesis.
BODY PARAGRAPH 3 – WHAT DOES RONSON HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS EXAMPLE?
Ronson does not definitively argue for or against public shaming as a practice. Instead, he evaluates each of his examples on a case-by-case basis. What arguments does Ronson use this example to make, and/or what conclusions does he use this to draw?
BODY PARAGRAPH 4 – SECOND EXAMPLE OF SHAMING
You should include a second example of shaming, using the same standard as you did in body paragraph 2. This can be a second example from the book, or an example of shaming you’re familiar with from outside the book. Consider including an example that shows the opposite side of shaming from your first example. Include an example of shaming gone too far if your first example was one of shaming doing something good, or visa versa. This will strengthen your argument by allowing your to acknowledge all sides of shaming, then arguing in support of your opinion on shaming later in your essay.
BODY PARAGRAPH 5 – SHOULD SHAMING BE A THING AND WHY?
You are building this essay up to this discussion, so now you pay it off. Based on your examples and how they were enabled, do you think public shaming should be a thing? To what extent? Why or why not? Go into detail with why you think the way you do. If you think shaming can be used well, how? If you think it can’t, why not?
BODY PARAGRAPH 6 – SHOULD SHAMING BE A THING AND WHY? 2ND PARAGRAPH
Your argument might extend beyond what is manageable in a single paragraph. If this is the case, expand to a second or even third paragraph as necessary. If you’re uncertain where you need to make a paragraph break, consider one paragraph explaining whether or not you think shaming can be used, based on your examination of your examples, and a second that explains how it can be used, or why it can’t.
Requirements: 5 pages | .doc file
Essay 2 – So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed Scaffold
Generate a working thesis:
Thesis –
This essay argues that while public shaming can be a powerful tool for social accountability, its widespread and uncontrolled use raises ethical concerns. Examining instances where shaming is executed responsibly and others where it goes awry, this essay argues that the indiscriminate use of public shaming threatens individual lives and social harmony.
Shaming Context Paragraphs:
Shaming Example 1
Shaming Example 2
Ronson’s Relevant Points on Shaming
Argumentative Section:
Argumentative Point 1
Argumentative Point 2
Argumentative Point 3
Introduction
Hook
Public shaming has proliferated in today’s social media-dominated culture, unprecedentedly altering narratives and swaying public opinion.
Topic Introduction
The power and drawbacks of public humiliation have never been more apparent than in the Internet age. Questions about the morality and efficacy of public shaming have taken centre stage in cultural debates due to the growth of cancel culture and internet harassment.
Thesis Statement
This essay explores the complex world of public shaming, evaluating the times when it has sparked beneficial change and the times when it has turned into a destructive and detrimental tool. This essay argues for a more considered and compassionate approach, highlighting the need to balance responsibility and compassion by examining the prudent and careless use of public shaming.
Conclusion
Restating the Thesis
While public shaming can be a tool for social responsibility, its widespread and unchecked use raises ethical issues. Empathy- and understanding-based responsible shame can promote a just society where people are held accountable for their deeds without compromising their dignity.
Summing up the Argument
Public shaming can spur constructive change and cause irreparable harm, as seen by internet abuse and cancel culture. In order to maximize the positive impacts of public shaming while minimizing its negative repercussions, it is essential to strike a balance between responsibility and empathy.
Call to Action
According to this call to action, the use of public shaming must be critically analyzed by society. We can harness the power of public shaming for good change by encouraging empathy, knowledge, and understanding, ensuring that it develops into a force supporting accountability while preserving the principles of justice and compassion.
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