Seok Hee “Christine” Hong
Williamson
AP Language and Composition
29 December 2016
2008 Form B FRQ Q2 What’s wrong with being intellectually curious and academically serious? Apparently everything, as far as society’s concerned, but Fridman thinks not. In the article “America Needs Its Nerds,” Leonid Fridman criticizes American society for its anti-intellectual values and emphasizes the need to stand against it through the use of rhetorical strategies such as exemplifications and comparisons. He adopts a criticizing, reprimanding tone towards the audience in order to ensure the realization of the important role that American parents have to solve this issue. Fridman begins his argument by exemplifying the issue of intellectual, academic students …show more content…
He states, “Enough is enough,” and by this quote Fridman establishes a turning point in his article, which is further explained in paragraph 6. “For America’s sake,” he states, “the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society must be fought.” If the first half of Fridman’s article was to criticize his audience for their unawareness of the anti-intellectual issues, from this point on, his purpose can be seen to bring the audience into action, to step up against the anti-intellectual values that are standardizing amongst society and degrading the United States as a …show more content…
Fridman questions how America is “expected to compete in the technology race with Japan” if the parents of the next generation scientists “are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics” instead of dancing, or how America is expected to “remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe” if the parents of the next generation politicians are ashamed of “their son reading Weber” instead of playing baseball. This complex yet direct question creates multiple results: it enlightens the audience in which what is to be ashamed of and what not; it demonstrates society’s hypocritical nature as they desire favorable outcomes for the country, but the academic dreams of children were nipped in the buds; and it also forewarns the future of the United States that if this issue of anti-intellectual values are left to continue, the country would not be able to “compete in the technology race with Japan,” not will it “remain a leading… force in Europe.” The very last sentence of Fridman’s article is another foreshadowing rhetorical question, inquiring the ability of the United States “to remain a world-class power” if the country “constantly emphasizes socials skills and physical prowess over academic achievement and intellectual ability.” Again implementing the
Williamson
AP Language and Composition
29 December 2016
2008 Form B FRQ Q2 What’s wrong with being intellectually curious and academically serious? Apparently everything, as far as society’s concerned, but Fridman thinks not. In the article “America Needs Its Nerds,” Leonid Fridman criticizes American society for its anti-intellectual values and emphasizes the need to stand against it through the use of rhetorical strategies such as exemplifications and comparisons. He adopts a criticizing, reprimanding tone towards the audience in order to ensure the realization of the important role that American parents have to solve this issue. Fridman begins his argument by exemplifying the issue of intellectual, academic students …show more content…
He states, “Enough is enough,” and by this quote Fridman establishes a turning point in his article, which is further explained in paragraph 6. “For America’s sake,” he states, “the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society must be fought.” If the first half of Fridman’s article was to criticize his audience for their unawareness of the anti-intellectual issues, from this point on, his purpose can be seen to bring the audience into action, to step up against the anti-intellectual values that are standardizing amongst society and degrading the United States as a …show more content…
Fridman questions how America is “expected to compete in the technology race with Japan” if the parents of the next generation scientists “are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics” instead of dancing, or how America is expected to “remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe” if the parents of the next generation politicians are ashamed of “their son reading Weber” instead of playing baseball. This complex yet direct question creates multiple results: it enlightens the audience in which what is to be ashamed of and what not; it demonstrates society’s hypocritical nature as they desire favorable outcomes for the country, but the academic dreams of children were nipped in the buds; and it also forewarns the future of the United States that if this issue of anti-intellectual values are left to continue, the country would not be able to “compete in the technology race with Japan,” not will it “remain a leading… force in Europe.” The very last sentence of Fridman’s article is another foreshadowing rhetorical question, inquiring the ability of the United States “to remain a world-class power” if the country “constantly emphasizes socials skills and physical prowess over academic achievement and intellectual ability.” Again implementing the