In his essay, “Happy National Apathy Day” published in The New York Times, Will Durst mocks the voter’s general lack of interest in voting. Durst 's sarcasm is evident throughout the essay as he picks fun at the voter 's excuses. Flaws that exist in the election system are also mocked by Durst. The election system is kept ineffective to keep it weak and not give the people power. Durst alludes to the fact that voters inactivity in the election process leads to problems in their community. Durst 's use of sarcasm points out to the audience that their apathy only hurts them in the end. It hurts them because they have no impact on the events that transpire with the government. A decrease in voter turnout is due to an increase in voter apathy toward
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Although Durst presents these ideas, it in no way means that he supports them. The ideas presented to the audience in the text they seem insignificant. Each of the reasons that Durst gives for not voting can be easily remedied. It shows how people are just lazy and are making up excuses not to vote. The list of excuses is the author using sarcasm. He uses a mocking tone to highlight further to his audience the lazy nature of their reasons. He exaggerates the instances to make them seem worse than they are. He plays into the audience 's preexisting prejudges of voting. By using the exaggeration of their reasons, Durst allows the audience to see that their reasons don 't hold water. They build up the excuses to have reasons not to vote. Another reason that Durst fields is, "None of your friends are voting" (Durst, 1998, pg. 1). Durst is saying that people chose not to vote because their friends aren 't voting. He is saying that these adults are playing into the concept of peer pressure. Durst again mocks the voter with sarcasm. Durst …show more content…
When voters decide not to vote, they don 't get to influence the community in which they live. Durst gives a vivid description of some of the things that could change as a result of the general disinterest by voters. Durst uses everyday experiences to relate to the audience. He uses the examples of libraries closing down, Medicare failing, mass transits closing down, and neighborhood recreation centers closing down (Durst, 1998, pg.1). The author reveals some of the consequences of being inactive in government. He reveals it in a casual tone. This mocks the tone of the audience. He takes the lazy attitude of the audience, to show them the impacts of their lazy attitude. This also shows how not voting would impact your everyday life. It would get rid of things that you use every day. Or it would add things to make your life harder. By using these examples, he shows the audience that little aspects of their life will eventually be impacted if they continue to be apathetic. This portion is used to persuade the audience that their actions in the present will affect them
Although Durst presents these ideas, it in no way means that he supports them. The ideas presented to the audience in the text they seem insignificant. Each of the reasons that Durst gives for not voting can be easily remedied. It shows how people are just lazy and are making up excuses not to vote. The list of excuses is the author using sarcasm. He uses a mocking tone to highlight further to his audience the lazy nature of their reasons. He exaggerates the instances to make them seem worse than they are. He plays into the audience 's preexisting prejudges of voting. By using the exaggeration of their reasons, Durst allows the audience to see that their reasons don 't hold water. They build up the excuses to have reasons not to vote. Another reason that Durst fields is, "None of your friends are voting" (Durst, 1998, pg. 1). Durst is saying that people chose not to vote because their friends aren 't voting. He is saying that these adults are playing into the concept of peer pressure. Durst again mocks the voter with sarcasm. Durst …show more content…
When voters decide not to vote, they don 't get to influence the community in which they live. Durst gives a vivid description of some of the things that could change as a result of the general disinterest by voters. Durst uses everyday experiences to relate to the audience. He uses the examples of libraries closing down, Medicare failing, mass transits closing down, and neighborhood recreation centers closing down (Durst, 1998, pg.1). The author reveals some of the consequences of being inactive in government. He reveals it in a casual tone. This mocks the tone of the audience. He takes the lazy attitude of the audience, to show them the impacts of their lazy attitude. This also shows how not voting would impact your everyday life. It would get rid of things that you use every day. Or it would add things to make your life harder. By using these examples, he shows the audience that little aspects of their life will eventually be impacted if they continue to be apathetic. This portion is used to persuade the audience that their actions in the present will affect them