Lien sheds light on the upper hand of pharmaceutical companies over consumers as nearly every medication on the market today comes with a winding list of side effects, yet consumers lack the ability to speak out against the FDA’s loose guidelines. Pharmaceutical companies, however, may argue that creating drugs with stricter guidelines would incur higher expenses and is likely to lead to financial loss. It would be more challenging to create those medications without side effects, which could ultimately affect the consumer, as innovations in medication would be slower. Lien’s use of logos through the powerful incorporation of rhetorical questions as well as concrete statistics and pathos through capitalizing on fear, combined with her ethos
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This demonstrates a purely altruistic motive for Lien to write this letter and thus, make her message more trustworthy. Although the language of the letter does not provide much indication of the author’s gender, we know she is female since she signed her name. Lien is mostly likely middle-aged, perhaps in her 40s based on some of the health issues she mentions: “we get prescriptions for....high cholesterol, high blood pressure” (Lien). Generally speaking, individuals begin experiencing such health concerns around their 40s, and since she speaks of her occupation in the present tense, that also implies that she is currently employed. Lien’s age gives her enough experience with medications to be able to speak regarding this issue. As a nurse, it is her natural role to be concerned for the well-being of others, and she alone cannot change the FDA 's guidelines; she is attempting to get consumers on a united front to lobby representatives for stricter guidelines for the greater good of society. PARA 3: Lien’s use of logos emphasizes the dire need to regulate medications in order to limit adverse …show more content…
However, Lien builds a strong personal connection to the audience that compensates for this lack of direct insight. In the beginning of the letter, Lien speaks for her argument primarily from the patient’s perspective. Lien’s diction is indicative of her aligning herself with other consumers through the use of the word “we.” This diction reminds the reader that she is one of them, facing the same risks of side effects. It conveys that she is affected by this issue as much as they are and that she is merely writing this letter out of sincere concern for fellow consumers and has no ulterior motive. She states, “As consumers, we get prescriptions for infections, depression, high cholesterol, high blood pressure - the list is endless” (Lien). Speaking from the reader’s perspective helps the reader be more receptive to what she has to
This demonstrates a purely altruistic motive for Lien to write this letter and thus, make her message more trustworthy. Although the language of the letter does not provide much indication of the author’s gender, we know she is female since she signed her name. Lien is mostly likely middle-aged, perhaps in her 40s based on some of the health issues she mentions: “we get prescriptions for....high cholesterol, high blood pressure” (Lien). Generally speaking, individuals begin experiencing such health concerns around their 40s, and since she speaks of her occupation in the present tense, that also implies that she is currently employed. Lien’s age gives her enough experience with medications to be able to speak regarding this issue. As a nurse, it is her natural role to be concerned for the well-being of others, and she alone cannot change the FDA 's guidelines; she is attempting to get consumers on a united front to lobby representatives for stricter guidelines for the greater good of society. PARA 3: Lien’s use of logos emphasizes the dire need to regulate medications in order to limit adverse …show more content…
However, Lien builds a strong personal connection to the audience that compensates for this lack of direct insight. In the beginning of the letter, Lien speaks for her argument primarily from the patient’s perspective. Lien’s diction is indicative of her aligning herself with other consumers through the use of the word “we.” This diction reminds the reader that she is one of them, facing the same risks of side effects. It conveys that she is affected by this issue as much as they are and that she is merely writing this letter out of sincere concern for fellow consumers and has no ulterior motive. She states, “As consumers, we get prescriptions for infections, depression, high cholesterol, high blood pressure - the list is endless” (Lien). Speaking from the reader’s perspective helps the reader be more receptive to what she has to