The article entitled “The Uneducated American” was written by Paul Krugman and published in The New York Times in 2009. Krugman points out the standing of the United States regarding education in comparison to the rest of the world. He expresses concern that the United States will fall behind and no longer be a driving force in education. He arrives at this conclusion due to the current financial issues of the time in 2009. Krugman argues that due to the economic crisis facing the United States, the education in America is suffering. The argument presented by Krugman centers around how education is suffering and in the many ways that it is. Krugman begins his argument with the status that America holds in education compared to other countries.
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I partially agree with Krugman’s argument, but I think there was a better way to go about it. There is a lack of solid factual evidence. I also think there should have been more of an emphasis on the job part of the problem. However, I support the main ideas that Krugman argues. He uses the persuasive elements of pathos and logos throughout his writing. In some way, everyone in the United States is effected by education one way or another. Therefore, Krugman has already made a connection with his audience. Parents with children reading this do not want their children to get a poorer quality education than they received. College students reading this do not want to be put down before they even start, Krugman even states that “…young Americans are considerably less likely than young people in many other countries to graduate from college” (117). I know as a college student myself, I do not want to be a part of a statistic that says I have a good chance of not graduating college compared to those in other countries. Those considering entering the education system reading this do not want to know that there are teachers losing their jobs. Especially in a time when they should not be losing their jobs, they still are. This article effects all types of people, parents, students and educators. Krugman plays to the emotions of these people while making his point. The appeal of logos becomes apparent with the statistics of jobs lost in the education sector. However, this is where the argument starts to become weak. The only statistics provided through this whole argument are the ones of the jobs lost in 2009 and how that compared to jobs in education. Facts and statistics are something that cannot be argued, they prove something, they are not an opinion. Had he been able to provide more numbers, such as the actual graduation rate then his
I partially agree with Krugman’s argument, but I think there was a better way to go about it. There is a lack of solid factual evidence. I also think there should have been more of an emphasis on the job part of the problem. However, I support the main ideas that Krugman argues. He uses the persuasive elements of pathos and logos throughout his writing. In some way, everyone in the United States is effected by education one way or another. Therefore, Krugman has already made a connection with his audience. Parents with children reading this do not want their children to get a poorer quality education than they received. College students reading this do not want to be put down before they even start, Krugman even states that “…young Americans are considerably less likely than young people in many other countries to graduate from college” (117). I know as a college student myself, I do not want to be a part of a statistic that says I have a good chance of not graduating college compared to those in other countries. Those considering entering the education system reading this do not want to know that there are teachers losing their jobs. Especially in a time when they should not be losing their jobs, they still are. This article effects all types of people, parents, students and educators. Krugman plays to the emotions of these people while making his point. The appeal of logos becomes apparent with the statistics of jobs lost in the education sector. However, this is where the argument starts to become weak. The only statistics provided through this whole argument are the ones of the jobs lost in 2009 and how that compared to jobs in education. Facts and statistics are something that cannot be argued, they prove something, they are not an opinion. Had he been able to provide more numbers, such as the actual graduation rate then his