Rhetorical Analysis Of Tyranny Of The Mob By Joel Stein

The internet had changes and social media is the feeding grounds of something of darker intent. In the article “Tyranny of the Mob,” Joel Stein discusses the lack of authority and social manner of online trolls and how their aggression and violence is oozing from technology, affecting aspects of everyday life. Stein is writing to educate unaware and oblivious readers of the damage trolls cause, which range from “clever pranks to harassment to violent threats” (27) and to inform his audience of the aftermath. Stein begins building his credibility with testimonies and reputable sources, citing online public feuds and personal stories. He successfully implements emotional appeals throughout the whole article. In his article, Stein opens by describing …show more content…
The bulk of his article is filled with emotionally-charged words that create fearful images. Stein wrote that “Jessica Valenti said she was leaving social media” due to a “rape threats against her daughter, who is 5 years old” (28). His goal is to make his readers feel compassion and sympathy for the troll victims. He executed his goal perfectly. Adding to the pathos of the article he uses Leslie Jones’ quote “They were sending me threats that were going to cut off my head and stuff…Its not done to express an opinion, its done to scare you” (29). Stein uses scary details to introduce its seriousness to his readers. He is not afraid to talk about somewhat taboo topics such as politics: “Trolling has become the main tool of the alt-right…Not only does Trump share their attitudes, but he’s got mad trolling skills” (28). Stein takes a strong stance in his believes, which can stir up positive and negatives responses from readers. He does this to show how far up trolling goes, and how big of an issue it really is. These examples, and many more, help establish the aggression and violence that internet trolls put into the world, and are an appeal to the readers’ feelings of sympathy and anger for the