Assessment One: God Made a Farmer

1.     Identify what you feel are the ethics of the presentation. What does the narrator lead to its ethics?

Based on the artifact I believe that through the narrator viewers (farmers and none famers) can feel a sense of pride, loyalty and diligence from the ethical perspective of famers.  We can also find virtue ethics through this artifact as we listen to the strength and depth of the narrators voice to insure the feeling of dependence that we have had and have toward farmers. This artifact also reinforces American values that our grandparents and great grandparents lived by in order be reminded of the origin our families came from.

2.     Identify central and peripheral route attempts of the film.

In this artifact, The Central Route is found in the repetitive message of how God made a farmer. Consumer’s focus on the message of how ingrained religion; faith, hard work and integrity are displayed through the lives of a farmer but can also relate to there hard work by recognizing the dependence we have for people who have characteristics of a farmer.

The Peripheral Route is found in the strength of Paul Harvey’s voice, the cracked and hard working hands you see through a close up, the variations of people who farm, through mans best friend, chapel’s found in the middle of corn fields and pictures of families praying as they sit at the dinner table.

3.     Define the proofs- pathos, logos and ethos – that function in the narrative.

Pathos functions through the emotional strength in Paul Harvey’s voice that sparks the feeling of hard work, dependence and faith that people can empathize with. The second rhetoric, logos functions as the history, responsibilities and origin of how farmers represent America. Through the narration we are reminded that there is routine, determination, faith when all else fails and generations of styles of farming to be passed on to the next farmer. Lastly, ethos is found in the generations of farmers America has seen as well as the responsibility that our future sons and famers must carry on.

4.     Discuss the epistemic perspective of the proofs you’ve identified and how these functions reach to the communicative effects of the film.

The epistemic perspectives of the proofs are ideas of belief and authentication that farmers are hardworking and continue their job with diligence through their faith in God.

5.     Discuss the narrative perspective of the proofs you’ve identified and how these functions reach to the communicative effects of the film.

The narrative perspective is the best part. Paul Harvey, in a strong and trust worthy tone brings guidance and purpose to the responsibilities of farmers by using third person in response to the expectations of God and what his purpose is for all of his farmers.

6.     Identify one of Reich’s cultural parables in the social and cultural context of the commercial.

The cultural parable that I find relates most to the cultural and social context would have to fall under The Triumphant Individual. Reich’s cultural parable explains that he or she gets the job done and puts enough drive and determination to do what needs to be done in order to produce. In the commercial it displays farmers as hard working, independent and family oriented.

7.     Discuss how any of Marwell & Schmitt’s Taxonomy of 16 Influences relates to the commercial’s objectives. What are the objectives?

The three influences that I see being used in this commercial are moral appeal and positive self-feeling. This commercial used religion, family, dedication and hard work (emotions and values) that people from across the country can relate to being that they find importance in them because they experience it themselves. I see positive self-feeling being used so as other farmers watch this commercial will feel a sense of pride and feel as if they can accomplish there job better with a Ram.

8.     Apply how the motivational process premises (remember, there are four) create the appeals presented in the commercial.

Through the first process premise “Needs” we can find that there is a sense of roots presented in the commercial. As the commercial comes to an end it disguised the importance and hopes that our future generations continue to farm they way it has been done for years. The second process premise “Emotions” can find through the narrator as he displays a scene of pride into farming and integrity into famers. The third process premise “Attitudes” we can see is being used through the narrator as he specks in third person assuming it is God speaking. It’s the faith and guidance from (what seems to be God) that consumers are being influenced by. Lastly, we can consistency of faith, hard work and dependent behaviors through this commercial. Traits and emotions that most people experience every day.

9.     From a “Needs” premise, which of Packer’s compelling needs best relates?

The best premise of needs that relates to this commercial would be the sense of roots. Being a farmer means far more then just producing food but that it takes generations of knowledge, commitment and it creates an identify for consumers.

10.  From an “Attitudes” premise, what values are extorted visually to resonate within the attitudes, beliefs or opinions of the audience?

The behaviors that are extorted visually to resonate within the attitudes, beliefs and opinions of the audience are a sense of community and support, there is a sense of family orientation when you drive a Ram and we can see that there is companionship with mans best friend.