Personal Blog/Media Meditation #1

President Barrack Obama's State of the Union Address

1. TRIUNE BRAIN - Explain how your triune brain interfaces with this media text.

A lot of Obama’s speech appeals to the limbic part of the brain. He uses a lot of emotion to reach the American population, including stories of actual people. He also keeps you thinking throughout the speech about how we will work through the economic crisis, reaching the neocortex in order to rationalize with the American people.

2. EIGHT TRENDS - what do you notice?

Technological Shift- The white house is shifting in technology and finding ways to reach bigger audiences. An example would be the fact that they are finally uploading and sharing videos on YouTube.

Personal Shift- Obama focuses on the factor that many people are jobless, which turns to a personal level for those who fit in that ratio. He is talking to all of America about the problem, which allows individuals to take from it, their own idea of the speech.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES - what do you notice?

Value Messages- He talks to the American People about how we can create jobs and stimulate the economy. Obama intended to use these value messages so the American people will react and get some kind of value out of it.

Individual Meaning- Obama gives a general idea about how we can fix the economy and job problems, but leaves it up to the people to derive their own meaning of how to successfully do it.

Emotional Transfer- Obama was able to connect the ideas and issues running through everyone’s head and turn it into something emotional that everyone could sympathize with. He starts off talking about how recently as a country we have been in shambles, but we are starting to turn around and work through the recession.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION - List and describe at least SIX persuasive techniques Obama uses.

1. Humor- Obama used humor when he was talking about the bank bailout; he said “it was about as popular as a root canal,” which everyone felt the same about and was a funny reference.
2. Strength- He uses his power of leadership to show boldness, aggressiveness, and an in charge attitude to explain how he plans to get through the job crisis and stimulate the economy.
3. Testimonial- He talks about people like the single teacher raising two kids that because of the recovery act she wouldn’t have to be laid off. He uses other examples of people to explain his point.
4. Scapegoating- He blames the economic crisis on the bailouts of Wall Street and Washington.
5. Group Dynamics- Obama talks about “we” as a nation need to work together to get through our current state. He never talks about himself doing the work, but the American people to create togetherness.
6. Bandwagon- Obama uses the idea that if we all work together and that everyone starts to address the issue of jobs, then people will join in on the issue. He creates the idea of hoping on the bandwagon to get everyone to join him.

5. IYOW, what is the 1 sentence thesis of Obama's speech?
Focusing and restructuring American jobs and fighting the economic crisis.

6. List THREE specific "facts" he provides to support his thesis.
• 7 million American’s are jobless
• 1 in 10 American’s cannot find work
• Cut taxes for 95% of families, small business, first time home buyers, etc.