This Rhetoric stuff

When I sat down to write this final reflective blog post I looked at the clock and strategized how I could write something meaningful and put some real effort in before I have to meet with my Business Law group at 7:15pm. This prompted me to think about something that has been a struggle for me in this class. I don't much like rhetoric. Yep, I said it. I understand the point of it, even the usefulness in many various situations. And I still don't dig it. If we could get A's for honesty I'd still be a 4.perfection student.

Don't read the above words and think that I do not respect rhetoric. This class has helped me to begin understanding it on a far more in depth level. Emphasis on 'begin'! We read some very unique texts, namely the Egyptian ones to do with Ma'at. That and Mountford's essay in Octalog II were the closest I got to actually enjoying essays on rhetoric. I think its vital for students to attempt to understand as many things as they can, its part of the glory of college. And another purpose of college is finding out what you don't dig. I don't care to spend my time thinking about rhetoric past this class or my college career. I'm glad we have people out there that do wish to think on it and study it because it does play an important role in all our lives. I can acknowledge and accept this and still not care to give it much further thought. My interests lie elsewhere. My 45 year old self in the future might think this post is a load of rubbish, but that's how it goes.

There are 3 things that I have enjoyed and learned from most in this class.
1. The efforts, knowledge and patience of our teacher in dealing with a bunch of rhetorical newbs. Kate deserves a medal.
2. My fellow students curious and insightful minds. I don't talk a lot in class mainly because I learn through listening/observing. It' is always cool to hear what people have to say about the texts we read.
 3. The challenge of writing about a topic that isn't inherently interesting to me. I learned some specific things and flubbed some things. This blog was particularly tricky for me to get into and I definitely forgot a post or two. But it forced me to sit down and think about the assigned readings. And this was good - challenge is always good, even if we don't like it.

So at 7:05 I saved this post and raced off to another part of the library for other scholastic stuff. Reading it over again just now before I post it there's one more thing I wish to make clear again - Though I readily admit I don't like discussing rhetoric, that does not mean I don't see its importance.