“Why You’d Want to Live Here” by the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie is the fifth track off of The Photo Album released on October 9,
2001. The song details a modern LA
plagued by the environmental issues of today.
Ben Gibbard, the lead singer, wrote, “I’m in Los Angeles today/ Asked a
gas station employee if he ever had trouble breathing/ And he said ‘It varies
from season to season, kid’”. Air
pollution, like in the ‘60s, is still a major environmental health risk. According to WHO, the air quality in most cities worldwide does not comply with WHO air quality guidelines. Air pollution can be linked to heart disease,
stroke, respiratory illnesses, and cancers.
In China, there is so much smog that the country’s agricultural production
is being negatively affected because smog prevents photosynthesis in plants. Unlike The Beach Boys, Death Cab for Cutie leaves
the listeners with no hope in a very cynical and bleak ending line, “You can’t
swim in a town this shallow/ You will most assuredly drown tomorrow”. The main purpose of this song is to promote
awareness of the deterioration of the environment caused by
humans, especially in large cities.
Nice job defining and presenting the effects of air pollution. It may be helpful to elaborate a little more on the rhetorical message (just one or two sentences more) and include more about the 3rd part of stasis theory (evaluation/value). It seems that you linked out at every possible place so good work! Elaborating on the 4th part of stasis theory (action) may have been helpful. Good length; able to keep reader engaged. No grammar errors (well done!). Overall, it answers the questions for stasis theory, but a little more elaboration would help provide a super clear image of the issue.
ReplyDelete-Mary H
I thought you did a good job explaining how the effects of air pollution are seen in today's society. I feel you could have explained what the rhetorical message was a little bit more. I agree with Mary in the above comment expanding maybe a few more sentences on the argument would have been even better. I thought the post was precise, so good job with that. I found the song and subject matter interesting. Overall I thought you did a great job talking about the stasis theory and the rhetorical argument in general.
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