Blog 11- Chapter 9

The first reading for tonight “Why I Hate Brittany” by Nisey Williams was an argument that I agree with. I thought that it was a very powerful argument and that she was a very firm believer in this issue. She used a lot of forceful and blunt language and even the title suggests that the article will be frank. I thought that this was a good example of an evaluation. It is difficult to statistically pinpoint Brittany as the reason teenage girls are becoming more promiscuous. She makes an evaluation of the situation. The article was still able to make a good point, although this is somewhat out of date because now the influences fall more on Miley Cyrus and Rihanna. It convinced me that Brittany had a large influence over teenage girls who are easily impression. I thought that it went from point to point well and connected ideas smoothly. She brought up the nature of the MTV awards and how celebrities now perform scantily clad. She also made a good point talking about Avril Levine and how she is able to sell records without having to “sex it up” proving that these tactics are not necessary for those who are truly talented.
The second article “The Case against Coldplay” by Jon Pareles is a critic’s view on Coldplay. He truly detests this band and wants everyone to know it. He is not afraid to hurt anyone’s feelings and lays it all on the table withing the first few paragraphs. I thought that this article was a bit to brash for my liking. I am not a avid fan of Coldplay and probably wouldn’t be able to recognize a song of theirs if it came over the radio. However, I thought that the article was hasty and aggressive for no good reason. I realize that it is written by a New York Times music critic and I feel that sometimes critics, such as Pareles are mean because it is their job. It is easier to write a bad review than a good one. I didn’t think the article worked because, despite its well written nature and good analysis, it made me feel bad for Coldplay and regard Pareles as a Scrooge type character.