"Taking an Approach

Harris’ idea of taking an approach is moving beyond a stereo typical school writing that often just adds additional to points already argued. One must transform and reshape the ideas, no merely replace them. Taking an approach can be similar to both forwarding and countering but one takes on a style of a writer. It has more to do with how the ideas are presented and how a conclusion is reached. He offers three main methods of position one’s work to take an approach; they are acknowledging influences, turning an approach on itself, and reflexivity. Acknowledging influences can be further broken down into defining concerns, characteristic methods and style. Defining concerns is identifying what problems the author presents and why those were chosen. Characteristic methods is how the author answers the problems and the style is looking at what qualities of the writing appeal to you. It is all about identifying which parts of an authors writing appeal to you, so you can approach your writing in a similar manor. Turning the approach on itself is asking the writer the same questions presented to the reader, using both the subject and method of analysis in your approach. Reflexivity is looking back on one’s own writing to make sure you are on the proper approach.
The Onion always takes a more “out there” approach because their stories are meant for entertainment. The Onion can report on current events, publishing a story partially based on facts. These facts can be twisted and turn in order to be entertaining, but they are still presented in a professional manor. Their approach mimics that of a trustworthy news site and because of this they have been mistakenly cited as one. In this approach the validity of the story is traded for entertainment, and the reader must recognize this. The New York Times can be seen “taking an approach” on political issues. The paper in general takes a liberal approach, which can cause a story to be slightly swayed and in favor of a liberal take on an issue. This makes it difficult for a fair, unbiased political story to be presented.

"Countering"

Countering a text is not simply proving that a certain text is wrong or has flaws in areas. Countering is adding to an argument in both its strengths and weaknesses. Harris’s view of countering is to offer a different way of thinking on a particular topic. A deep understanding and close attention is needed for successfully countering in order to properly expand and redirect arguments. The three main methods of countering Harris presents are: arguing the other side, uncovering values, and dissenting. Rarely is an argument completely wrong, arguing the other side addresses the need to look at the other argument to show what the author did well in order to expand on. This can also include looking for something the author may have left unclear. Your argument can be based off clarifying these vague areas in another argument. Uncovering values is looking at the definitions of all the words to see if the author was unclear on a definition or assumed a certain meaning for a word without stating it. Harris writes that noticing what a certain text fails to consider is not an easy task, but is a key to writing good criticism and to establish a good counter. Dissenting is understanding the limits of an idea, and being able to identify when an author has crossed those limits. With a shared idea, you can present how another argument is with in the limits of an idea, supporting yours while offering evidence against the other text.

The Onion counters many arguments presented through major news sources. The goal of the Onion is to provide entertainment and it does this by presenting news stories that are blown out of proportion or intended to show the ridiculousness of an actual news article. The Onion countered a fairly recent article about Peyton Manning posted around the web, notably on Sport Illustrated here. The articles states that Manning, who has had 3 neck surgeries in the past 19 months and vertebrae fused, has been cleared to play football again. The Onion presents a similar article, dissenting Manning’s real ability to play. The question that even though Manning’s neurosurgeon cleared him to play, with his history is it really best for him to continued to get beaten and clubbed. In the Onions satirical manor the article states Manning’s doctor has cleared him to be clubbed and thrown to the ground by 300-pound men. When first reading the article on Sports Illustrated one might think it’s a good thing for him to get back to playing, but realizing some of the truth presented in the Onion article, one might reconsider if it is smart for him to continue playing. The Onion provides some facts that might get over looked when not presented to the reader.

"Forwarding"

Harris describes forwarding as a way to extend texts. You are taking the ideas in one text to support or advance your own texts. The four main ways “forwarding” is done are: illustrating, authorizing, borrowing and extending. Illustrating allows the reader to visualize and see an example that supports the text. Illustrating can be seen as creating metaphors for the reader while also drawing in the readers’ attention more. Authorizing is using another person’s text, who is knowledgeable in their field, to support and back up your own text. Citing a person of authority or well versed in your subject can validate your argument or point. Borrowing is using an idea of a text to advance your process of thinking through a topic. One can borrow an idea without coming to terms with an author’s entire piece, but simply understanding and correctly applying the borrowed idea. Extending is similar to borrowing except it expands on a larger amount of a text. A characteristic marker of extending is a substitution of a tern in the authors idea to support your own. The most effective forwarding is using these methods in combination with each other.


The Onion often forwards major news events through its blog. The Onion borrows a major point in its article seen here. It is an article around Mit Romney’s win in the Florida primary. Since the Onion presents its news in a satirical manor, it borrows only a small idea from a major news story, which can be seen covered by the New York Times here. The small-borrowed piece provides people with a minimal amount of current news, while the Onion satirically expands this news into a false story about a rave Romney threw. Informing people on Romney’s win remains the same through the forwarding, but all other facts about the primary full results of the election is lost.

The New York Times and The Onion

The New York Times and The Onion very much function as a press sphere. The internet has allowed The Onion to join the press sphere. The Onion provides a unique presentation of stories people are interested in. Though the stories on The Onion may not be true and are presented in a satirical manor, but it still provides the reader with the news. It can sometimes be good to see some of the extremes in a story to better understand how some people may see something as a negative or how something may not even be plausible. At the same time, while The Onion may create false facts about a story to blow it out of proportion, this can interest the reader to find out a more factual account. The New York times then provide the reader with this factual account. They both generate interest in each other with one providing mostly entertainment about news stories and the other truthful stories. Without the traditional news bringing in new stories, The Onion would have little to write about because a majority of its stories are based off current events. These are only a couple of the endless sources in the press sphere. People still get to choose if these are the press sources they want to follow. They both provide very different presentations to many of the same stories that can spark different reactions and thinking about a news story. They both feed off each other, which was Jarvis’ idea of a news ecology.

Press Sphere

The press used to be the sole mediator to present the news to the public. All worldly affairs went through a news source, to be edited and neatly presented to the public. Now the “press” has expended any includes a multitude of sources. Stories can now be expended on because other people and sources can comment and provide information on stories. No longer is the press the center of news, but people are. People are able to look into stories on their own to get a broader scope of the story. Jarvis says the new news sphere does not allow stories to die anymore. The stories will always be accessible, continually be added to and can be linked and used for future stories. I feel the points he makes about news today are very true. I do not rely on the press for all my news. I hear news stories from friends, through social median, and mindless wandering through the internet. Also through reading online, stories can link to references and personal accounts of a story. I find this much more interesting than a single representation of a large story. News sources must also watch what they publish as well because sources are so readily available, one could easily find contradicting evidence or stories. I get to choose what I want to read into, I am not forced to read only what is presented to me through traditional press. This is what Jarvis said the press sphere has allowed for, people to control their media and news and be able to contribute and debate it.

Analysis of The Onion

Purpose: Provides a comedic and satirical take on current news stories both in US and around the world. Main purpose is to entertain by stretching stories, taking them out of context, and creating false stories.

Audience: Younger to middle aged newsreaders looking for entertainment not a truthful presentation of the news. Majority of it is presented online thus attracting a larger younger audience.

Author: No strong political connection, post articles about ridiculousness of both parties. They comment on articles from all points of view depending on what provides entertainment.

The Onion

I chose to follow The Onion because it provides comedic and satirical views of current news articles. It is easy to read because it is intended to entertain while also providing some reference to current worldly news. I am able to read more through an entertaining medium like The Onion and then if it is a current article that interests me i can search for related articles on other news sources for the true story.