Takeaways
What’s the overarching argument the author makes in chapter 5?
The overarching argument is that a person is a point of view and that we need to look through someone else's perspective and accept their viewpoint to better bond with them as people.
The use of Deplhine’s death in this chapter is an example of what type of rhetoric? (Logos, Ethos, Pathos)
Pathos
How are the two sources that Brooks uses different?
One is the memoir of a typical person, the other is a report conducted by a licensed therapist.
Does the writer use classic style in this chapter?
Yes
What’s working well with this chapter?
The use of psychology facts and a therapist's perspective
The switch from the story about Carrere into the layers of reality
The idea of a singular event being viewed completely differently
Other ideas
Out of these key concepts: (1. Different people experience the same event in different ways 2. Perspectives can be transformed 3. Life is about creating yourself 4. There is a single layer of reality based on what we subjectively see) which was not included in the chapter?
4. There is a single layer of reality based on what we subjectively see
What point is Brooks attempting to prove with his story of the tsunami?
Everyone processes their experiences in a unique way.
What research methods are used in this chapter? Sources?
The chapter starts with someone’s personal memoir which is then analyzed by Brooks with the use of scientific backing.
Does the writer prefer active or passive voice in this chapter?
Active Voice
What needs improvement and why?
Too many questions shoved in, slight disconnect from the smaller stories
Complicated points about neuroscience that make it a bit tough to read (complex Proustian novels?
In the segment about Carrere and the tsunami, how is reality accurately portrayed?
The different people in the story are all shown to handle situations in a very realistic manner, while Carerre himself is looking at the experience as a whole.
What is the argument that Brooks makes about reality?
There are two types, an objective type that everyone sees and a subjective type that is seen on an individual basis.
How is Brooks an ethical research writer in this chapter?
When discussing the way in which different people perceive the same situations, he credits the therapists and neuroscientists that actually back up his logical findings
How does the authors word choice in this sentence allude to how he feels about neuroscience? “Let me dip briefly into neuroscience to try to show you how radical this process of construction is.”
The author sees neuroscience as a complex subject, by starting the sentence with the words “dip” and “briefly” he attempts to explain that what he is going to talk about, is not nearly as complex and confusing as neuroscience.
What needs to be said that hasn’t been said in this chapter? What gaps are missing from this chapter?
Not much else needs to be said, but compared to other chapters a story of his own is missing
When talking about the 1951 football game, what is the message the author is trying to get across?
The game itself does not exist as its own thing, but individually for each person based on what they wanted to see.
Besides the people around him in the memoir, who else does Brooks argue that Carrere gets to know more as he opens himself up to the world around him?
Himself
How does he use research to persuade his audience, and how is it a fit for the genre?
Brooks draws his own conclusions from the story that he tells, then finds scientific reports and findings that support his claim.
The Chapter ends with the sentence “George Bernard Shaw got it right: “Life isnt about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” What lasting impression is the author trying to create with this sentence?
By using this quote the author hopes the reader will begin to understand their personal perspective in an objective way, in turn allowing them to see others outside of their own personal Bias.
Are there any perspectives that are missing? Explain.
His own perspective and a story from him, it would help to better show his own ideas on why a person has a viewpoint or perspective
What does Brooks argue is the greatest thing in life?
To take our lessons and experiences and learn about ourselves from them, to better understand the world around us.
How does Brooks push the audience towards knowing what a person is?
He engages the reader to challenge them to ask themselves questions about how they interact with the world around them during everyday life.
How does Brooks’s argument in this chapter correlate with the type of research that he uses?
He does not use arguments that mention statistics or any commonly applicable trends, which fits the idea that everybody and every mind is different.
Why does the author choose to use half of the chapter to tell one story?
The author explains unique and personal stories in order to show the reader how these broader approaches to communication (illuminator and diminisher) can be used to understand multiple perspectives and reactions to the same events.
Does the use of facts from professionals help strengthen or weaken his argument? Why?
They help to strengthen it because it gives insight into others who have acted in certain ways, science on perspective, and more details about why our viewpoint is a certain way