The document summarizes and analyzes two essays about the relationship between technology and the real world. It discusses Malcolm Gladwell's essay "Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted" and Alex Weiss' "Should Gamers Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing?". The document argues that Gladwell's essay uses stronger logical appeals, citing statistics to show how activism has changed in the digital age. In contrast, Weiss' essay only provides one brief example and lacks other rhetorical devices. Both essays examine how technology and reality are converging, though they differ on whether this is positive or negative.

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Cassidy Reese
Professor Alicia Bolton
English 101
17 October 2013
8-Bit World
We live in a place of two different worlds, whether we are aware of it or not. Some of us
choose to live in one world, while others choose to live in the different one. What are these two
different worlds that we live in? The technology world and the real world is the correct answer.
Whether we know it or not, the two different places surround us, and we are slowly bringing
them closer and closer to one another. Two essays that give strong examples and good arguments
of these two worlds is, “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted” by Malcolm
Gladwell, and, “Should Gamers Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing?” by Alex Weiss. The two
essays put up good arguments by using examples of pathos, ethos, logos, and many more. The
essay by Gladwell explains the difference in activists now than activists back then. People are
starting to use technology to get known and take a stand, when a few years ago they would
actually go out and take a stand in person. In Weiss’ essay, he gives a single situation on how
people were bringing the court into a simple crime that was committedin a popular video
game.The two essays give vivid examples on bringing technology and reality together, but
Gladwell’s essay uses more and stronger examples of logos and convincing reasons and evidence
throughout the essay.
Gladwell uses vivid examples of logos, and he uses convincing reasons of evidence
throughout his essay. He starts off his essay with a story that happened about fifty years ago. He
explains a situation about four black college students sitting down in a white section at the lunch

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counter. The students were asked to leave, but they stood their ground. People began to come
where the students were to protest about the situation. Day by day, more protestors would show
up and protest about what they believed in. Others came to support the boys, and some just
threatened the whole lunch counter. This situation caused a big fuss. People were in danger, and
some were killed. Later on in the essay, Gladwell explains how people are less likely to do
something like this in this day and age. People are now less likely to stand up for what they
believe in in person, because they now have the option to stand up for what they believe in by
hiding behind a computer screen. This could be a more positive and less violent
approach.Gladwell explains the difference between activists now and activists in the sixties. He
gives considerable evidence and reasons in the essay about how technology has changed the
people. Gladwell also uses many examples of logos. He uses many examples when giving
examples of activists on Facebook:
The Facebook page of the Save Darfur Coalition has 1,282,339 members, who have
donated an average of nine cents apiece. The next biggest Darfur charity on Facebook has
22,073 members, who have donated an average of thirty-five cents. Help Save Darfur has
2,797 members, who have given, on average, fifteen cents. (321)
By giving this information, Gladwell explains that people now have the ability to use Facebook
and other social networks to be activists. Instead of going out and taking a stand in public, the
people have the choice to make a stand in the comfort of their own home. He is using the arguing
strategy of logic and facts as the rhetorical appeal. He gives many more facts about other
situations along with this example.
Weiss does not use many, if any, examples of logos in his essay. Weiss does not logic,
statistics, and facts to argue the point of his essay. He establishes a clear and arguable position

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instead. In Weiss’ essay, he explains teenage gamer was being tried for a crime they committed
in a video game:
According to the Associated Press, the defendant’s attorney argued that the stolen amulet
and shield “were neither tangible nor material and, unlike for example electricity, had no
economic value.” The court, however, disagreed, ruling that the time the thirteen year old
victim spend in the game trying to ear the objects gave them value. (727)
Weiss says that this made no sense to him. He believes that “Video games are not work or
investments for which people should be compensated; they are escapism” (727). He argues about
how he feels like situation is unfair and how there is a line between the gaming world and the
real world. Weiss explains how the two different worlds do not need to be brought together. His
essay, however, lacks other rhetorical appeals. He only gives one example of the situation, and it
is somewhat brief. Weiss’ essay seems to be the weaker one because of the lack of logos, ethos,
pathos, and other examples of the gaming world and real world.
Both of the essays use some type of rhetorical appeal, whether it is logos or ethos, or a
clear and arguable position or convincing reasons and evidence. They also both explain the
difference between technology and reality, and how they are coming together. Gladwell explains
in his essay that the use of technology might not be a bad idea when it comes to activists. It can
lessen the chance of physical harm. Weiss’ essay explains that technology and reality coming
together might not be the best idea. Both of the essays are argue what they believe, and they use
good examples bringing together technology and reality while using examples of logos.

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Works Cited
Weiss, Alex. “Should Gamers Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing?” The Norton Field Guide to
Writing with Readings and Handbook.3rd Edition.Ed. Marilyn Moller. New York: W.W.
Norton & Company, 2013. 727-729. Print.