Analyzing Storytelling Tech Rhetorically

Here's  the Ted Talk just in case...


https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_sabia_the_technology_of_storytelling#t-919


     This Ted Talk focused on the evolution of the story. The speaker, Joe Sabia was arguing the point that stories, however difficult and "new-seeming" they were, they had been recycled. However, the way we convey these stories has changed and evolved throughout time, like books, to pop-up books, to performances, to radio, to film, to the internet. He finally argues that this was due to the man who progressed the idea of story telling forward, a German named Lothar Meggendorfer.


     Sabia uses ethos,although he doesn't mention his credibility, if one were to know who he is and what he does one could see how he was qualified for this talk. He has been creating stories and has worked on projects big and small.


    Sabia uses logos by explaining a sequential cause and effect narrative, thereby arguing his point that (a) story telling modes have evolved and (b) Lothar Meggendorfer was to thank for that. He says that is Lothar hadn't have invented the pop-up book, people wouldn't have thought of other ways to "preserve the story". However, I do not believe this argument is completely sound. As technology advanced I'm sure it would have not been long before someone had come up with a new way to entertain the masses. How long would it have been before people read such books before a radio audience, therefore moving into radio performances. I don't believe Meggendorfer was to thank for the evolution of story. Another one of his points (that stories stay the same and ways change), I agree with, however he gives no solid evidence that their are basic stories. One could disagree with this because the language isn't precise enough. He could mean to say that stories and the ways of telling a story change, however there are only a few common themes which are reflected in the numerous stories told.


     I believe that Sabia uses pathos to influence the audience as well. He mainly uses comedy to incite happiness to make the audience agree with him more easily. Examples of this are when he shows comical clips of video that seem halfway out of place but relatable to the situation. He also shows comical images, one being of Meggendorfer with shades to make his vintage picture seem cooler. Finally, he uses a dramatic and exaggerated storytelling voice for otherwise not super interesting topics. This contrast allows for comic relief.


     [Another way Sabia gets his point across is demonstrating his point by using a compilation of applications to give his talk and tell a story.]


     I chose this talk because I love storytelling (I wish to become a great filmmaker someday) and I wanted to see the evolution and the technology of the story. A concept we will be covering in the next unit is what it means to be human. One of those things is relaying our lives or messages to teach others something, or, storytelling.


     Through this Ted Talk I believe Sabia's intention was to (a) credit Meggendorfer (or anybody) with the evolution of the story saying he was the beginning of new ways to tell stories and (b) to show how integral storytelling is to our society and human nature as a whole. I believe that he got his point across but it wasn't heavily supported by enough facts to validate all of his claims.


He's just an average JOE telling a story!

Double Double Toil and Indemnity - Noir Film Questions

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