Healthy Lifestyle Genre Analysis 1

Healthy Lifestyle

Brenda Alvarez

Belekeh Chowaing Chagra

September 30, 2019

RWS 1302-007

University of Texas at El Paso

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Introduction

The subject discussed in both genres involves the importance of leading a healthy

lifestyle in both fitness and nutrition. The first genre is oral and video iconography TED talk

video, “Winning The Mental Battle of Physical Fitness and Obesity” by Ogie Shaw, that

discusses how mentality is the root of an individuals success towards a healthy lifestyle. The

second genre, in typography, is an article by MANA Medical Associates titled “The Importance of

Physical Fitness” which discusses why and how a healthier lifestyle is beneficial to an

individual’s life in terms of reduced risk of disease and injury, and a longer life expectancy.

Structure and Delivery

In the TED talk video by Ogie Shaw, he opens up his discussion by asking a rhetorical

question towards his live audience, “Is exercise important?”. He proceeds to list common

diseases such as heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes that affect Americans in today’s world to lay

out the points he will come across in his 18-minute speech. Shaw is on a stage directly

addressing his audience without the need of a PowerPoint of any type of visual aid to convey a

message. In the MANA Medical Associates’ typography, the article is structured by providing

subheadings of the main reasons why physical activity is important to one’s health. Each

subheading is followed by a short but simple paragraph to deliver information without worry of

disinteresting the audience or reader by providing too much text to get their argument across.

Both sources provide quotes from reliable sources to deliver information and convey it

professionally but Shaw utilizes humor to keep the audience engaged throughout his speech.
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Audience and Purpose

The audience of Shaw’s Ted talk is targeted towards all age groups who want to start

living healthier and better or directed towards on how to prevent or reduce diseases or risk of

injury. All information Shaw presents is eloquently delivered in a way the audience will carefully

listen to and agree with the convincing points Shaw discusses. Shaw states in his speech that

"85% of the back pain in America today is being traced to people with tight back muscles caused

by weak stomach muscles because you sit so much". By providing statistical facts, Shaw

enforces reliability to his audience about just how many people are being affected by lack of

physical activity and healthy dieting in America. The purpose of his speech is to inform his

audience about how a wrong mentality can lead to failure towards preventing diseases or injuries

and decreased life expectancy.

In the article “The Importance of Physical Fitness”, the centered target is on patients of

MANA Medical Associates for people who live Northwest Arkansas. The article is targeted

towards general awareness of the topic and 6 results of a healthier lifestyle through physical

fitness. This typography piece includes statistics about the U.S healthcare and targets main health

concerns such as money expenses, life expectancy, reduced risk injury, staying active, and

overall improved quality of life.

Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

In the YouTube video, “Winning The Mental Battle of Physical Fitness and Obesity”,

Shaw gains his audiences trust through ethos because he is a veteran of the U.S Army who

graduated in both Speech and Physical Education and has given over 5000 speeches on fitness

motivation. Pathos is strongly present in Shaw’s speech as he utilizes timed humor to engage his
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audience in his message. By incorporating humor, his audience agrees with the arguments being

said and helps them relate on common unhealthy habits that avoid physical activity and

reinforces positive emotions such as laughter. Shaw states, “We are raising the first generation

that will have a shorter life expectancy than either their parents or grandparents” which the

audience is impacted with the realization of how serious and alarming the lack of physical fitness

enforcement. Shaw also strongly utilizes logos in his arguments to support his claims. In 1956,

the Eisenhower administration and the military found that it was increasingly difficult to find

young American men who could pass the induction physicals to enter the military. This caused

for the military to enforce physical fitness tests on American public schools in junior and high

school levels. Shaw states that from those fitness tests, only “57.8% of our (American) kids

failed that test” and that “kids in Europe, 7% failed”.

In “The importance of Physical Fitness”, ethos is enforced through the credibility of the

MANA Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas which is a group of local physicians working

together to provide care to its patients. The logos is found in the article is as statistical

percentages of the U.S healthcare stated under one of their 6 benefits of physical activity listed.

They provide reliable sources such as studies conducted and the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention who states that “chronic diseases cause 7 out of 10 death in the U.S and treating

chronic diseases accounts for 86% of U.S healthcare costs.” By providing this quote, the article

informs its readers of the money expenses that can be reduced or saved completely by

incorporating more physical and overall nutritional health in Americans. There is no pathos

found in the article which mainly presented informational facts and data and did not seek

emotional appeal from its readers. By not incorporating pathos on to the article, the typography

piece is kept professional and straight to the point. Both genres greatly utilized logos in their
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pieces to strongly support their arguments and convince the audience that the information

presented was trustworthy.

Conclusion

Both genres in typography and oral and video iconography successfully conveyed their

message and arguments towards the audience. The article is effective in educating the audience

without the need to add unnecessary information and keeping each explanation to the 6 main

benefits of healthy lifestyle short and to the point. However, “Winning the Mental Battle of

Physical Fitness and Obesity” by Ogie Shaw was more effective in its deliverance of the

importance of physical fitness. Through oral and video iconography, emotion can be displayed to

an audience was more engaging in the topic by incorporating humor and constant use of

rhetorical questions relevant to the argument. The article can be limited in its audience as the

local independent physicians focus on providing care for Northwest Arkansas residents whereas

the YouTube video can be more easily seen by on going TED talk viewers and enjoyed by those

who prefer visual presentations rather than on text.

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References

The Importance of Physical Fitness. (2017, May 3). Retrieved from

https://www.mana.md/the-importance-of-physical-fitness/#inner-footer.

Shaw, O. (2019). Winning The Mental Battle of Physical Fitness and Obesity | Ogie Shaw

| TEDxSpokane. [online] YouTube. Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K60xHx836T0 [Accessed 12 Oct. 2019].