Not Drawing the Short Straw
In recent times it feels as though people have increasingly strong opinions on anything ranging from important social and political issues to the most trivial concerns such as straws. There are already so many existing problems that require solutions, but why not argue about some more? In his Buzzfeed opinion editorial Opinion: Straw Politics Is Dividing the Nation. I Propose A Third Way Cory Garcia Argues that although plastic drinking straws are detrimental to the environment, recent movements such as banning and eliminating them from daily use are ineffective and result in conflict. He effectively supports his claims by using deductive reasoning to prove that there is a third solution to this issue as well as emotional appeals and consideration of the young American public to show that something as simple as straws should not be dividing the nation.
Right off the bat it is apparent that Garcia is by no means a plastic drinking straw professional. However, he is undoubtedly a member of the United States and has observed not only the political divide in the nation, but now the straw divide as well. As a freelance writer who has written many reviews on topics ranging from music to social issues, Garcia may not have the expertise some readers seek, but he earns his credibility from the straightforward language and bluntly honest opinions that come with being an ordinary American. He wrote this article for Buzzfeed, which does not always have the greatest reputation for reliable and credible news. But, Garcia is successful in structuring his argument in a way that still caters to an audience of millennials who visit Buzzfeed for short, interesting, and easy to read material that is also fact based and informative.
Since he is mainly addressing younger Americans in his writing, the informal and slightly sarcastic tone along with casual diction that Garcia uses is inviting and familiar. He introduces straws by stating, “one particularly ridiculous kind of indulgence that has found itself in the political crosshairs: the plastic drinking straw” (Garcia), which sets the tone from the start. Generally, people do not like to feel inferior to others, so by using inclusive words such as “we” while discussing his own points along with common internet slang, Garcia remains on the same level with his audience. This allows him to connect with his audience much more successfully than the very lengthy formal op-eds which can even deter readers. In contrast, he uses “they” when going over the opposing arguments which subtly separates the reader from these points and guides them toward his own.
Garcia’s article is structurally simple, making it easy to follow and to the point. By organizing his article so that the two absurd solutions come before his own, it makes them seem increasingly ridiculous as the article progresses. When finally introducing his claim, Garcia very simply and effectively states “we need a straw tax” (Garci...
