Journal # 5

       I believe that the three most important concepts of everyday writing talked about in this course so far are Place/scene, audience, and medium. Place/scene are the most important because it influences the audience exposed to the text and the rhetoric under which it is interpreted. Place/scene make up most of a writings rhetorical situation, the rhetorical situation facilitates the affect of the writing. The Tattoo article, for example, talks about the motion to tattoo HIV positive people to identify carriers. The tattoo could've been placed on either the forearm, shoulder, or lower body. This determines who and how many people will see the tattoo. Because the tattoo is identified with the HIV virus, it elects the response that that person is a carrier. If the contamination tattoo was seen on somebody without this scenario, the audience wouldn't assume that that person has AIDS. Audience is the second most important concept of everyday writing. Each audience has their own interpretation and response to a writing stimulation. If I were, for example, trying to raise awareness for animal cruelty, I wouldn't start campaigning in the south. Because the south is the largest contributor to large scale beef and pork production, they are more desensitized to animal welfare. Audience is also important not only because of their varying opinions but because of circulation. Through conversation, the audience has the ability to circulate a piece of writings existence beyond its physical presence. Medium is the third most important concept because it adds to the rhetorical situation and audience interpretation. Tattoo's are a great example of the use of a medium. Using the human body as a medium, tattoo's generate their own unique response independent of that is actually written. Many see tattoo's as unprofessional or trashy, solely because of that material the ink is placed on. Mediums can also magnify a pieces exigency, a memorial tattoo as an example.
        We can consider tattoo's a part of everyday writing because they use the three concepts of everyday writing and are interpretable. A tattoo generates different opinions from its audience, which is a characteristic of everyday writing. Tattoos also aren't industrialized, although it takes years of practice to become an accomplished tattooer, tattoos do not have to fit any certain requirement or criticism.