Andersen’s article employs logos, ethos, and pathos which they either enhance or weaken his argument. The appeal that would be the most essential to his argument is a toss up between ethos and logos. Ethos may have a slight edge because he shows his credibility by recalling his past during the decades, proving that he is knowledgeable of a topic, and highlighting the credibility of his sources. Andersen uses logos frequently to support many of his claims such as statistics, facts, and accounts from experts. He connects his sources to further explain his claims and many times explains the cause and effect of his claims. Pathos, however, he uses little of or incorrectly uses in his article. His usage of pathos fails in persuading the audience
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He calls Americans “flamboyant”, “screwballs” and among other things. This is ineffective when considering his audience. His intended audience will primarily be Americans. Insulting your primary audience will make many of them disregard your argument. Andersen’s credibility and logic will not hold any water if he angers his audience. Andersen uses this type of pathos when speaking about Democrats and specifically Republicans. Andersen begins by saying Republicans “got loopy.. by overdoing libertarianism. I have some libertarian tendencies, but at full-strength purity it’s an ideology most boys grow out of. On the American right since the ‘80s, however, they have not” (32). Firstly, Andersen mentions that the GOP became crazy by overdoing libertarianism. He tries to forge a connection between the audience by saying he has “libertarian tendencies” as well. But that connection is ultimately broken by his next statement. He calls the entire Republican party “boys” or immature individuals. That they never learned how to suppressed their libertarian views. A Republican or a person with libertarian views reading this article will surely be angered by the thought of Andersen insulting their political beliefs and calling them children. Andersen does not end his onslaught here as he says that Republicans let individuals “have gun arsenals but not abortions or recreational drugs or marriage with whomever they wish” (32). He makes Republicans look trivial by saying they would rather let people wield guns than getting an abortion. Andersen is hinting that Republicans are irrational. Andersen then talks about Ayn Rand and her novels. A figure who is very popular in the Republican party and the libertarian movement. “Libertarianism, remember, is an ideology whose most widely read and influential texts are explicitly fiction” (32). Andersen takes another jab at the GOP by saying their ideology is based upon works of fiction.
He calls Americans “flamboyant”, “screwballs” and among other things. This is ineffective when considering his audience. His intended audience will primarily be Americans. Insulting your primary audience will make many of them disregard your argument. Andersen’s credibility and logic will not hold any water if he angers his audience. Andersen uses this type of pathos when speaking about Democrats and specifically Republicans. Andersen begins by saying Republicans “got loopy.. by overdoing libertarianism. I have some libertarian tendencies, but at full-strength purity it’s an ideology most boys grow out of. On the American right since the ‘80s, however, they have not” (32). Firstly, Andersen mentions that the GOP became crazy by overdoing libertarianism. He tries to forge a connection between the audience by saying he has “libertarian tendencies” as well. But that connection is ultimately broken by his next statement. He calls the entire Republican party “boys” or immature individuals. That they never learned how to suppressed their libertarian views. A Republican or a person with libertarian views reading this article will surely be angered by the thought of Andersen insulting their political beliefs and calling them children. Andersen does not end his onslaught here as he says that Republicans let individuals “have gun arsenals but not abortions or recreational drugs or marriage with whomever they wish” (32). He makes Republicans look trivial by saying they would rather let people wield guns than getting an abortion. Andersen is hinting that Republicans are irrational. Andersen then talks about Ayn Rand and her novels. A figure who is very popular in the Republican party and the libertarian movement. “Libertarianism, remember, is an ideology whose most widely read and influential texts are explicitly fiction” (32). Andersen takes another jab at the GOP by saying their ideology is based upon works of fiction.