Whole Foods Market _ Blog 2

Driving to Whole Foods Market I truly believed that I would be able to go in, walk around, observe the details, take a few notes, maybe a few pictures, and be out in half an hour.  What actually happened?   I was drawn in, walked around and around and around, stared in so much disbelief at the details that I almost knocked down a bottle of wine, took down more than enough notes, was told by a security guard that Whole Foods does not allow pictures to be taken unless I was “with Whole Foods,” and was actually out in about an hour and a half.  Oh, and one more thing, I also happened to walk out with a full stomach and two boxes of dessert for my family and me. At this point, it would be incredibly safe to say that Whole Foods has utilized a set of markedly sturdy appeals to make quite a convincing argument to their customers that their products are indeed healthy, but more so delicious and filled to the rim with quality.

Upon my many observations inside Whole Foods, the first was made upon my encounter with the security guard regarding the camera in my hands (which was not in use by the way).  It took me a moment but I realized that Whole Foods really holds their customers and products in high regard.  By not letting me use my camera, Whole Foods made a bold statement that allowing pictures to be taken of their store and of their products would cheapen their quality.  Personally, I don’t see the problem with taking pictures of food.  It somehow made me think that Whole Foods might have something to hide by not allowing someone else to study their products on a permanent picture.  Nonetheless, Whole Foods made its argument successfully educating me on their ethos upon my encounter with the security guard.

As I mentioned before, I walked out with more than enough notes in hand.  However, the one thing that has stayed with me since I left the Whole Foods world is the Cakes and Handcrafted Pastries section.  Judging from the fact that I walked out with two desserts on hand, this would come as no surprise to anyone.  I probably returned to this area about three times throughout the observation process.  And each time I noticed different things.  This section just as all the other sections around the store, whether it be the meat, fish, produce, or bread section, has its own personalized theme.  Walking around the Cakes section, you will know, you will see, and you will smell that you are in that section.  The reason, I think that I was so drawn to this area was that so much color was presented.  Rich colors, dark chocolate colors, vanilla colors, pastel colors, sweet colors, sour colors, rough colors, smooth colors, and the list keeps going.  All my senses were poked at, made aware.   Whole Foods definitely knows who they are dealing with when it comes to their buyers.  They know that people who love desserts will be attracted to such colors.  They know this and they attack it with exaggerated force that you cannot help but give in.  So we now know that Whole Foods knows how to work with pathos. 

Prices I noticed seemed to be a bit on the high side.  A gallon of milk for example, which in my experience usually costs about $4.25, was priced at $5.69 at Whole Foods.  Higher quality, higher prices?  Customers are having to pay for that extra something that, say Unwhole Foods cannot provide.  But it seems as if we the customers are saying “It’s OK” to the prices.  It seems as if we WANT to cough up those extra cents for those extra morsels of natural health.  To make their case even stronger, as if to add an exclamation point to their already tight argument, a biodegradable shopping bag!  What else can I say?  Whole Foods Market has succeeded in making such a great argument out of their business that at times it seems too good to be true.  Organic everything?  Even their bags?  Is that even possible?  It seems as though anything is possible at Whole Foods.

Eating and Argument _ Blog 1

The first time I laid eyes on the book Everything’s an Argument, before having been enlightened by its argument that everything is an argument, I was unusually drawn to the cover, mostly to its bright colors, interesting pictures, and overall unique style.  I would like to emphasize that the meaning of the title, which by the way was written in bright yellow letters, had not yet quite sunk in.

As I began reading the book throughout the week, learning about arguments in different contexts and how they are used to appeal to the heart, to the character within, and to our reasoning, I soon realized how this book’s cover, this blue piece of carton was so blatantly arguing with me!  Yes, an argument was made and I was suckered in by all the aforementioned tactics.  It is quite clear to me now, after reading only the first five chapters of Everything’s an Argument, how the authors were sneakily and quite cleverly awaiting to establish a great set of ethos by providing supporting evidence their claims.

Therefore, having at least a basic knowledge of how to identify an argument, I would like to revisit Gaffigan’s use of humor to argue against the nationally known Hot Pockets.  It is clear, as he is a comedian, that he is appealing to our hearts, pathos.  He is making us laugh and simultaneously, whether we would like to or not, making us agree with him at that particular moment that Hot Pockets are indeed essentially unhealthy and a poor food choice.  At the same time, his usage of humor in getting his message across is also an appeal to ethos as is could be the determining factor of whether he can connect his character successfully with his audience.  Will he turn off his audience by going too far or will this joke be just as funny as the others if not more?  Pathos and ethos are not the only rhetorical strategies utilized by Gaffigan of course.  The comedian goes on to use a variety of tools, most obviously, the repetition of the jingle of the product, which changes with the context of his argument.  By utilizing this dynamic repetition he is able to emphasize and reemphasize the point that he would like to make:  Hot Pockets are unhealthy and are mostly eaten by the lower classes. 

I do have to admit that although we have been bombarded by claims and extremely supporting evidence that our language seems to be dominated by argument and that everything is an argument, I still have lingering doubts.  I find myself asking, just as the book does, “If everything is an argument, is the clothes we wear also an argument, the sports we love, the statement “I Love You” ?

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