The Importance Of Technology In Things As They Are By David A. Bednar

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Today, technology is more prevalent and influential than ever. Instead of having face to face conversations we use Facetime, instead of writing notes we text, and instead of using an encyclopedia we just look it up on google. This is a digital age, and with that, there comes a lot of distraction. The constant progress of technology has caused the loss of many holistic important aspects of life. Often, many people are robbed of simple needs like connection, experiences, and the practice of being present because of the multitude of distractions that technology provides. In Things as They Really Are, a message given at a BYU-Idaho fireside, Elder David A. Bednar spoke of the many dangers of technology. Throughout his message, Elder Bednar uses …show more content…

Indeed, he uses a great deal of balance in his argument, despite the strong opinion of his message. To begin, Bednar appeals to the beliefs of his audience to establish religious evidence. Throughout his introduction, he is able to give a solid, grounded moral argument. He doesn’t stop after that, he continues by using statistics, reliable stories, and an appeal to the good that technology can create. By giving examples of good things that have been accomplished by virtual reality, such as temple renditions, natural disaster preparation programs, and medical training, Bednar is able to avoid extremism and the appearance of a cynic. This strategy gives the audience greater trust and confidence in the argument because they see that it is free of extremism and irrationality. Establishing more credibility to the argument, Bednar refers to statistics that show that 40% of men and 53% of women believe their virtual friends are better or equal to their real friends. While statistics usually have less emotional affect than stories, these specific statistics are able to spark feelings of disturb and shock. By employing emotionally shocking statistics, and then moving into real experiences to enhance the effect, Bednar is able to solidify and reaffirm emotions via dramatization. Throughout his argument, Bednar establishes strong credibility and balance through well-balanced

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