Anatomy of an Interview

According to Professor G.J. of Texas Tech University, "a productive interview is much like a good conversation, questions are asked to elicit more than a yes or no answer" ("Interviewing"). In an interview there are certain criteria to be addressed. This criteria includes, the purpose, the collection of data or evidence, and the concluding thoughts on the subject. The "Interview with the Luddite," between Kevin Kelly and Kirkpatrick Sale demonstrate the basic principles of interviewing. Kevin Kelly is the author of Out of Control: The Rise of Neo-biological Civilization (1994). Kirkpatrick Sale is the author of Rebels Against the Future: The Luddites and Their War on the Industrial Revolution-Lessons for the Computer Age (1995). Their discussion or disagreement on the subject of technology expresses the issues raised on both sides of the topic. Both men divulge their opinions as well as what they view as evidence to support their claims.

Analysis of the interview involves the concepts of tone and fallacy. The definition of tone is: "a particular vocal quality that indicates some emotion or feeling, an accent, inflection, or intonation" (Webster's 1984). A fallacy, according to Webster's Dictionary, is:

"A statement or argument based on a false or invalid inference." These two subtle parts influence the entire interview. The interaction and inverse relationship between tone and fallacy can sway the direction of an interview.

Kelly creates the initial tone of the interview. By asking the first question, he sets the environment for Sale to respond. In the interview between Kelly and Sale, Kelly opens the discussion with the fallacy of loaded language. He asks Sale,

"Other than arson and a lot of vandalism, what did the Luddites accomplish in the long run?" (243).

The words "arson" and "vandalism" force Sale to be on defense right from the beginning. Sale realizes this and answers Kelly with the fallacy, Post Hoc; inferring that since one event occurs after another, it must be the cause of the second event. He argues that because "technosphere" interferes with the "biosphere" that it must be "destroying the biosphere" (244). These two examples demonstrate how tone of the interview is set. After both men raise their side's flag, they automatically assume that the rest of the interview will be an offense/defense interchange.

The purpose of this interview is to raise the issue of technology and address it from both sides of the topic. In simplified terms, Kelly is for technology, while Sale is against technology.