Self-Organized Mobs

I think we had a pretty interesting talk about the "smart mob" topic on Tuesday, in particular the idea of the self-organized group.  At first I was having trouble grasping the idea that a group could organize with no central "leader" or prominent figure.  If you get very specific, there has to be some catalyst to initiate the formation of a group.  Although there may be a single person behind the initial reason for coming together, the self-organized group differs from a traditional group in that there is not a single person or body committed to leading the group.  The group is formed more by an idea than a person and maintains itself without direction from a central leader.

Groups

It's nice to be done with the instructions project.  I think it was a good first "project" and allowed us to get an introduction to real technical writing, and also got us away from talking about rhetoric.  I think the class interaction and feedback was beneficial and it definitely allowed me to write to a more appropriate audience.

For our newest assignment, it will be interesting to see how the groups come together.  I have never really had a terrible group experience in the past like some of the other people who spoke up in class.  I think the majority of people come into the group with the attitude that they don't want to be the one that gets on everyone's nerves.  If everyone is willing to put forth effort the group will work out fine.  Even if the group has that over achiever that doesn't really do all the work correctly, the group is still capable of making a good grade because most professors, at least in the English classes I've taken, grade based on effort.  I am actually looking forward to this group project.   

Throw me a quick RESPONSE!

Ok everyone, I'm going to use this post as a feeler.  I need to "research my audience" and this blog will work just fine.

I am writing instruction on how to change a flat tire so I need some feedback.

How many of you have successfully changed a car tire, by yourself, and could do it again?  If you have never changed a tire just let me know what level of knowledge you have on the subject. Thanks!

Timing and Rhetorical Situation

If I had to define rhetorical situation in one word --- TIMING

In the reading about rhetorical situation one thing really stood out to me.

             'Clement Attlee once said that Winston Churchill went around
              looking for "finest hours."  The point to observe is that he found
              them - the crisis situations - and spoke in response to them.'

These "finest hours" are where rhetoric and timing come together to create a rhetorical situation.  In order for a speech to really mean something, it must be delivered with impeccable timing and to an appropriate audience.  I would argue that timing and audience go hand in hand.  As with any great speech in history these two attributes must be present for the address to be relevant and moving.

I want to know what everyone thinks.  When talking about rhetorical situation, can good timing and an appropriate audience be separated, and if so, which is more important?