Ethos in the Balance



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    Writing has always been my passion in life, and is something I take very seriously. I always re-read my writing several times before submission, taking extreme consideration for how the essay personally portrays me as the author. Nothing irks me more than printing out a document, only to realize upon re-reading it that I didn’t fix all of my mistakes! Some might call this a very keen awareness of ethos, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution”. As a “perfectionist”, building a strong ethos and living up to my full potential as a writer has always been my goal, one that I have carried over into my college career.

    Throughout my first semester at the University of Oklahoma, I have put forth my best effort in every project I’ve been assigned. Many sleepless nights have been devoted to bettering my work, which never seems to be quite good enough in light of the high standards I continuously set!  Looking back, I see flaws in my “performances”, just like any actor or artist does once their big “masterpiece” is finished. Though none of my assignments were perfect, I still believe that I effectively portrayed who I am in each one of them.

    Who I am is much more than what people can see from the outside; it’s how I live my life, every single aspect of it. As a child, I grew up in Norman, Oklahoma to a middle class, church-going, close-knit family. Each of these details have molded my ethos and made me who I am today, both as a person and as a writer. I find it hard to separate myself from my writing, which is why my morals and values are always heavily ingrained into my work. Words just seem to leap from my fingertips every time I touch a keyboard, creating an extension of myself.

    In my paper, the effects of social networking on cyberbullying, I gave my audience a glimpse into my personal life. I did this by writing about the time I anonymously tipped my teacher off to a cheating scandal, in which case I stated that “the guise of anonymity was used ethically”. By showing my readers that I will not tolerate injustices, I effectively built up my ethos and gained more trust. Painting myself as someone who advocates for the truth helped my audience to value my opinions and to believe in the message I was trying to portray. It was also a rallying point for the essay, creating a situation that everyone can relate to. We have all questioned whether or not to turn in the class cheater, but actually doing it is something else entirely. It says something about a person, and I think it really resonates with readers.

    I also tried to express who I am in my personal blog, Plugged in 4 Life. In my first post, plugging myself in, I wrote about my experiences with owning a laptop and how my life has changed since receiving my Dell. My main focus for this article was to not only shed light on the good aspects of technology, but also the bad. By acknowledging both sides, I was able to show readers that I cared enough about the subject to actually set up a valid argument. Without discussing this topic from multiple view points, I wouldn’t have an argument, but a rant—which lowers an author’s credibility. For instance, in this post I wrote about how “having constant access to Word and the internet made everything so much faster and more efficient”, but, I also stated how “surfing the web, IM’ing my friends, and constantly watching YouTube started to take priority over school work”. Being candid with my audience helped me to build up my ethos. Showing them who I am, pit falls and all, doesn’t make me look weak, but strong. It takes a strong person to admit their flaws and is something that immediately causes readers to connect with the article and to trust the credibility of the author.

    Writing is my life, literally. Everything I write encompasses a part my life in some form or fashion. Creating a strong sense of ethos is completely reliant upon my ability to present myself in a way that both displays a sense of credibility, and relates to my audience. Without trust there is no ethos. It is extremely important to weave yourself into your writing in a responsible and conscientious manner. Your writing may be the only representation of you that people ever see. So be careful the next time you decide to submit your work, because your ethos is hanging in the balance.