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In his 2004 book, Status Anxiety, Alain de Botton argues that the chief aim of humorists is notmerely to entertain but “to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous orimpossible to state directly.” Because society allows humorists to say things that other peoplecannot or will not say, de Botton sees humorists as serving a vital function in society. Think aboutthe implications of de Boton’s view of the role of humorists (cartoonists, stand-up comics,satirical writers, hosts of television programs, etc.). Then write an essay that defends,challenges, or qualifies de Botton’s claim about the vital role of humorists. Use specific,appropriate evidence to develop your position.

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In his 2004 book, Status Anxiety, Alain de Botton argues that the chief aim of humorists is notmerely to entertain but “to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous orimpossible to state directly.” Because society allows humorists to say things that other peoplecannot or will not say, de Botton sees humorists as serving a vital function in society. Think aboutthe implications of de Boton’s view of the role of humorists (cartoonists, stand-up comics,satirical writers, hosts of television programs, etc.). Then write an essay that defends,challenges, or qualifies de Botton’s claim about the vital role of humorists. Use specific,appropriate evidence to develop your position.

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From talk radio to television shows, from popular magazines to Web blogs, ordinary citizens , political figures, and entertainers express their opinions on a wide range of topics. Are these opinions worthwhile? Does the expression of such opinions foster democratic values? Write an essay in which you take a position on the value of such public statements of opinion, supporting your view with appropriate evidence.

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From talk radio to television shows, from popular magazines to Web blogs, ordinary citizens , political figures, and entertainers express their opinions on a wide range of topics. Are these opinions worthwhile? Does the expression of such opinions foster democratic values? Write an essay in which you take a position on the value of such public statements of opinion, supporting your view with appropriate evidence.

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The following passage is from Rights of Man, a book written by the pamphleteer Thomas Paine in1791. Born in England, Paine was an intellectual, a revolutionary, and a supporter of American independence from England. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay that examines the extent to which Paine’s characterization of America holds true today. Use appropriate evidence to support your argument.

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The following passage is from Rights of Man, a book written by the pamphleteer Thomas Paine in1791. Born in England, Paine was an intellectual, a revolutionary, and a supporter of American independence from England. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay that examines the extent to which Paine’s characterization of America holds true today. Use appropriate evidence to support your argument.

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"If there is a country in the world, where concord, according to common calculation, would be least expected, it is America. Made up, as it is, of people from different nations, accustomed to different forms and habits of government, speaking different languages, and more different in their modes of worship, it would appear that the union of such a people was impracticable; but by the simple operation of constructing government on the principles of society and the rights of man, every difficulty retires, and all the parts are brought into cordial unison. There, the poor are not oppressed, the rich are not privileged. . . . Their taxes are few, because their government is just; and as there is nothing to render them wretched, there is nothing to engender riots and tumults.

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Evidence 1- Leonard Pitts to Chris Cecil

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Evidence 1- Leonard Pitts to Chris Cecil

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Pitts uses a humorous tone when criticizing Cecil in his article as he expresses "desbelief that [Cecil] has the testicular fortitude" after plagiarizing his works.

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During Franklin D Roosevelt's presidency, when radios were becoming widely available to the American public, he participated in "fireside chats" where he'd reassure Americans and provide hope during the Great Depression.

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Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream Speech" inspired more demand and demonstrations towards the fight for racial equality during the Civil Rights movement, which soon led to the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

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Kathy Griffin, a comedian that has been on various TV comedy specials, was fired from CNN after a photograph depicting her holding Trump's severed head.

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Lanita Jacobs published a research journal, Transforming Anthropology, where she commented: “For many minority audiences, 9/11 jokes ‘work’ as political commentaries that resist pro-war rhetoric and implicate a larger shared history of racial marginalization. These jokes also work because they invoke problems of race in America, particularly comics’ ongoing struggles against violations of their civil liberties,”

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Ronald Reagan gained popularity among Americans through his sense of humor--in the morning after his surgery due to a shot from an assassination attempt, he greets White House Aides: "Hi, fellas. I knew it would be too much to hope that we could skip a staff meeting."

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Florence Kelley would preach toward progressive reforms in response to corrupt industry standards, most prominently in her Child Labor Speech where she criticized the long hours and demanding working hours imposed on children, which soon inspired the passing of child labor laws.

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Jon Stewart, an American TV show host in his statement to the House Judiciary Committee on the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, expresses resentment and criticizes Congress for their failures in properly funding 9/11 first responders, and considers it a great injustice towards the responders who "brought our country back."

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Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and business entrepreneur, recently bought social media platform Twitter for $44 billion dollars, while the UN argues that world hunger could be solved with $6.6 billion.

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In response to the death of George Floyd and other blacks that have been killed due to police violence, protestors around the nation participated in "Black Live Matter" protests/riots for weeks in 2020 in order bring justice for the victims and hold the police accountable.

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In her book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson criticizes the government for abusing its power towards encouraging mass pesticide use that is causing great environmental damage.

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Forbes reports that around 186 billionaires live in California, such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, yet it also faces a homelessness crisis with over 160,000 homeless residents.

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Although some humorists may possess distasteful humor, they play a vital function in society as humor can bring hope and confidence to a large audience along with providing positivity amidst a crisis.

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Although some speakers express radical or illogical opinions, most speakers' opinions foster valuable democratic values since they reference valuable American documents and defend rights that preserve equality.

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Although America still remains true to the very principles established during Thomas Paine's time, his characterization of America is incorrect as the wealthy express more privilege than the poor, and Americans still combat injustice today.