In the article “Energy Drinks are Killing Young People. It’s Time to Stop That”, the authors have adequately used appeal to ethics, logic, and emotions to reinforce their claim. Crawford and Gosliner have used ethos when they state that “last month, a 16-year-old tragically lost his life after consuming an energy drink, a soda, and a latte.” The boy’s heart could not cope with the amount of caffeine in the beverages leading to his demise (Crawford and Gosliner). Throughout the article, the authors demonstrate effective use of rhetorical appeals, logical progression of ideas, and credible writing to convince the readers.
Appeal to logos has been effectively and extensively used in the article as statistical data. Crawford and Gosliner state, “From 2005 to 2011, energy drink-related emergency-room visits rose from 1,494 to 20,783” (Crawford and Gosliner). This is a factual statement that the authors used to illustrate their premise on the consequences of drinking energy drinks on the health of the user. Finally, pathos is applied in the article when the authors explain that the marketing and advertising of energy drinks to children and teens must stop, given the danger and health risks they pose. The pathos and ethos used in the article convince the readers of the effects of energy drinks.
Crawford and Gosliner have effectively used rhetorical appeals because the article contains actual real-life occurrences, such as the demise of the 16-year-old, and various factual statistical data to support their claims. In the article, no logical fallacies are used, as all statements have been backed by supportive premises. Upon reading the article by Crawford and Gosliner, I was convinced that energy drinks result in health problems, particularly for young people who are the majority consumers of the same due to their high caffeine content.
Overall, Crawford and Gosliner made a good case in illustrating the dangers of consuming energy drinks among young people. The negative effects of energy drinks are shown by referencing real-life situations. The argument is convincing due to the use of facts, statistics, and the absence of logical fallacies. Therefore, the article shows proper use of rhetorical appeals, logical progression of ideas, and credible writing that is highly convincing.
Work Cited
Crawford, Pat, & Gosliner Wendi. “Energy Drinks are Killing Young People. It’s Time to Stop That.” The Washington Post, 2017. Web.