TOW #18 My Zombie Myself

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/arts/television/05zombies.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Dead in the eyes, mouth gaping, with only one goal in mind... surfing the internet. While most of the public would have been convinced that description was that of a zombie, but Chuck Klosterman, the writer of "My Zombie Myself", would argue that the traditional behavior of the zombie and our lifestyle today are one and the same. In this article, Klosterman uses several rhetorical devices to argue that the origin of the zombie's popularity in today's society is rooted in our way of living. In the essay, Klosterman includes several allusions to many different popular movies and television shows such as AMC's "The Walking Dead" and Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight." Firstly, these references stand to engage a younger audience by including examples that are very relavant in todays pop culture. These also prove good examples to support his argument. "The Walking Dead" for example is not only one of the most, if not the most, popular show on television but is also centered around the drama of the zombie apocalypse. This supports his thesis that zombies have penetrated deeply into our social structure. Klosterman also utilizes colloquial language to make his argument more relavant among a younger audience. He will often use slang words and informal phrases to appeal to a younger audience because a large portion of the younger generations have a fascination and obsession with the undead zombies. With his more speculative evidence, Klosterman makes an appeal to logos as well. When he introduces facts and statistics, Klosterman turns his argument that was previously based solely on speculation about zombies relevance in our culture to an argument rooted in fact. In his essay, "My Zombie Myself", Chuck Klosterman argues the origin of society's obsession with zombies. His allusions to popular culture and use of colloquial language engage a younger audience and an appeal to logos provides a factual backing to his argument.