Voice: Loy Machedo
When the topic of technology in the world is spoken about, many different stances can be taken. It can be looked at as extremely positive and progressive for society, but also can be seen as detrimental and encouraging of bad habits. When discussing opinions, the voice that states that opinion is very important in conveying the message. The voice used in a piece of writing sets for a tone for the reader and encourages a more personal outlook on the topic at hand.
Loy Machedo is a blogger that I have been following and I have labeled him as having a great deal of voice and personality in his writing. Machedo is an “out of he box” type guy, tattooed from head to toe and has an unapologetic tone in his writing, in which he completely expresses himself with no shame or hesitation. Being “PC” certainly does not seem to be his most important focus. I don’t know much about Machedo personally, but his posts express a great deal about who he is as a person. Machedo writes on a slew of topics that he has strong opinions on, technology being one of them.
Machedo starts this article off with a story, creating an atmosphere for the reader and providing a setting for how his thoughts began. This allows for a more entertaining and reality focused article. It’s a simple short story that sets the stage for his opinions on smartphone use by children. When your title of the the article reads “Why I Will Never Allow My Child To Have A Smartphone or Tablet,” the reader immediately knows what they are getting themselves into, and this story allows for there conclusion to be started in a more personal and artistic way. Machedo uses his paragraph structure in an interesting way as well, with varying lengths and breaks in between. The forming of paragraphs this way makes for a more easily read article and separates important sentences and segments into a fragmented style of organization.
Machedo also loves to use quotations to express dialogue and other’s opinions. He quotes his wife after explaining that he asked her a question, “I then motioned to my wife and asked her if this was the case with all Thai children, to which she responded, ‘Yes, today all Thai children love watching tv or cartoons on their phones. Many of them have Facebook accounts or they have messenger or they chat with their friends or play games.’”
He goes on to enter his opinion on the subject at had, a subject that seems to disturb him greatly. Machedo uses an opinionated style by including the reader in the conversation, but then reverts directly back to his opinion. He often says things like, “Now you may not feel… But I do” or “Look, I do not know about you, but I can assure you one thing..”
This is a common aspect of voice that he uses. He brings the reader into the commentary by saying “you.” This allows for the reader to make his/her opinion. He follows that by “But I” which shows his authority over the post and almost suggests that whatever the readers opinion is, doesn’t matter to him, because his opinion holds true. Machedo loves citing himself with “I” statements that shed light on his boastful opinions. How about this for a strong opinion:
“There is a time and place for such activities. But ingraining this habit right when the child is in its infancy is making your child get hooked on to one of the most dangerous and addictive trends in the world — the internet.”
His word choice and pausing punctuation show how strongly he feels about the subject, he is almost upset or disgusted at the use of smartphones by children.
Machedo’s next article that I will speak on uses another strong and eye-catching title. The language he uses from this first impression immediately lets you know what is coming your way. But that’s what Machedo wants, for others to seek out information that is extremely charged. Calling technology, smartphones, and the internet a “curse” applies a negative and dangerous tone to the article right from the start.
Machedo does a great job at displaying his voice by being unapologetically himself. He starts this article off with a short sentence that immediately says a lot, “I am a classic ADHD.” Now that is something one may not say to others often, but by doing this it connects him to others on a personal level. He also goes on to include a screenshot of iMac screen in which he stated has 48 tabs open. Machedo is using humor to create an open conversation and also showing that he is “real” and wants people to know that.
He lists out many of the tabs on his screen and goes on to explain that this is the “curse” he is speaking on. He continues to do this through the use of aggravated humor. We all look at websites that are similar, including: Amazon, Google, and Youtube. And sometimes the use of it can get overwhelming. By listing out his own computer tabs, he shows how this technology use can overwhelm him just like grocery list.
He clearly states the problem he is focusing on, and then he follows with a list of solutions. This creates a “self help” type of feel in his voice that he is reaching out to show the reader how he combats “the curse of technology.”
“RESET MY INTERNAL SURROUNDINGS, RESET MY EXTERNAL SURROUNDINGS, RESET MY MENTAL STATE”
Using the word “reset” compares the human to that of a computer. Just as we have to reset our technology in order for it to work, we ALSO must reset ourselves.
Machedo’s voice remains very authoritative and he conveys that his way is the best way to improve your life. That’s his goal anyway, to state an issue and then to fix it.
