In “Writing is a Social and Rhetorical Activity” by Kevin Roozen we are informed that writers are always doing the rhetorical work of addressing the needs of a particular audience, even if unconsciously. Many remove this thought when composing smaller forms of writing like an email or just notes on a pad of paper. Smaller forms of writing are examples of unconscious rhetorical activity because without noticing writers pull from ideas and experiences with others to apply them to their writing. Writing always has a purpose, writing a note or email meets a need for some type of audience whether it effects one person or the whole world.
That’s where the social aspect of things comes into play. Writers are all drawn to other people in more ways than just talking to those around them. All writers have taken part in shaping writing for everyone. We as writers draw from past inventions, using and improving them everyday. These inventions include things like computer hardware, lead pencils, ball point pens and sticky notes, all these things are utilized by writers to compose countless pieces of sharable information helping each and everyone of use grow as writers. All writing has social and rhetorical roots that need to be understood in order to fully understand a piece of writing. With understanding how writing is a social and rhetorical activity can come an easier way of understanding is a text is effective or not, whether it accomplishes what is intended or if it fails to get the point across. Viewing writing as a rhetorical activity helps those who are learning understand the needs of an audience, what they do and do not know. Understanding how writing is rhetorical is needed for determining things like what genera to employ and what texts to reference when addressing your audience.
I learned from this writing that there is more behind the little things than many appear. The person writing down notes about the first pen or type writer sought to improve writing for themselves and the people at the time. Without realizing that their ideas would be the foundation for the amazing technology we have today. This passage helped show me that all writing has a rhetorical purpose and put in great perspective that the little notes even have purpose.
