C Mon Aussie Valenzuela Analysis

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In the opinion piece published in The Age, entitled ‘C’mon Aussie, enough of the junk food ads during the cricket’ Michael Valenzuela proposes that the Australian cricket organization and their athletes’ endorsement of junk food during game play is contributing to an obesity epidemic. By presenting a broad spectrum of health concerns, Valenzuela attempts to instil fear in his intended audience. Valenzuela sanctimoniously and rationally suggests that the issue is a ‘national emergency’ and is a major health concern to current and future generations. Initially, the writer encapsulates the main contention by portraying the ‘junk food’ industry in a distasteful manner. Referring to the fast food business as ‘junk food’ suggests to the readers,…show more content…
Valenzuela declares ‘as a community, we expect that high profile and inspirational public figures, especially sports figures, play their part’. Using inclusive language like ‘we’ encourages the reader to agree with the issue, as it directly involves them in the situation. Additionally, the reference to ‘inspirational’ and ‘high profile’ individuals elucidates society’s expectations of athletes and public figures to be responsible for children’s impressionable nature. Drawing upon this evokes a greater emphasis on the need for athletes to fulfil their expectations as individuals with integrity and reliability. Furthermore, Valenzuela portrays fast food juggernauts like ‘KFC’ and ‘McDonalds’ in a deceitful and untrustworthy manner with the intended effect of evoking guilt and shame upon those who consume these foods. Valenzuela asserts that the ‘tower burger’, advertised at the cricket for KFC supplies ‘about a third of a typical child’s energy requirements’. This further authenticates his argument by exploiting his credentials as a medical researcher to illustrate the ‘junk food’ chain in a negative…show more content…
Reinforcing this argument, the writer claims that athletes are ‘spruiking’ fast food products. This evokes the concept that devious and unprincipled individuals are representing our community, stimulating concurrence in the reader. Valenzuela suggests that as a result of this negligent attitude by athletes, ‘Australia is one of the fattest nations on earth’. This rational statement is directed at all Australians to prompt awareness to the urgency of the obesity epidemic. Subsequently, the writer presents the plausible benefits where ‘our cricket heroes repudiate fast food sponsorship’ and engage in ‘health promotional’ practices. Having presented the strengths of a solution, the audience may be influenced to consider the issue from a different
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