Two Cheers for the Maligned Slacker Dude by Nathan Robin: An Analysis
Kiu Hifo
Stephanie Velona
English 101
9 March 2015
Rise at a Young Age Two Cheers for the Maligned Slacker Dude by Nathan Robin is an essay from the Wall Street Journal on February 19, 2011. Nathan Robin is the head writer for “A.V. Club,” the entertainment section of the Onion (481). In this essay, Robin aims to convince his readers that men in their 20’s can accomplish great things. The idea of being young and creative is what Robin emphasizes in the essay. It is interesting what Robin uses to persuade his readers about the idea of being young and creative. Robin uses a movie, and four men, who are billionaires today, and his own personal experience as examples to persuade his readers. In the beginning of the article, Robin refers to the movie, Knocked Up. This example can relate to the ethos of his argument because I was moved by his perspective. The example Robin uses is a movie called Knocked Up. The movie is about a rising journalist Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl), who gets pregnant after a one night stand with an irresponsible slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen). I have seen the movie, and never thought of it in Robin’s perspective. When I saw the movie, I thought of it as a way for people to connect because of a child’s birth. The journalist, Alison Scott, was very attractive, and Ben Stone was the opposite. No one would ever think that those two types of people would have a relationship. Robin says otherwise. Robin’s point of view of the movie is how Ben Stone is creative, which is shared by many members of his generation (482). Robin states “He creates because he’s too young and naïve to realize that the odds are stacked against him” (482). The character, Ben Stone is an example of being young and creative can lead to happiness. In addition to the movie, Robin depicts how four men became successful in their 20’s. Of those four men is Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg is one of the founders of Facebook. He created Facebook in his dorm room while attending
Stephanie Velona
English 101
9 March 2015
Rise at a Young Age Two Cheers for the Maligned Slacker Dude by Nathan Robin is an essay from the Wall Street Journal on February 19, 2011. Nathan Robin is the head writer for “A.V. Club,” the entertainment section of the Onion (481). In this essay, Robin aims to convince his readers that men in their 20’s can accomplish great things. The idea of being young and creative is what Robin emphasizes in the essay. It is interesting what Robin uses to persuade his readers about the idea of being young and creative. Robin uses a movie, and four men, who are billionaires today, and his own personal experience as examples to persuade his readers. In the beginning of the article, Robin refers to the movie, Knocked Up. This example can relate to the ethos of his argument because I was moved by his perspective. The example Robin uses is a movie called Knocked Up. The movie is about a rising journalist Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl), who gets pregnant after a one night stand with an irresponsible slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen). I have seen the movie, and never thought of it in Robin’s perspective. When I saw the movie, I thought of it as a way for people to connect because of a child’s birth. The journalist, Alison Scott, was very attractive, and Ben Stone was the opposite. No one would ever think that those two types of people would have a relationship. Robin says otherwise. Robin’s point of view of the movie is how Ben Stone is creative, which is shared by many members of his generation (482). Robin states “He creates because he’s too young and naïve to realize that the odds are stacked against him” (482). The character, Ben Stone is an example of being young and creative can lead to happiness. In addition to the movie, Robin depicts how four men became successful in their 20’s. Of those four men is Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg is one of the founders of Facebook. He created Facebook in his dorm room while attending