TOW #23

In the article “Yes, Wall Street Needs Help”, the author brings about some issues on Wall Street, and how they can eventually be a major detriment to the economy and to the financial security of people all over the United States. One of the first issues that Kathryn Wylde touches upon is that over the past five years, over 25,000 financial services jobs have been laid off, and then shares her ideas on how this will affect the city and beyond. When she discusses this topic, the major rhetorical device that is used, happens to be logos. She states, “Most of the estimated 310,000 financial-services workers in New York City — down from 360,000 in 2000 — are in the middle class. Fifty-one percent make less than $100,000 a year” (para. 4). This is significant because of the fact that it clearly shows how the number of workers has decreased, and how these people are now in a tough situation financially without a job.

She moves on to talking about how some people don’t care about the economic aspects of the city. Here she brings out the rhetorical device or juxtaposition, or more of a “They say, I say” approach. “Critics who think the financial-services sector is still too big, and that salaries at the top are still too high, might say: So what? But that is not a view anyone who cares about our city can afford to take” (para. 3). By using the idea of comparing what some people believes in, and then talking about her beliefs, she refers to her purpose. Her purpose being that people need to pay more attention to Wall Street due to how much impact it has on our lives.

Kathryn Wylde is the Chief Executive Officer and President of The Partnership for New York City, Inc. as well as the Chamber of Commerce, Inc., so clearly she has a lot of knowledge in the world of commerce, establishing her ethos.

Through the use of ethos, logos, and juxtaposition, Wylde effectively demonstrates her purpose in that Wall Street needs to be functioning fluently in order for society to function as well, in her article “Yes, Wall Street Needs Help”.