Kennedi Slayton

Prof. Joy McDonald

English 102
Feb. 2/12/17
The Evolution of the Brains Creativity: Genre Analysis of a Blog and Youtube Video

The brain is the most important vessel in the body (discovered by an ancient Greek

physician/anatomist Erasistratus), which is essential for life and is continuously growing from

infant age to adulthood. It is amazing how over the years the brain has managed to upgrade itself

century after century producing new inventive ideas and/or creations. From a young age our

brains are the size of a cantaloupe, and holding very little knowledge and low capacity of space.

As years go by, the brain continues to grow and formulates patterns and processes. Meaning that

our brains work like clockwork unconsciously; by every second, minute and hour, it is absorbing

new information from surroundings and adapting to it through creativeness.

Since ancient times the brain has been adapting, changing and coping with each century and

has boggled the minds of many scientist as to how the brain has evolved and shaped humanity.

Numerous of genres are used to communicate about brain enhancements and creativity. Two

ideal genres that deal with the evolution of the brains creativity are Creativity, The Brain, and

Evolution, a website blog by neuropathologist John Allen and a You-tube information video

called Secrets of the Creative Brain uploaded by The Aspen Institute. The evolution of the human

brain is connected to the evolution of creativity and its impact on time and process goes hand in

hand.

Audience and Purpose/ Style and Language

 The purpose of the selected genres was not to persuade but inform and focus the audience

about a topic overlooked. Also, it was to make the audience gain a deeper understanding of the

brain and to think about what all they are capable of, if they put their mind to it. The intended

audience for both the blog Creativity, The Brain and Evolution and the YouTube video Secrets of

the Creative Brain are for science lovers or those who find interest in how they can effectively

use their brains to create something distinct and identifiable as stated in the blog. Both genres

are channeling audience thoughts as to how their brains creativity differ and occur at any time.

The audience is likely to know that their brain is the source of their creativity. But they would

probably want to know how and why it works, which is why these two genres help give them

that.

Due to the formal format of a blog, it will give the audience an opportunity to reread over the

information and to get a clear and concise understanding of the message that author wanted to

convey. As for the video, Secrets of the Creative Brain, it is more informal genre that consisted

of a fast-paced lecture, so active listening and close attentiveness is necessary because the

language used was not everyday language. The speaker used scientific terms in regards she was

speaking to more of a clinical medic crowd

Rhetorical Appeal: Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos

In all genres, they try to connect with the audience through rhetorical appeals. Starting with

credibility, the blog Creativity, the Brain, and Evolution is written by a certified

neuropathologist, so he would be very believable source. For the video, Secret of the Creative

Brain, the speaker is Nancy Andreasen, she is a neuroscientist so she would be credible, for she

works with the brain. There is not much of an emotional appeal in either and affectively I think

this loses the audience personal connection. Logically, the genres both provide factual evidence
based on what they know as scientist and provide facts other scientists discovered as well. For

Kairos, our creativity fits our time period. For example, infants using building blocks, teens

using laptops and phones, and adults using their knowledge gained through the years through

jobs and experiences. Together these genres are both information based and clearly elaborates on

the aspect of creativity but they go about communicating message differently.

Structure

The information is shaped in a blog to help give the audience a steady visual they can always

look back over for clarity. Also, this way allows for the blogger; in this case John Allen to

communicate with readers because a blog allow online communication between the reader and

author. The layout is simple not congested and the paragraphs are broken up so reading does not

look like much. For the YouTube video, Secrets of the creative brain, the information provided

was shaped in a verbal content. Focusing the audience attention to the screen and sharing with

them her findings. For this type of genre most of the audience would be more for those interested

in lectures and studies. The layout is on a social website so its very obtainable but less formal

and the audience members can ask questions and get a response but only from the publisher, not

speaker.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the brains ability to develop different levels of creativity throughout a humans

life is exhilarating. So much goes into the process of creativity and it continues to evolve over

the years in making new inventions and ideas. I find the genre of a You-tube video was more

effective in getting the message across because this way the audience can still slow it to their

pace, but as well communicate and find relative videos, due to the informal layout of the genre.
 Work Cited Page

Allen, John S. "Creativity, the Brain, and Evolution." Psychology Today. Psychology Today,

Sussex LLC, 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/lives-the-brain/201004/creativity-the-brain-and-

evolution

AspenInstitute, and Nancy Andreasen. "Secrets of the Creative Brain." YouTube. YouTube, 18

July 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unAbERa0otY&t=2598s