Countering FTW

Link to Blaze Article

Harris’s third chapter, titled “Countering” differs form the previous chapter on forwarding in an interesting manner. While forwarding allows a writer to harmoniously draw on the works of others to advance his or her position, countering disagrees with the work of other writers and uses that disagreement as a way to “open up new lines of inquiry” (Harris 57). Authors do not necessarily counter, or disagree, with one another with hostility or heated debate. Writers counter with one another not to win a debate or put an end to a conversation. Rather, the goal of countering is to add new perspectives to the debate and push its limits. Unlike forwarding, countering requires the writer to first come to terms with a particular text. After all, how can an author define the failures of a text before understanding what the original author’s purpose and meaning was? Harris categorizes countering into three subgroups: arguing the other side, uncovering values, and dissenting. Arguing the other side means applying a positive connotation to what the original author sees as negative or applying a negative connotation to what the original author sees as positive. Our writing always carries meanings that we have not intended. That is why uncovering values is also a form of countering. Uncovering values analyzes a word or phrase that has been vaguely or deficiently defined or even undefined. Dissenting is when a writer seeks to evaluate the limits of another’s text but first establishes agreeable claims within the text.

            In a blog post from The Blaze, I found an article representing what Harris defines as countering. Titled “Where are the Benghazi Survivors?” Meredith Jessup seeks to uncover some hidden truths about the infamous Benghazi attack. Jessup agrees with the information from witnesses and security officials (published via the Associated Press), but highlights the story’s limits. Jessup explains, “While four Americans were killed in the attack at the consulate and safe house, many others managed to escape. Where are the survivors?” She inquires about the lack of information presented by the Associated Press and others in high security positions and analyzes the vagueness of certain statements.

http://www.theblaze.com/blog/#post-522740