33. What is Tylenol Doing to Our MInds?

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/04/whats-tylenol-doing-to-our-minds/275101/

James Hamblin's article, published on April 18, 2013, presents the findings of research about the ways that the drug Tylenol can alter the functions of the human minds, claiming that it seems to "dull the pain of social rejection," and blunt the "sense of moral judgement." Hamblin captures the attention of his audience in his introduction by surprising them with the fact that "several hundred people in the U.S. will die in 2013 from liver failure after acetaminophen overdose," which is the active drug in painkillers like Tylenol. This also creates a sense of seriousness about the topic. as he leads on to his main points. Hamblin further provokes his audience into curiosity by revealing that, although Tylenol is socially accepted easily because it isn't addictive or used to "get high," the active drug, acetaminophen, is the component that does the most damage in such infamous pills as Vicodin or Percocet. Then Hamblin states the common delusion that Tylenol is more acceptable because it does not alter the functions of the mind to present the contrasting fact that Tylenol can "dull the pain of social rejection--sort of like alcohol or Xanax." Hamblin uses ethos by citing credible sources such as the author of that study, Nathan Dewall, of the University of Kentucky. Hamblin continues his use of ethos throughout the rest of the article. Most notably, he introduces experiments carried out by researchers on the topic as his main source of supportive evidence and noteworthy facts about the findings about painkillers. For example, he states that an experiment carried out by comparing the thoughts and opinions of controversial and criminal issues of people who had taken acetaminophen and people who had not displayed that those who had taken acetaminophen demonstrated much more lenient and forgiving attitudes than those who had not. Hamblin also provides graphs to display the data clearly.

Hamblin's audience for this article is the general readership with a moderate education, but especially the adults who are likely to take painkillers on a regular basis. Hamblin's purpose of presenting the article is to inform the public about the effects of acetaminophen that they are not aware of, in appreciation of everyone's rights to know what exactly the drugs they are taking are doing to their bodies, and especially the mind. In his conclusion, Hamblin provides food for much thought as he exclaims, "For the millions who take acetaminophen on a semiregular basis unaware that it might be confounding their value system, as well as the artists whose livelihoods are contingent on their work invoking profound existential angst, the question is not just academic." He arouses controversy about the topic of the effects of acetaminophen in people's minds, extending his informative purpose into further encouraging his audience to be more cautious and thoughtful about something that changes the way a person can think.