On Sunday, December 1st, Amazon announced a future plan to possibly use delivery drones – autonomous octocopters that would deliver Amazon packages to the consumer's doorstep. This news evoked a great and varied response. One such take is shown in this political cartoon by Randy Bish, an award-winning editorial cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Published in the Trib for a politically-interested audience, Bish's cartoon, "The Future of Drones", shows a negative response to Amazon's drone announcement. Through his straightforward diction and alarming juxtaposition in his drawings, Bish effectively causes readers to be doubtful about the use of drones for everyday purposes, and therefore he successfully conveys his negative opinion of the Amazon drone idea.
Bish begins the cartoon by making the drone state: "I'm a drone." Not only is this a bit unexpected, but it first causes readers to truly consider the meaning of the word "drone". Instinctively, Americans think of the recent events in countries such as Pakistan, where American military drones were controversially dropping bombs on potentially innocent people. Therefore, the word "drone" automatically has a bad connotation. Bish goes on to write about the various functions of an Amazon drone, which seem to be rather mundane, until he draws in the aspect of the drones that readers probably thought of immediately when he writes that the drone could "blow your village to kingdom come". The matter-of-factness of this statement causes Bish's audience to do a double take. This then makes readers reconsider the idea of Amazon drones and makes them wonder if the drones truly are safe. This doubt that Bish evokes in readers shows that he has successfully conveyed his message that perhaps Amazon drones are not the best idea.
The straightforward diction in Bish's cartoon is complimented by his juxtaposition in the drawings themselves. The readers' double take at the third panel is intensified by the fact that the drone is smiling. Also, the drone now sports what appears to be a machine gun, which strongly contrasts its innocent package in the previous two panels. The sudden appearance of a weapon causes Bish's audience to wonder how different an Amazon drone would be from a military drone, and they may begin to wonder if they would be safe with drones as a common sight in the skies. Again, the readers' doubt shows that Bish effectively demonstrated his negative opinion of the drones.
Through matter-of-fact diction and surprising juxtaposition, Bish effectively evokes in his readers a feeling of doubt towards the use of drones in everyday activities. This doubt shows that Bish has successfully communicated his own negative opinion towards the announcement drones being used for delivery in the future.
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