Critical Analysis In the essay “Condoms: the New Diploma”, by Rush Limbaugh published in his book The Way Things Ought To Be in 1992, Limbaugh talks about how distribution of condoms in schools can lead to teenage promiscuity and encourages sexual activity at an early age. Limbaugh’s use of Reductio ad absurdum counter attacks the opposition’s argument on condom distribution and is effective since it is hard to attack the opposition. Limbaugh attempts to refute his opposition with a reduction ad absurdum argument. He uses rhetoric example intended to demonstrate his belief that condoms distributes and promotes sexual activity. He provides his definition of gender and sex roles. He claims that sex has consequences by using “Magic …show more content…

Limbaugh creates an offensive persona throughout the essay as he uses examples such as Magic Johnson or Johnnie and Susie as a way to taunt the opposition by refuting the argument many times throughout the essay. Since we cannot attack a reduction ad absurdum by pointing out its ridiculous nature it proves a point within itself and as Limbaugh speaks about how condom distribution can compromise our standards, he proves a point that the opposition is willing to accept that teenagers will have sex no matter what and it is not helping in the prevention of STDs. Limbaugh’s persona of being the offensive and taunting the opposition proves to be effective since giving a teenager a condom can encourage them to have sex. In conclusion, Limbaugh’s use of Reductio ad absurdum and the many tools to prevent schools from distributing condoms can lead to promiscuity. His use of this tool is effective as he claims that condom distribution in schools can compromise standards and have it lead from having sex to smoking and the use of guns. It can also lead them to contraction STD’s since condoms cannot help in the prevention of STD’s and AIDS. The overall persona can prove to be offensive to a reader or his opposition but proves a point since his attempt to refute the opposition can prove to be difficult