As humans, we long to feel like we are a part of helping in any way possible. In the article, "Let's get mental illness out of the closet" we are made to feel obligated to help this organization because of the way they word their article. Although NARSAD is trying to help spread knowledge of mental illness, its fund-raising campaign is weakened by its use of enhanced statistics, homemade statistics, and faulty semantics. .
The NARSAD uses enhanced statistics to try and sell you on the subject. They say" "about 1.1% of that spent on muscular dystrophy" (160). They are referring to the "35 billion dollars a year" that care for depression costs (160). They try and make you feel bad by showing that we help that cause, so why not help their cause? They make the number seem so large that we are suckered into helping.
NARSAD uses homemade statistics in the article. They say that "almost 40 million men and women of all ages" are affected by depression (160). Unless they monitor every single person, then how can those numbers be accurate or even be "almost" accurate (160)? They state that "we must get mental illness out of the closet, talk about it, [and] dig into causes and cures" (160). If "40 million" people are affected be depression, then how is it not "out of the closet" and talk[ed] about" (160)? "40 million" is a large number (160).
NARSAD also use faulty semantics. They say, "we need financial assistance from caring individuals, philanthropic foundations, and concerned corporation" (160). There are two examples of faulty semantics that are in this on statement. The fist example is in the words "caring individuals" (160). They try and make readers feel like if they do not help, they are not caring. The second example is in the words, "concerned cases" (160). In most cases, big companies want people to think that they are involved in the community. What better way than to help this causing and being known as a "concerned corporation? (160).
