Comparing the Ethos of John and Yoki's Bed-In with Edwin Starr's "War"

While both the John and Yoki's Bed-in photo and Edwin Starr's "War" display vehement anti-war propaganda, the ethos of each peace-promoting medium serve as an interesting contrast.  The ethos of the photo of John and Yoki's Bed-in arises from the popularity of John Lennon and his "Beatles."  Revering the "Beatles" for their musical talent, American populace placed additional credibility on anything the "Beatles" did such as this photo of John and Yoki protesting the Vietnam War on their honeymoon.  Thus, the extrinsic ethos of the "Beatles" provided the photo with much of its effective rhetoric.  In contrast, Starr's "War" lacked the extrinsic ethos of the "Beatles" and, therefore, he relied on the lyrics of his song to provide its intrinsic ethos.  When Starr released his single of "War," very few people had heard of him as a singer.  However, the message resonated with the American public.  In turn, the popularity of the song heightened Starr's prominence as a singer, especially among left-leaning groups, and spread the anti-war message across America.  Thus, while the extrinsic ethos of the "Beatles" allowed the photo of John and Yoki's Bed-in to protest the Vietnam War before a large audience, "War" only relied on its own intrinsic ethos to further its anti-war cause.

Shawn Rosofsky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(Edwin_Starr_song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed-In