The Dao of Communication Criticism: Insects, Individuals, and Mass Society

Daoist (Taoist) rhetoric offers the potential to provide a valuable and unique vantage point for communication criticism. This claim is justified using principles of Daoist rhetoric to analyze the films A Bug's Life and Antz . The analysis demonstrates that, while they are superficially very similar, the films differ significantly. A Bug's Life views the most significant threats to society to be external, praises the use of technology, and celebrates Western values of individual cunning and bravery. Antz , on the contrary, sees the most significant social threats to be internal, resolves problems through consciousness raising and teamwork, and promotes Eastern values of community and cooperation. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of Daoist criticism for communication theory and practice. In so doing, the present paper illustrates important differences in the films, indicates central differences in Eastern and Western cultural values, and demonstrates the viability of Daoist rhetoric as a basis for communication criticism.