1. Bitzer uses U.S. presidents and political rhetoric to reinforce the idea that "situation must somehow prescribe the response which fits." In particular, Bitzer uses inauguration speeches as an example, noting one "demands speech style marked by dignity." From my perspective, without diving too much into politics, it seems Bitzer's argument is reliant on a lot of givens. What happens if we throw those givens out the window? How is rhetorical discourse affected when the response doesn't fit? How are constraints modified and subverted by unpredictable factors?
2. Royster states, "we have not been conscientious about keeping lines of communication open, and we are now experiencing the consequences of talking primarily to ourselves." How do we reopen these lines of communication and speak for ourselves and our students?
Royster talks about the importance of sharing in this piece. She is speaking, as I understand it, about helping others understand the cultural significance of important aspects of our self and our communities. The difficult thing in that, is the way that some communities tend to protect some of those important details in such as way that they are not easily shared with others, which I think Royster also suggested. We, as one people, need to accept that sharing our cultures and traditions will not diminish their significance in any way. Because of the sensitive nature of such an acknowledgment, that might be a difficult thing to achieve.
ReplyDeleteHi Aram,
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the instructor should speak for their students. Instead the instructor should take on the role of teacher and help their students navigate such discussions. In order for the “lines of communication” to be opened people need to be more aware of how their words may intrude or insult others. It is important to note that this is a trial and error process, and some communities may be a little too sensitive on certain issues or speakers. The idea is that we can reflect on Others, but we do not represent the Others. As Royster said we need to learn to listen instead of simply talking back and forth. The acceptance that there is room for understanding to grow, and an acknowledgment that people will make mistakes when sharing their thoughts will allow for a more open dialogue where people will not automatically take offense or be afraid to speak.