Chapter 34 is quite an interesting chapter for me. Just the beginning alone really struck a chord with me because it made so much sense! Griffin defines the concept of standpoint as "a place from which to critically view the world around us" (p. 441) and your perspective, viewpoint or outlook is contingent on where you stand... To me, the idea of this makes perfect sense, it seems that it would be common sense... but when you really think about it-- how many of us really stop to think 'Hmmm, my viewpoint is this way because of where I'm standing [or other words, affected by what I've experienced]' Personally, I'd like to think that I pause to think that, but I know I don't, even though it's completely true. My standpoint completely affects the way I view the world: how I communicate with others and myself. I'm still barely getting used to the idea that not everyone sees things as I see them, or see me as I see me for that matter... but now, I'm trying to keep in mind, that everyone looks at things from their own eyes which can be portrayed differently based on experience.
The example to illustrate standpoint given by Harding in the beginning of the chapter really helps understand the concept of standpoint with the illusion of the bent stick, or what appears to be bent. If you are standing on the other side of the pond, you can see that the stick is not bent at all. But based on my position and location, I'll call things as I see them. But if we open up our minds to realize that there is never going to be ONE way to see things, I think it would open up so much more possibilities/opportunities to understand one another.
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4 comments:
Greetings and thanks for your commands about my Tannen entry, and also thanks for the link. Many people have the Aha experience with her book. However, after I read Hall and other gender communication scholars, I became less excited. Kramarae’s theory hit a chord with me.
I must admit, when I first read Tannen’s book, I was in awe of its intuitive ideas. But as I read more textbooks and popular books on gender communication, I now tend to see the gender world from the perspective described in pages 426-428, namely, that there are more similarities than differences among men and women, that there is great variability in communication styles among women and men, and that gender is an idea.
On the other hand, I still like the concept of genderlect, or linguistic styles of women and men. I personally suffer from some of Tannen’s descriptions. I do not like asking for directions. My wife has no problem doing so. My son would spend hours to find how to do something in Excel or PowerPoint and would not dream of asking. My daughter would spend a few seconds then ask. My daughter listens to understand; my son listens to offer advice. My daughter offers empathy; my son solves problems. How much of this is social training, I am not sure. My wife and I treat them the same way.
All in all, I prefer Hall’s and Kramarae’s theories for their principled stand.
About your standpoint blog, I appreciate your comment: “Hmmm, my viewpoint is this way because of where I'm standing [or other words, affected by what I've experienced].” Your comment is important, because I think most people think that it is the other person or people who with the narrow or limited standpoint. In reality, all standpoints are, as Hall says, partial. Your comment is what the world needs.
Cheers.
Very good blog! I enjoyed reading this blog because I, too, have a difficult time accepting that people have different views on things or about me. Especially, about me. :) I really like the comment you made at the end of your blog, "if we open up our minds to realize that there is never going to be ONE way to see things, I think it would open up so much more possibilities/opportunities to understand one another." I couldn't agree more. It's basically saying if we weren't so self involved we might be able to see and appreciate others for their differences. After all, if we all thought the same way, looked the same way, and believed and valued the same things, life wouldn't be as exciting.
Thanks for for posting the link on my blog. It is a verry interesting blog.
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