After reading chapter 1 and 2, I realized how difficult it is to actually be ethical in communication ethics. Since there are so many cultures in this world, so many people have different forms of what is considered the norm when it comes to communication. While we all strive to be respectful and appropriate to others in daily conversation, it is certainly difficult to know every single norm for every single person. In order to know these norms, right off the bat we would need to make assumptions about something, which is odd because we're not taught to stereotype when we're younger. We're actually taught to do the opposite.
The idea of multiplicity directly relates to this confusion due to the fact that there are so many different people who have completely different values. And due to the fact that we're all so different, we all need to take a step back and just learn about others, but first, we need to respect them and their choice of culture. Once we learn about their values then we'll able to conduct an appropriate, ethical conversation with them. But, if we just base the conversation off of our assumptions, then the conversation will stray to the offensive or inappropriate. All in all, we should grow to accept that people are different and strive to learn from them, no matter what way they communicate.
I agree with your post completely. It's easy to forget that some values we have in our culture, do not necessarily transfer to other places and cultures, or perhaps are not as high of a priority. I took an intercultural communication class which really forced us to look at the values and norms of different cultures in order to understand the way they lived and what they valued so that we would be able to communicate in an effective, appropriate and respectful way if we ever chose to travel abroad. It was extremely eye opening and could easily be related to the idea of multiplicity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Caitlin and Ann. I think that this definition of ethics withing communication is harder for us more than others, due to the country we live in. Other countries have 1, distinct type of culture, and it's very common for a person's beliefs to be familiar with another persons. In America, it's not quite like that. This country's history is painted with controversy and tension on certain topics, and the way I communicate might be totally inappropriate to another person. I have many friends that congratulate or praise others with profanity, even though they are trying to be positive. To some, this is just totally obscene and unnecessary. I think it's important for Americans and those who live in the country to learn the skill of deciphering communication. It's important for us to slow down and truly analyze people's style of communication, and then and only then can we finalize our judgments.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that in this day and age, communication ethics is very difficult to establish with so many different cultures. I think it's interesting to point out that in the US, we are considered a melting pot and communication ethics can become even more complicated that in other places with a more rigid and strict concept of the good. It is so necessary now to keep in mind that so many people have different beliefs and we cannot generalize or stereotype because that is just as dangerous as not even considering that people have different values than you do. It can be so easy to forget that people can be so drastically different than you and even if they do not speak up to voice their differences, they are still there and it is our duty to take the time to realize these differences and treat them ethically and respect. If I took the time to always consider the differences among us, our communication with be much more ethical and consequently, much more beneficial.
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