I found the general idea's of this chapter very easy to understand. I really like some of the examples they used to describe the public arena that is public discourse. The book breaks this chapter down into three categories 1.) public discourse 2.) public decision making 3.) differentiation of public and private space. Public discourse is defined by its ability to protect and promote the "good" of the public arena. The chapter also references public discourse ethics as a form of "idea gardening," which is later broken down further as one of the better examples in this chapter. Then the chapter defines public decision making as discernment of a course of action with full recognition that other alternatives exist. The chapter gives the example of a collage student not knowing which major to choose, and chooses one at random, and eventually changes it to one that best fits them.
Differentiation of public and private space is the reclaiming of a natural dialectic of accountability where one can call one dimension of communicative life into question by the other, texturing a clear understanding of ones public and private positions. The chapter wasn't as clear on the example of public vs. private discourse. They did reference the difference between the two, but it got somewhat confusing when they began giving examples of how private space is becoming more public like when a company wants their employees to see the job or work environment as "family." The chapter explained that most people are pretty aware of which spaces they're entering. For example when a mother and children are going into a restaurant, "and the mother says use your inside voice." The mother says this because she respects the ideas behind public space, and the shared public arena. Lastly I wanted to touch on the example of "idea gardening"(102) The chapter says this concept protects and promotes diversity of crops (ideas) that wastes little, keeping the garden, in this case, the public arena. This idea is at the heart of public discourse, because diversity is key. By respecting, and keeping the ideas of the many in a public arena the ability to learn is greater
Sometimes I wonder if we can make a public place private. Like if we were to be in an extremely populated would it matter what we said? It would get to the point where the amount of people you probably never again make for a more comfortable situation to talk about things from a private sector. I mean it is still the public sector but it opens up what you are able to talk about, I feel like. I may not be right but it's something.
ReplyDelete