Chapter 7 Post

There were a couple of interesting concepts in this chapter.  Obviously, interpersonal communication ethics is going to be focused on the good of the relationship.  I like how the authors talk about responsibility that we all have to the relationships that we are in.  It is important for all of us to assess the roles that we play in our various relationships and what it means to fulfill those roles.  Also, it is important for us to modify our roles in relationships as they change, which relationships often do.  As our relationships change, our ethical approach to them may need to change as well.  That was one point from this chapter that stood out to me.  One line from page 128 stood out:  "[T]he exact nature of what is ethical in interpersonal communication lives within a unique particular that changes with persons, time, and the historical demands before us."  This reminds us that it is important to adjust our approach to communication based on these factors.

The most interesting concept from the chapter was overrunning reality or "attempting to be closer than time, interaction, and interests have yet made possible" (124).  This is something that many people try to do: rush the intimacy of a relationship.  There was another quote from this section that explained the concept well:  "When we overrun reality, we lose the sense of distance necessary for careful relational growth" (124).  This reminded me of some celebrity relationships that rush into marriage after the people have only known each other for a short time.  They are trying to rush the intimacy of a relationship which does not usually work.  Relational intimacy is something best achieved over time.  This chapter had some interesting concepts, but overall (as with the rest of the book) it was difficult to get through.  The authors seem to try to make the concepts as difficult to understand as possible.  Even though the chapter was not very long, it took a few days for me to read it to the point where I understood what the authors were trying to say.