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Date Posted: 11:58:55 08/26/02 Mon
Author: Emily Weaver
Subject: Re: Topic 3--According to McCroskey (p. 34), Communication is simply a tool---describe...
In reply to: Ken Harley 's message, "Topic 3--According to McCroskey (p. 34), Communication is simply a tool---describe..." on 15:41:20 08/21/02 Wed

According to McCroskey on page 34 he states that rhetorical communication is a tool. This tool is used to inform, persuade, convince, and stimulate the thoughts and understandings of others. I’m getting confused does this mean there is no right or wrong and everything that I’ve learned is on the basis of someone else’s ability of communicating to me and persuading me to think on their level?

According to McCroskey on page 34 he also states that communication is like a drug, if used properly it can do good things but if you use it improperly it will do bad things. He gave an example where Hitler was a good communicator and was able to persuade many people, however many lives were hurt and destroyed because of it. I guess people have a responsibility on exactly how they use their communication skills and a responsibility to educate themselves before using it as well. Things like this (Hitler) happen because of the unknown or the fear of the unknown which, breed stereotypes, prejudice, and racism. I see, hear, and read on a daily basis where people are using bad communication in order to keep people down or try to rearrange words in order make different meanings in order to hurt someone. These things can be hard to find and understand if you don’t have good communication skills and know what to look for. It can also be hard to break down this bad communication if others are misinformed and don’t understand. If you don’t know your audience it is like Aristotle says it is hard to persuade them. This is because it is hard to change attitudes especially if you don’t know the history of the attitude.

I guess you can call me long winded, what the author was talking about in number 6. of the misconceptions of communication on page 34. The reason being I like to cover all corners that I think one can argue. I try to be frank and to the point with my ideas but I feel that in order for someone to understand me I have talk more. I find this though to be contradictory to number 7 when he suggests, “one cannot not communicate”. If you are trying to get your idea across and someone doesn’t listen to you because they think you are long winded then you stop because the other person is obviously not listening or understanding you what do you do? The saying actions speak louder than words can go to play here. For instance if you ask someone do they understand what you are trying to say and they start looking around or rolling their eyes at you while saying yes most likely they didn’t get what it was you were trying to convey at all. I do agree with the author when he says simply to stop talking says a whole lot as well. I can’t stand it when my children’s father is totally silent with me when I want to discuss a difference of opinion with him.

In order to be able to come to a point where there is conflict resolution it is important to realize what many that is portrayed in this book has talked about as the whole person. It is better to be rounded in many things, to know others cultures, know where they are “coming from”, realize that not everyone is on your playing level and go to their playing level in order to teach them to get to your playing level. By doing this you learn about others but more so about you and you might end up learning something new and want to stay on their playing level or add something new to yours. I’m also kind of confused about this though because is conflict resolution only due to how well someone else is able to persuade the other and where does compromise come into play with this? I get this if you get that. Does that mean you both persuaded each other? Does this mean it is an actual resolution?

Is communication individualistic where the concept of sharing is out because one is ultimately spending most of the time influencing and controlling in order to survive?

I’m just putting thoughts down on the paper or should I say in my email.

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Replies:

  • Re: Topic 3--According to McCroskey (p. 34), Communication is simply a tool---describe... -- Kiesha Elix, 19:08:45 08/26/02 Mon
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