Language Choice

One of the concepts that may need a farther discussion is "Improving Language Choice". (p.97)
As most of us know, "Language is a powerful tool"! We use language to influence, regulate, persuade and dominate others. Sometimes we create ideas with words and tend to believe in their truthiness although they are only words, and may have no hold in reality.

Nevertheless, sometimes "we mean more than we say and say less than we mean". So, both as transmitters and as receiver we should be aware of the language choices that we make. As it stated on page 98:

Making language choices is no simple matter. It requires sensitivity to others, a clear sense of one's own communicative intent, a great deal of social knowledge, and an overall understanding of the communication process.

Who is Building? What?

Too many interesting concepts to choose from, but I did it. I picked the concept that suggests that we "construct our worlds through communication". We understand the world based on the way we communicate with others.  If we accept this idea, than we must also realize that it is only to our benefits to communicate responsiblly . In other words, we need to be aware to the things we and others say and to the ways in which we communicate with others.

After all, if communication is the act of world's construction, than we must be aware that with communication we build something that is "larger and more lasting than we realize". (p.29) this is even farther emphasizing the importance of research and the study of how communication affects our world and us as individual. Individuals, as part of the world, are being created through communication. It is clear that our beliefs and actions reflect the informations that we comunicate and that is being communicated to us.

Experimental Research

 One of the research methods that I find to be very interesting, and also appears as fun to conduct is Experimental Research. I think that the part that I like the most about it is the "hands on" testing that can be design to answer very specific questions. The information that is being gathered through this kind of research can serve as a basis, factual information for the construction of theories. Another reason that I find it interesting is the direct relation of this type of research to people's behavior.

One of the questions that can be researched is: do people's beliefs are based mostly on assumptions or on facts? To answer this question one may use a mixed of research methods that involve Rhetorical Criticism for the purpose of studying the topic and examine the strategies. A survey research can also be used for collecting data for analyzing, and also experimental research as well for collecting data.

Emotional Tools

It is interesting to look closely look at the different uses of media. It appears that all four mediums, Newspaper, Radio, Magazine, and Television, are used to "pass time" and for finding/receiving some kind of information. Yet, more uses of these Medias are specific to each one of them. Newspaper is specifically used to "identify self as reader". Magazines are used to "gain access to valued subgroup".  The radio is used to "regulate moods". And finally, as strange as it may sound, Television is used as a companionship.

As it appears, we largely use Medias as a tool for dealing with our emotions and the self-value.  It is important to understand that the way we use the media is directly related to the effects of the media on us. Therefore, there is a risk for emotional harm that can be caused by using Medias. Although very important, emotional harm is only one of the many ethical problems that "media communicators face on a daily basis".

Cyberfriends

As far as I can remember, besides interaction with other students in online classes, I have never made friendships that exist exclusively in cyberspace.  I think that the reason I have not formed any such relationship is because I don't visit any kinds of online forum or such that allow this type of connection to accrue. It is obvious that I have no interests in such; otherwise I would have try it. But I think that the main reason is that after spending so many ours on the computer for research and school work, I like to spend the rest of my time communicating with others face to face.

Nevertheless, If we can consider the communication in an online class as "friendship", than I made many friendships that exist only exclusively in cyberspace. This kind of friendship is different in a way that it is not so personally as other friendships.

Medium = Message

McLuhan's theory, "the medium is the message", appears rational.  While looking at the different medias is seams that there is a specific logic for each one, and that these logics effect the way we perceive the world.

Based on this theory there are:
linear logic – information is being transmitted in order. (Print media)
Mosaic logic – "bombarded us with changing bits of information", and it is up to us to place the pieces in the puzzle. (Television)

Television is considered as a cool medium; "it demands that viewers fill in details". Yet, so much information is left out, and therefore viewers are forced to pay attention and create their understanding only on the information that was chosen by someone else. Not everything can be visualized; the things that cannot be visualized are being left out and therefore become less important. For example, the information that we receive while watching the news is largely influenced by the type of information that can be visualized. It is true that there are also discussions about other things that cannot visually be presented but most of the time, when other things are being discussed the same few clips are being viewed, again and again.

Fitting In

One of the interesting topics in this chapter is the organizational culture; the "logic and legends about organizational life and the organization's identity" (p.217) Trenholm suggests that when one is new to the organization, he may experience something similar to a culture shock. Our needs to know and to make sense out of the organization can cause confusion and surprise. Most of us can agree that it takes a while to feel that you are part of an organizational culture.

The culture of organization is the common understanding and perception that the group of people that work together share. Therefore to be able to make sense of situations and behavior, the new guy needs help.  It suggested in the book that "by linking new comers with mentors and instituting early appraisal meeting in which superiors give newcomers feedback, organization can eliminate many transition problems."  Another thing that can ease the transition is when a newcomer is ready and anticipates that there will be surprises, and actively asks for help.