Can we pretend?
People, all of us, have many different ways to communicate, interact and show the world our own views, opinions and beliefs.
When we keep this idea in mind, we think about discourses. It is said that there are many types of discourses an individual can familiarize themselves with but not all are Discourses. A discourse, as many might say is all about language and correct grammar. In my opinion, discourse is much more than that.
Discourse is what makes one dissociate themselves from society, it is what makes each person an individual.
As the author of Literacy, Discourse and Linguistics, James Paul Gee shows us how to enter a Discourse by emphasizing ideas such as being a pretender, different views, how we say things and Mushfake. Other ideas are set by Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, during her Ted talk: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Cuddy centers her argument on tiny tweaks, beliefs and nonverbals that can help people possibly “fake” their way into a Discourse (15:35- 16:06).
However, can an individual successfully enter a Discourse even if they are new to the Discourse? Let’s explore!
In the Ted talk Amy Cuddy poses a controvert idea arguing that “tiny tweaks can lead to big changes”(19:33).
- Cuddy shares her idea when talking about a student who approached her and told her that she did not have the courage to speak up in class.
- Cuddy advises her to make small changes to help her overcome the problem.
- In time, the student becomes familiar with the Discourse and has an easier time in class.
I agree with the idea of “tiny tweaks can lead to big changes” because change has always presented itself gradually. When considering a new foreign student, for example, the learning process may be extremely difficult. However, when progressively speaking it, writing it and being surrounded by others, the student learns the language and becomes more at ease with it. On the other hand , Gee states that “You are either in it or you’re not.”(9) This tells us that the student in a way is a “pretender” (Gee, 10) and might never be fully fluent in it. In Gee’s views, and my own, a pretender is an individual that “does not have the identity or social role which is the basis for the existence of a Discourse” and wants to be part of it (10). This idea reflects how to enter a Discourse by demonstrating that, at times, one can not assume they are part of a Discourse just by imitating others that are into the Discourse. My own view is that, as Cuddy says, it is true one has to make small tweaks, but as Gee states, this does not mean the changes make the person part of a Discourse. This idea is not only based on the person but on society as well because their views and beliefs could be different.
A Discourse is not only entered by small gradual changes but it is also composed of views and beliefs.
When Amy Cuddy was 19 she was in a very bad car accident that left her with some brain damage. When talking about the incident, Cuddy angrily states that “having your identity taken from you, your core identity…there’s nothing that leaves you feeling more powerless than that” (16:06–17:02) This shows that her belief in a good education and having a high IQ make others view her as a smart individual. A person’s views can change all the time depending on experience and opinions.
Gee states that “superficial features are the best test as to whether one was apprenticed in the ‘right’ place, at the ‘right’ time, with the ‘right’ people” (11). This ties with views and beliefs because society thinks that if people use right grammar it shows that you are better than a middle or lower class person. For example, an average teenager uses slang to communicate with other teens, but there are some that speak proper English even with their fellow mates. Based on these views, an individual can be considered an outcast and be out of a Discourse. My opinion is that society, or a group of individuals, does not have the right to judge one based solemnly on grammatical errors because they could take someone’s individuality away. This idea shows that one can successfully enter a Discourse even if their communication skills are low. However, communication is not only presented by language but also by non-verbals.
Language and learning is not the only puzzle piece to fulfill the requirements of a Discourse.
A Discourse can also be entered and presented by one’s body language. As Gee suggests:
“It is not just what you say but how you say it” (5)
A person could know perfect grammar but not know how to use it, which can in fact leave many out of a Discourse. For example “If i enter my neighborhood bar and say to my tattooed drinking buddy, as I sit down, ‘May I have a match please?’, my grammar is perfect but what I have said is wrong nonetheless” (Gee, 5). This person uses perfect grammar but not the right one for the Discourse he has entered. Language, is not only what helps an individual start or be part of a Discourse. This concept ties with Amy Cuddy’s prospect of the value of “body language” (0:58). Cuddy believes that body language can show society what kind of a person you are. Society tends to understand people mostly through “interactions”, so it is important for our nonverbal to line up with our target Discourse (Cuddy, 1:38–2:04). Stereotypes and decisions about an individual at times can be solemnly made by communication.
For example, when acquiring a job the way one looks could make employers want to hire them but when at an interview the individual could be confusing, tapping his feet, chewing a pen, saying random sentences. In my opinion the mixture of both interactions and communication can lead to entering a Discourse, because something said could not match how it is said or what it is done while saying it. We are not always familiarized with the right nonverbals and body language but we can obtain them by trying and, at times, “faking” our way into a Discourse.
An individual who does not know how to enter a Discourse can also fake their way into a Discourse.
Gee and Cuddy both explore this concept in very similar ways. During Cuddy’s Ted talk her opinion on faking it changes as she states
“don’t fake it til you make it. Fake it til you become it” (15:35–19:14)
The change in idea occurred when one of her students not only spoke up in her classroom, by faking her way into a Discourse, but successfully became part of the Discourse. This means, she became more familiar with the subject and entered the Discourse. In Gee’s talks about “Mushfake Discourse” that, likewise, is defined as using previous knowledge and understanding to help an individual accomplish something else (13). For example, when standing in front of class a timid student that starts speaking and pretending to be confident will more likely become confident at the end of the lecture. I strongly agree with Gee’s and Cuddy’s idea of faking their way into a Discourse because not everyone has the ability or the right foundation (previous knowledge) to enter a Discourse.
The combination of pretending, views, beliefs, non-verbals, verbals, mushfake and faking it can help one enter a Discourse. As Gee says “Saying(writing)-doing-valuing-believing-combinations” and the idea of finding one’s “identity kit”, so as to take a particular role, helps the individual infiltrate themselves into a Discourse. These concepts help people learn more about themselves. As they retain more information, change their views and beliefs, and interact and communicate with society they will be able to make others understand more about the world and each other. In conclusion, anyone can enter a Discourse it is only up to society to distinguish if you are in it or not.
As an individual, however, we can believe whatever we please because at some point in time, any of us can start a desired Discourse.
