In It To Win It
Using the works from James Gee and Amy Cuddy to enter a social group.
We all play social roles when we interact with different people in society. As a part of our social roles, we know how to communicate with our different social groups whether it be using slang while relaxing with friends, or looking pristine and proper and using formal grammar on an interview. We learn how to speak and act in every social role in order to fit in with the group.
The Basics on Discourse
James Gee, a famous linguist, refers to these social roles as Discourses.s A Discourse not only includes the language or proper use of grammar but the way one acts in a social role; this includes what people say, do, and believe. Without these crucial components, one is not a part of the Discourse or they might be in the process of entering the Discourse.
http://jamespaulgee.com/admin/Images/pdfs/Literacy%20and%20Linguistics.pdf
How to Enter a Discourse?
There are a few ways to enter a Discourse; one can enter a particular social role by learning from a teacher who has mastered that social role or they can teach themselves how to be a part of a Discourse through background knowledge and observing others in that Discourse. James Gee, the author of “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction” and Amy Cuddy, the author of the TED Talk “Your body language shapes who you are” are two authors that explain how people are able to learn and become a part of new social roles in society. Entering a Discourse can be difficult and requires one’s own intelligence as well as others’ outside knowledge to be considered part of that Discourse.
In order to learn something, one must be taught, whether it is taught by another person or self-taught, one cannot go from not knowing to knowing without any teaching. This is the same when one is entering a Discourse. To be in a Discourse, one must know the entire saying, doing, believing combination. A social role is a complex situation and includes what one wears and how they speak and interact with others in that Discourse.
Discourse at the Bar
Gee explains what a Discourse is with an example that takes place at the neighborhood bar. When one enters the bar and sits next to their “tattooed drinking buddy” and says “May I have a match please?’ [their] grammar is perfect, but what [he or she] has said is wrong nonetheless” (Gee 5). Gee explains that in this example the person’s actions and speech do not match up. The person’s speech is too formal for the situation which makes the person seem like an outsider to the Discourse of drinking at the local bar.
The importance is that what you say and “what you are and do when you say it” all go together (Gee 5).
The concept of a Discourse is a complex idea and without the right combination of speech and actions and beliefs, one is not a part of that Discourse.
The Apprentice
If one is not a part of a Discourse, there are different ways to become a part of that social role. One way to enter a Discourse is by learning from a teacher or mentor that has mastered that Discourse. Gee explains that one can enter a Discourse by the
“entriculation into social practices through scaffolded and supported interaction with people who had already mastered the Discourse” (Gee 7).
In other words, one can become an apprentice and practice and learn from a leader in that Discourse. I consider this apprenticeship process to be a part of one entering a Discourse; one is not fully a part of the Discourse but they are somewhat a part of it because they are still learning.
Amy Cuddy experienced apprenticeship first hand with one of her MBA students who had trouble participating in class. Her student came to her for advice since she felt she did not belong in class or in the Discourse of Cuddy’s business class. After the advice from Cuddy, the student came back to class and gave the best comment in class. With the advice from her teacher, the student practiced Cuddy’s advice until she had done it enough and internalized the information and finally became a part of the Discourse of the MBA business class (Cuddy 19:14). Amy Cuddy acted like a mentor to this girl because she gave the student the advice and knowledge she needed in order to become a part of that Discourse.
Gee Says What?
Gee contradicts himself with his first theorem stating “you are either in [the Discourse] or you’re not” (Gee 9). Gee reverses the idea of entering a discourse because he tells us that there is no in between when entering a Discourse. I disagree with Gee’s first theorem because one can be partially be in a Discourse. The learning process to join a Discourse leaves one partially in a social role because they know and understand some parts of the Discourse but not all since they are still learning. Despite Gee’s first theorem about either completely being in a Discourse or not, I agree with Gee’s other views on how to enter a Discourse and Cuddy’s ideas as well. Both Gee and Cuddy illustrate ways how one can enter a social role by learning from a teaching who is in that social role and has mastered that Discourse. I do believe that learning from a teacher is one effective way to enter a Discourse, but I still believe that someone can self- teach themselves into a Discourse as well.
Mushfaking
Many people learn something new every day, and they learn it through themselves. I think that people can do the same thing with a new Discourse and teach themselves. However, if one is teaching themselves a Discourse and are not sure on how to act or what to say, then they might resort to pretending. Gee calls this act of pretending, “mushfaking” (Gee 10). Mushfaking means to make do with what you have and to use all of your resources in order to become a part of something such as a secondary Discourse. Gee continues on to say that
“those who are not ‘natives’ or ‘fluent users,” mushfaking “may sometimes provide a way for non-intiates to gain access” (Gee 10).
Gee is explaining that if one is not completely a part of the Discourse then he may be able to pretend or mushfake in order to be a part of that Discourse. I agree with this because when one is not a part of a Discourse, then may do everything they can in order to become part of that Discourse which may include a little bit of pretending.
Faking It
Amy Cuddy illustrates the concept of mushfaking with herself and when she actually “fake it till [she became] it” (Cuddy, 19:14). After from suffering a terrible car accident Cuddy had a hard time finishing school and getting into her career. She goes on to explain that she felt like she was “not supposed to be here” and called herself an “imposter” (Cuddy 17:02). But Cuddy was told to “fake it” and that’s what she did (Cuddy 17:02). Through her personal anecdote Cuddy shows us that when one feels like an outsider to a Discourse, faking it is another way to make it into that Discourse. If one pretends enough and fakes being in a certain Discourse, then one will learn and eventually become a part of that Discourse.
Meta-knowledge
When joining a Discourse, the one with the intelligence will appear to be more powerful than the one who is faking it and pretending to be in the Discourse. Gee goes on to describe this extrapolation of background knowledge as “meta-knowledge,” and he continues to define meta-knowledge as
“liberation and power, because it leads to the ability to manipulate, to analyze, to resist while advancing” (Gee 13).
In other words, meta-knowledge is using knowledge from other Discourses that you have mastered, and using that information to join other discourses. Doing this can be liberating and powerful because one can manipulate the knowledge they already have to become a part of a social role. The liberation and power come from the fact that with this knowledge, one can choose what they want to do; they have options. I agree with what Gee says about this because I feel that it is powerful to have options and meta-knowledge allows one to do this.
Meta-knowledge in Body Language
Now, Gee uses power to define meta-knowledge, but Cuddy uses body language to define power. Cuddy begins by saying that people “make sweeping judgements and inferences from body language” and these “judgements can predict really meaningful outcomes” (Cuddy 2:04). So, one can simply appear and feel powerful and dominant if one “makes themselves big” whereas one can feel the opposite when they make themselves tiny and “close up” (Cuddy 3:56). This type of nonverbal communication can make others perceive ourselves as either powerful or powerless.
This can carry over to entering a Discourse because if one tries to join a particular social role with knowledge, then they will have their head up high and feel powerful. However, if one is trying to fake it into a Discourse they may appear smaller and powerless because they may feel like a pretender, or others may know they are pretending. While faking it and using meta-knowledge are two ways to teach oneself how to become a part of a Discourse, I believe that using outside and background knowledge is more effective. Meta-knowledge helps the person feel confident in their decision to enter a Discourse or not. While faking it to be in a Discourse will give the person no confidence at all because they are not exactly sure what they are supposed to be doing. Nonetheless, faking it and meta-knowledge are two ways that one can self teach themselves to become a part of a Discourse.
Conclusion
There is a process to entering a Discourse and people can learn how to enter a Discourse through learning from a teacher or teaching themselves. Learning a new Discourse is not as simple as just learning a language since being part of a Discourse requires the correct saying and doing and believing and valuing combination. I agree with most of what Gee says about learning a new discourse, and I also agree with Cuddy and how she illustrates ways to enter a Discourse.
Entering a Discourse takes time and hard work, but it can be done. Whether learning from a mentor who has already mastered the Discourse through apprenticeship, or teaching oneself by faking it and observing others or using meta-knowledge from other Discourses, one can enter a Discourse.
