What Does it Take to Belong?
Imagine what it would be like if no one belonged to anything; if there was no social grouping. There would be no cliques, no exclusion, no outcasts, no leaders, just an unorganized mass. Humans subconsciously crave structure and have an innate need for order. To be a member of a group, or Discourse according to James Gee, means that you serve a purpose and have created for yourself a persona in which you have devoted a great deal of time and effort to sculpt. Why would someone not want to be a part of anything, not fit in, or not belong?
Who is James Gee?
James Gee is a linguist that wrote a journal entry called Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction. In that journal he writes about something called a Discourse.
What is a Discourse?
A discourse (lowercase ‘d’), is defined as written or spoken communication. Gee takes his own ideas and applies them to discourse to create a definition for a Discourse (capital ‘D’). A Discourse is a group that someone belongs to; it is part of what defines them. Being, doing, saying, believing, and valuing the same things as everyone else within that group is what defines a Discourse. One must be completely fluent in all aspects of that Discourse in order to become a member.
Another Way Into a Discourse…
Another influential individual, in regards to peoples’ interactions with one another, is Amy Cuddy. Cuddy is a college professor that did a Ted Talk about power posing. Within her Ted Talk, she has many ideas that can also be applied to the entry of a Discourse.
What It Takes
Becoming a legitimate member of a Discourse takes time and practice. It is not something that can be done overnight. One must gain the appropriate knowledge over time which can be accomplished several different ways.
Gee’s Idea
Gee’s idea of being, doing, saying, believing, and valuing the same things as others is very important because it creates unity within the Discourse. It creates common ground that everyone within the group can stand firmly on. Members of a Discourse must have this common ground because without being congruent in all of these dimensions; not everyone would truly belong.
For example, an athletic team would be a Discourse. Everyone within the group is an athlete that plays the sport, they use the same jargon, all must believe in themselves as a team and have the same goals in mind, meaning they value the same things.
Apprenticeship
Gee’s idea of apprenticeship comes in handy when one is trying to join any given Discourse. Gee suggests that this immersion into the culture of a Discourse can help one acquire necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors enacted within the Discourse.
Cuddy’s Idea
Amy Cuddy’s idea of “fake it till you become it” suggests that one can simply pretend to fit in until acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors of the Discourse.
Power Posing
Cuddy also suggests an action called “power posing.” Power posing is when one stands up tall with proper posture (shoulders wide, head high, hands on hips) and has a positive mind set. This act of power posing has been scientifically proven to decrease one’s stress and increase one’s confidence. This is because it decreases the cortisol levels and increases the testosterone levels within the person.
Applying both Gee’s and Cuddy’s ideas give a good outline for what it takes to become a member of a Discourse. One must eventually acquire knowledge, skills, and behaviors of that Discourse which can be done by applying Gee’s idea of apprenticeship and Cuddy’s idea of “fake it till you become it” depending on the circumstances. Being thrown into a potentially unfamiliar, high stress environment, such as a classroom, would require the use of “fake it till you become it.” Being slowly worked into an unfamiliar, low stress environment would allow for the application of Gee’s idea of apprenticeship.
