August Blog

In the past couple weeks, we have discussed many topics that relate to listening. There are many different forms of listening such as active listening which is described as listening that focuses the attention on the speaker. It is a structured form as listening. It has an empathetic goal in mind. We also discussed Passive listening which emphasizes more on attentively and not interrupting. You use "fillers" which include mhm or yea, nodding your head, utilizing eye contact listening to the other person speak while you don't interrupt. Dialogic listening which is learning through conversation and an engaged interchange of ideas and information in which we actively seek to learn more about the person and how they think. It focuses more on the present and what is happening between the two (or more) speakers. These are important in communication, offering their different forms of listening when speaking or listening to an individual. 
I also wanted to reflect of Conquergood's Performing as a moral act. There are 4 different types of engagement, Custodian's rip off, Enthusiast's infatuation, Curator's exhibition, and skeptic cop out. I wanted to focus of two of these. The first is custodian's rip off. It is described as engaging with someone for a selfish reason. An example of this is when someone becomes friends with someone during class only to gain answers for tests or quizzes. I have personally seen this all throughout my school years and to be honest I have engaged in this myself. Another example of this is when you see people win the lottery or some type of reward and instantly rise in popularity. You see many types of individuals want to become associated with that person to gain their winnings. By becoming close with that person, developing a relationship or a friendship, using them for their money or benefits in any way.
The other act I wanted to discuss was skeptic's cop out. This is when one refuses to engage with those that are different. An example of this is the stereotype of people who are classified as "jocks." They think that the run the school because they're big time athletes. And you have the "nerds" or the not popular kids. The jocks don't communicate or even waste their time with someone at the low end of the popularity line because the nerds are different and don't play sports. Another example of this especially in today's world is racism. A specific color of race that doesn't involve another race. Whites   who don't involve themselves with the black community, blacks who don't involve themselves with the white community because they're different. You witness this all the time in today's society and it is sad. 
I look forward to learning more about listening and communication in this class, as I am a communication major. I find communicating between different people and different culture's so interesting.