September Blog Post

A key to communication is the process of identifying and using perception to view what is around us. The chapter discusses how any identity can be a product of social norms that have happened over time and construct what we believe is normal. If you think about it identifying things and perceiving them tends to be easy, at least for humans. You must remember the difference between the two terms. To identify is to look at who someone is, and perception is how you are viewed through points of views. The book looks at how we identify and how we are perceived can sculpt who we are or who we think we want to be perceived as. The process of communication can be quite difficult when it comes to this relationship. This helps to frame our social construction and how our actions are influenced by our reality and the rules we are told to live by. 

A fitting example of this is how people portray themselves on social media showing the highlight reel of their life and not what they are doing, binge watching Netflix and vegging out on junk food. We live in a socially constructed society that emphasizes being healthy, working out, and living this perfect lifestyle that everyone wants to fit into. Everyone shouldn’t have to squeeze in a one size fits all scenario, we can be identified and perceived differently if that’s our wish. In this study, a doctor examines how news media can be a cultural resource that people reside on. Here is the link https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/AAI3308244/