I have decided to be Bohm for this assignment and I will be talking about maintaining self these two articles definitely tie in with each other they both talk about are communication skills. “Writer one says In “Maintaining the Self,” Barrett argues that in communication with others, the self is constantly (as he puts it) “under siege.” In other words, we, as humans, feel that there is a constant threat to our “self” or ego. As a result, a defensive stance if built into everything we do and how we act (of course, this is on a subconscious level). On a conscious level, however, this principle manifests itself as a desire to share part of our selves with others – for instance, when meeting someone new, one may feel compelled to say where he or she was born or raised.” https://learning.umassonline.net/webct/urw/lc823961418111.tp1158815714051/newMessageThread.dowebct?discussionaction=viewMessage&messageid=1358813458131&topicid=1354877981181&refreshPage=false&sourcePage=
I agree with Barret’s analysis about why people maintain self everyone is so particular with who they talk too especially if they are from different backgrounds. In bohm article on communication he says “people living in different nations, with different economic and political systems, are hardly, able to talk to each without fighting.” (p.47) Bohm is so right if we would be able to talk to other people from other countries there wouldn’t be any wars going on right now. But every one wants to maintain self when they are talking to someone from outside there culture. They don’t want to change up for that person like barret said “everyone feels that there is a constant threat to our “self” or ego. The ego is the biggest thing that gets in the way in a conversation no one wants to be talk down on or feel like the weak link in the conversation. The world would be a much better place if we could just talk things out instead of having to use violence to speak for us.
In the second analysis I read writer two talks about “As a group we need to as Barrett says, “regulate events, to find strategies for making things happen favorably.” (Barrett, 103) This exhibits the control “topoi” and while the topoi seem to apply only to individual responses in applies to the responses of the group as a whole. If we all do a small part in our contributions to the discussions then we will in turn control the flow of our group work together instead of everyone trying to control in their own individual ways. While it is natural to protect and maintain each of our own self images we should try to get around that feeling and sort of take everything with a grain of salt. https://learning.umassonline.net/webct/urw/lc823961418111.tp1158815714051/newMessageThread.dowebct?discussionaction=viewMessage&messageid=1358813458131&topicid=1354877981181&refreshPage=false&sourcePage=
Writer two is basically talking about if everyone just does there part in the group with out trying to control it in their own way the group will run smoothly. I think that idea ties in a little with what bohm was talking about in his article. How there has been a growing feeling of concern to solve what is now commonly called “the problem of communication”. He talks about how different groups are trying to fix this problem but they are all trying to do it in their own controlling way they don’t want to work together at it they all feel that they have the answer for the problem. But none of them just want to accept what the other group is saying. But if they all would just listen to barret idea where everyone does their small part to fix the problem then in control the group would be in control not just a certain person or group.
Writer three had a great quote out of Barrets article Self maintenance behavior arises from some sense of uncertainty with others, from a perception of danger to the self – whether negligible or great, obscure or obvious.” (p 95) https://learning.umassonline.net/webct/urw/lc823961418111.tp1158815714051/newMessageThread.dowebct?discussionaction=viewMessage&messageid=1358813458131&topicid=1354877981181&refreshPage=false&sourcePage=
Writer three says you change the way you communicate people depending on what type of conversation you’re having. If you were going to talk to a girl you had a crush on for like three years you would try to be sweet guy. You wouldn’t talk to one of your enemies like that you would be more in a defensive mode. I believe this is true I don’t think we all are very defensive to people we don’t know that are from different backgrounds. That more of the message that I got from the first two writers. They believe we all are defensive with out even knowing it. That may be true but it really depends on what the topic of discussion is like most people be cool talking about what type of cell phones they like then what type of sex life they. Some topics are easier to discuss than other especially with a complete stranger even if they are from the same background as you some things you just can’t reveal to anyone
