In "The Problem of Speaking for Others," Linda Alcoff discusses the issues in regards to how individuals speak to and for others, as well as the implications of societal background on the way our speaking comes off to others. Alcoff writes in one section "If the dangers of speaking for others result from the possibility of misrepresentation, expanding one's own authority and privilege, and a generally imperialist speaking ritual, then speaking with and to can lessen these dangers," (Alcoff 23). This particular statement that she writes stood out to me among many other parts of this reading. Oftentimes when we look at people speaking "for" or "on behalf" of individuals or a group of people, there can be a lot of misrepresentation and assumptions made. When we speak for people, sometimes it comes off as the speaker feeling as though they can do a better job communicating something than another person would be able to. Whereas when we speak "with" and "to" others, there is a greater sense of inclusion and openness for discussion. Many times when thinking about these ways of speaking, I look at speaking for others as a one-way flow of communication and speaking to/with others allows for two-way communication.
Another segment of the reading that was interesting to me was how Alcoff discusses location and the factor it plays in communication. Location in this context is not a specific place on a map, it is looked at more as a positionality that one takes. Many times, our 'location' is determined by our beliefs, our background (race, societal background, etc.), and various factors that are demonstrated through the ways in which we communicate.
As I was reading through this piece, I thought back to my freshman year of college. Up until that point, no one at any point in my education had really talked about location in any context other than a specific pinpoint or place. When I was in my first year inquiry (FYI) course fall of my freshman year, we talked about our location in the context of various disabilities and interactions with disabled people. We discussed how our locations are going to be very different than other people in general, and in our class, in relation to interactions with people with disabilities. This was a relatively new concept to me but is one that I have thought about frequently ever since. Our location that we all associate with affects how we communicate with others and how they communicate with them. It affects the way we might perceive certain things and reflect on what we hear as well, which is an interesting concept to look into.
Source:
Alcoff, Linda. “The Problem of Speaking for Others.” Cultural Critique, no. 20, 1991, pp. 5–32., https://doi.org/10.2307/1354221.
Thank you for sharing Maddie!
ReplyDeleteI liked your evaluation of the Alcoff article. I agree that speaking for others is a large issue that we face in our society. There have definitely been instances in which I have said the words "I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say this..." Looking back, I realize that this phrase is not beneficial for those I am "speaking for" because it allows for a lot of misrepresentation and for me to assume what others want when I really don't know what it is they want or need specifically. When you assume you know what others want, you can never be fully sure of whether or not your assumption is correct or not. It is extremely important to talk with your peers instead of talking over them. Thinking this way allows for all the voices to be heard in the argument and that everyone gets an opportunity for their needs to be met.
I was a bit confused with the concept of location and communication. I too, thought of location only as that on a map. This new idea takes a bit more thinking and understanding of your position in relation to others. I liked your personal example that you learned in your FYI class. I did not have an experience like that my freshman year, so your personal experience helped me understand this concept of location more clearly.
How has this understanding of location helped you to become a better communicator?