Where wise actions are the fruit of life, wise discourse is the pollination.
Bryant H. McGill
- Diversity of discourse
Depending on the context, the phrase “discourse” might mean different things to different people. The notion is typically explored in the domains of social sciences and cultural studies, and it is distinguished by its complexities. In many contexts, “discourse” refers to the interaction of language, symbols, ideas, and culture, as well as the collective impact on perception and communication within a certain civilisation or culture. Cultures are met in a variety of contexts and settings, including language communication (Silverstein, 2004).
- Discourse shapes perception
First and foremost, it uses language and symbol systems to communicate information and ideas, including written and spoken language and other methods. Discourse determines who can speak, what opinions are valid, and how knowledge is created and shared. Discourse also varies by society and culture due to its social and cultural roots. It shapes how people perceive, understand, and interpret the world through individual and communal cognitive processes. Discourse also shapes individual and societal perceptions of facts, events, and phenomena. In conclusion, discourse’s complexity emphasizes its relevance in comprehending communication, power, culture, cognition, and social construction, which affect our thinking, communication, and social relationships.
- Foucault: Power in discourse
In “Foucault: Discourse and Disciplinary Society (2007),” we delve into Michel Foucault’s views regarding power, knowledge, and how people talk. Do you know how people choose which ideas and beliefs to emphasize and which to ignore when they chat? Foucault’s point is that this talking game determines who knows what. Like a VIP club for ideas. He’s more interested in how this talking thing has grown, like a fashion fad or a nice dance move, than in structuralism. The kicker is that he calculates that this whole chit-chat situation scatters power and information by breaking into separate groups of ideas and beliefs like school cliques with diverse perspectives.
- Social Media Discourse
Let me give you an example. In the age of social media, speech has become a driving force that shapes our opinions, influences our values, and dictates the distribution of power and knowledge. Let us analyze this:
- First is the power dynamic. Through algorithms and content review policies, social media platforms have enormous power in determining /what content you see. Influencers and thought leaders have a voice in public discourse, often shaping our perceptions and social norms.
- Second, mechanisms of exclusion. Social media platforms can promote certain viewpoints while suppressing or labelling others. They can label content as “misinformation” or “harmful information,” effectively excluding it from mainstream discourse. This can sometimes lead to the emergence of “echo chambers” where only particular viewpoints are reinforced and there is little room for alternative viewpoints.
- Third, historical evolution. Social media discourse is constantly evolving, adapting to cultural, political, and technological changes. Today’s social media landscape is very different from that of the early 2000s, and new platforms and trends continue to emerge.
- Finally, there is the notion of discursive form. In the realm of social media discourse, various communities and subcultures form distinct groups with their norms, values, and influence. Each platform, be it Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Reddit, has its unique features that reinforce specific ideologies and knowledge.
By its very nature, social media has a great deal of influence over the information and ideas we are exposed to. It can exclude certain voices and fuel others, which in turn shapes our understanding of the world.
- References
Laughey, D., 2007. EBOOK: Key themes in media theory. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Silverstein, M., 2004. “Cultural” concepts and the language-culture nexus. Current anthropology, 45(5), pp.621-652.
Sosial Media: Surveillance dan Privasi (Bagian II–Surveillance) (2017) Available at: https://fabifuu.wordpress.com/2017/01/21/sosial-media-surveillance-dan-privasi-bagian-ii-surveillance/ (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
The Philosophy of Michel Foucault(2019)Available at: https://literariness.org/2019/04/18/the-philosophy-of-michel-foucault/ (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
‘Zoombombing’ disrupts online learning, causing anxiety for some instructors (2020) Available at: https://columbiachronicle.com/zoombombing-disrupts-online-learning-causing-anxiety-for-some-instructors (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
5 things everyone is doing better than me during quarantine (2020) Available at: https://mashable.com/article/digital-detox-coronavirus-envy (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
You elaborated on discourse and explained it’s link to social media really well. As someone who spends a lot of time in online communities and information seems to be something that is dictated by both the platform and those with the largest influence (e.g. number of followers) and it is rare that someone with a smaller audience will break through. This often leads to bias and so you often only hear one side of the story.
I liked your analysis of discourse and your application concerning social media. As you mentioned social media can both amplify and minimise certain voices and representations so at times it is easy to forget why get stuck in these echo chambers and constantly encounter only the same opinions of our own. Your example demonstrates some of the power dynamics within discourse and exactly why we should be more attuned to this particular topic.