Coyau / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 Communication MEDIA, POWER AND CULTURE
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u / W
ikim
edia
Com
mon
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C-BY
-SA-
3.0
CommunicationMEDIA, POWER AND
CULTURE
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
Words as containers• He put a lot of emotion into his words• The story was filled with meaning• His speech was packed with ideas
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
Communication as transmission
• He sent a clear message• You didn’t get your point across• He hurled criticism at me
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
Reading as unpacking• I got a lot out of your lecture• You gave me a lot to think about• His words were hollow
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
The Conduit Metaphor• Conduit: A pipe, tube or channel• Conduit metaphor: Talking about
language – and communication in general – as if ideas are concrete things that can be taken from one person and sent into the brains of other people like money transferred from customer to bank via a pneumatic tube (Michael Reddy, 1979)
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
Consequences• Does communication really work like
the conduit metaphor? • How does unconsciously accepting
the conduit metaphor affect those who initiate (send) communication?
• How does it affect those on the receiving end?
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
The non-apology apology• I’m sorry if anyone was offended• I’m sorry for hurting you• I’m sorry that your cat died
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
The toolmaker paradigm
April
Killi
ngsw
orth
/ Fl
ickr /
CC-
BY-2
.0
Kroll BoP
Conduit metaphor & media• Communication is not one-to-one,
mutual or in person• Framing = attempt to establish
similar context, or at least signal intended context
• Language is an imperfect tool of communication. Unfortunately, it’s the main one we have.