Reflective Synthesis Essay Draft #2

This past summer, I worked as an intern with the Fairfax County Police Department.  During my time with the Department, I was able to experience numerous trials, appeals, and other events in the court rooms.  What stuck out to me most were the arguments presented by the prosecutors and defense attorneys.  Each side presented their own form of the truth.  The arresting officer stated what the defendant was charged with and the prosecutor presented the evidence, witnesses, and in some cases, experts on the matter.  The defense attorney countered with their own stories, witnesses, and maybe even experts, but more often than not there was never a clear cut answer.  Both sides seemed to be telling a different story.  I wondered why the judge considered the defense’s argument as important as the prosecutor’s.  I was bothered by the fact that sometimes guilty people walk free and innocent people are locked away in jails and prisons all because of how well their lawyers present a case.  It seemed that if you’re guilty of a crime, you should hire the best lawyer available.  The truth and the good of society appear less important than your personal freedom, so the focus in today’s courtrooms seems selfish.  This bothered me so much because I didn’t understand that people are influenced by many persuasive arguments, even if they aren’t the truth.  It was not until I enrolled in this Rhetorical Traditions course that I understood there are multiple “truths” and that language is affected by the surrounding culture.  Throughout my experience in my internship, the assigned readings in Herrick, and many class discussions, I learned that judicial rhetoric has shifted a lot over time.

In Ancient Greece, Plato and many other Greeks believed that there is one Absolute Truth that comes from the gods.  The good of the Polis was central and people represented themselves in judicial hearings.  In a court session in Ancient Greece, one side would present their case and then the other side would present theirs.  Each side would tell their side of the truth to the best of their ability using invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery.  Those who were able to speak well were more likely to convince the jury, which consisted of about 100 officials.  The successful citizens in court knew what they were speaking about, how to arrange their argument, the most persuasive words to use, and delivered their argument smoothly.  After both sides had the opportunity to speak, the jury decided which was correct.  If the good of the Polis was central to the Greeks’ way of life, was that also true for the court system?  I believe that since their culture emphasized what is best for the Polis, the citizens of Ancient Greece accepted this and avoided lying for personal gain.

Aristotle, Plato’s student, saw rhetoric as an art and its subject matter is the means of persuasion.  This was a culture shift from Plato’s Ancient Greece because the Sophists have been in Greece for years at this point.  The content and style of the speech changed from always focusing on what is best for society towards a still present emphasis on the truth, but if it’s not the Absolute Truth then it is encouraged to have the most persuasive argument.  Aristotle still believed that the truth will always prevail in the court of law, but if it doesn’t, then that is the fault of the speaker.  The type of judicial rhetoric in Aristotle’s Greece was Forensic.  Forensic rhetoric deals with deciding questions or justice and reconstructing past events.  The Greeks used syllogisms and enthymemes to work through a rigorous questioning process in order to arrive at a conclusion.  He emphasized finding common ground with audiences, like the large juries in Greece’s courts, and being able to defend your own argument with speech and reason.  Aristotle also taught his students to learn both sides of an argument.  A successful individual in the courts of Aristotle’s Greece was able to prepare for counterarguments and provide educated rebuttals that advanced their side toward a favorable outcome.

Rhetoric, like the rest of Rome, was greatly influenced by Greek artifacts and culture.  Cicero contributed to Roman rhetoric and oratory through his development of the 5 Canons: invention, arrangement, expression (more commonly called “style”), memory, and delivery.  He also invented what we now call “Cicero’s Stasis System”.  Cicero’s Stasis System is a way of exploring potential directions arguments may take.  I learned about this through the Roman Rhetoric and Oratory handout and the corresponding class discussion.  For this paper, I will apply it to a court room setting.  It begins with the “fact” and asks the question, “What occurred”?  Next, the definition and quality of the “fact” are determined by asking, “What is this” and “What is the quality of this”?  Then, the causes and consequences are determined and the law is analyzed to answer the question, “What should (or ought or must) we do about this”?  This is similar to the judge decided what the max penalty for an infraction may be.  After the causes and consequences are determined, the evidence for the “fact” is presented.  Finally, once the “fact” has been defined, the consequences determined, and the evidence presented, the procedure is decided and the judge determines how the case will be pursued.  Quintillain, a prominent figure in Rome, said that rhetoric is, “the good man speaking well”.  He defined the good man as one who possessed knowledge of justice, was honorable, conservative, and committed to work toward the benefit of the “common good”.  Since Rome had a very similar culture to Greece, it is not surprising that I learned they held similar values in their court systems.  Although Rome and Greece were similar, there were drastic cultural shifts between these ancient times and today’s society.

One dramatic shift was the Middle Ages, a period of time between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance.  The Middles Ages, also called the period of Christian Europe, was characterized by the destruction of Greek and Roman texts, the adaptation of partial remaining texts, and the Christian Church became the new cultural context for rhetoric.   Greek and Roman texts were destroyed, so they would not influence the general population.  Prominent figures, like St. Augustine, adapted partial remaining texts, like those of Cicero, which were generally accepted by Christian Europe leadership.  Rhetoric, with the Church’s influence, became the art of Christian teaching and persuasion with words.  During this time period, rhetoric was used to discover the truth, teach the truth, and defend the truth.  This shift of cultural influence changed the judicial rhetoric of the court system.  The persuasive arguments and discovery of what was best for society changed to the discovery of the real truth behind what happened.  The judicial rhetoric of Christian Europe was similar to how they preached scripture.  It was to be analyzed both directly and indirectly, the language was to be simple so even ignorant audiences could understand, and it was to be used to correct misunderstandings or departures from the truth (or laws).  In Christian Europe, the judicial rhetoric was largely influenced by the culture of Christian truth.  If the Christian doctrine stated that something was wrong, then the court system followed suit.  It seems that during this period, any deviations from the law, regardless of how persuasive the argument, were deemed unjust and were punished accordingly.  Although this seems like an ideal society for me, there were many more shifts before we arrived at today’s society.

Renaissance Europe:

• Church lost power, returned to the people.
• Rhetoric used as a path to political power
• Deliberative rhetoric and relative truth

In the court of law today, the truth seems to be whatever is most compelling to the jury.  This bothers me because in some cases, guilty defendants are found not guilty.  The goal of each lawyer is to convince others of their truth through formulating a speech that is adapted to the specific jury audience, providing examples in the form of evidence and witnesses, and speaking well by practicing their pitch.

Today, in my experience, lawyers spend many years studying law and are able to persuade based on technicalities, loop holes, credentials, and sometimes the truth.  They are also capable of understanding and anticipating the actions of the opposition.  Aristotle would approve of this type of rhetoric because he believed strongly in knowing both sides of an argument.  The most persuasive argument, however, remains the truth as long as it is supported by evidence.  Today’s judicial rhetoric has shifted to a more selfish, personal focus.  Although there are many differences between the judicial rhetoric of Ancient Greece and today’s society, there are a few similarities.

This past summer, I worked as an intern with the Fairfax County Police Department.  During my time with the Department, I was able to experience numerous trials, appeals, and other events in the court rooms.  What stuck out to me most were the arguments presented by the prosecutors and defense attorneys.  Each side presented their own form of the truth.  The arresting officer stated what the defendant was charged with and the prosecutor presented the evidence, witnesses, and in some cases, experts on the matter.  The defense attorney countered with their own stories, witnesses, and maybe even experts, but more often than not there was never a clear cut answer.  Both sides seemed to be telling a different story.  I wondered why the judge considered the defense’s argument as important as the prosecutor’s.  I was bothered by the fact that sometimes guilty people walk free and innocent people are locked away in jails and prisons all because of how well their lawyers present a case.  It seemed that if you’re guilty of a crime, you should hire the best lawyer available.  The truth and the good of society appear less important than your personal freedom, so the focus in today’s courtrooms seems selfish.  It was not until I enrolled in this Rhetorical Traditions course that I understood there are multiple “truths”.  I came to know the information in this paper through my internship experience, reading of Herrick’s chapter “The Origins and Early History of Rhetoric”, and through our in-class discussions.

In Ancient Greece, Plato and many other Greeks believed that there is one Absolute Truth that comes from the gods.  The good of the Polis was central and people represented themselves in judicial hearings.  In a court session in Ancient Greece, one side would present their case and then the other side would present theirs.  Each side would tell their side of the truth to the best of their ability using invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery.  Those who were able to speak well were more likely to convince the jury, which consisted of about 100 officials.  Those citizens knew what they were speaking about, how to arrange their argument, the most persuasive words to use, and delivered it smoothly.  After both sides had the opportunity to speak, the jury would decide which was correct.  If the good of the Polis was central to the Greeks’ way of life, was that also true for the court system?  I wonder if, like today, people acted selfishly in order to preserve their own freedom.

In the court of law today, the truth is whatever is most compelling to the jury.  This bothers me because in some cases, guilty defendants are found not guilty.  The main focus of each lawyer is to convince others of their truth through formulating a speech that is adapted to the specific jury audience, providing examples in the form of evidence and witnesses, and speaking well by practicing their pitch.

Today, in my experience, lawyers spend many years studying law and are able to persuade based on technicalities, loop holes, credentials, and sometimes the truth.  They are also capable of understanding and anticipating the actions of the opposition.  Aristotle would approve of this type of rhetoric because he believed strongly in knowing both sides of an argument.  The most persuasive argument, however, remains the truth as long as it is supported by evidence.  The question to ask of today’s judicial rhetoric is if the focus is still on what is best for society or if it has shifted to a more selfish, personal focus.  Although there are many differences between the judicial rhetoric of Ancient Greece and today’s society, there are a few similarities.

The Ancient Greek citizens could influence the creation or amendment of laws in the Polis if they were able to speak well and provide a convincing argument.  Today, we elect officials who convince us that they are worthy of our support.  These officials represent our opinions and ensure our voices are heard by higher powers in our federal government.  The elected officials have a great impact on the creation and amendment of our laws.  These laws, in turn, govern society’s behavior and are the backbone of our judicial system.  In both democracies, the citizens hold the power to influence policies that are used in the court systems.

Technology has changed the way that we, as Millennials, communicate. Dinner conversations, tea time, and therapy sessions have been bombarded by technology. We struggle to sit quietly for an extended period of time without glancing at our cell phone, tablet, or laptop. Sherry Turkle, the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, describes it in this way, “It all adds up to a flight from conversation – at least from conversation that is open-ended and spontaneous… These are the conversations in which the creative collaborations of education and business thrive” (Turkle 4). In this generation, we are afraid to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and converse face-to-face. We would much rather text, email, snapchat, or tweet our way through a conversation. The reality that we cannot “edit” what we say once we say it scares some people, like in Turkle’s book Reclaiming Conversation, “It takes place in real time and you can’t control what you’re going to say!” (Turkle 22). This vulnerability and fragility allows people to “read” us and get to know who we really are.

Compared to spoken language, most of our communication comes from the body and the reactions that people have to a certain situation. One may blink his eyes in confusion, smirk when being deceitful or sly, and cross their arms when they are upset by something that was said. Now that technology has such an impact on everyday life, it is hard to see these gestures and examples of body language because everyone has their face stuffed in their phone. It is nearly impossible to have a direct conversation with someone without an interruption by technology. There are a few problems that we must overcome due to this reliance on technology. An interview will serve as an example to demonstrate where we are lacking and how we can improve our communication skills.

Interviewers would prefer to spend their time on someone who has the social development to sit up straight, look them in the eye, and hold an intelligible conversation. As college students searching for careers, these tips will prove helpful in interviews and will allow us to make a strong first impression. Millennials may look great on paper, but without the ability to sit with good posture, make eye contact, and use appropriate body language, we will continue to wonder why we struggle to find a career for work.

Technology has caused us to adopt a hunched over posture since we are always looking down at our phones. Our necks, shoulders, and backs seem to be sucked into the cell phone, tablet, or laptop. We lean forward and try to block the conversation we are having from those who are passing by. Communication Theory says, “It is good to adopt a flexible, erect posture rather than a stiff or slouching posture” (Body Language). Those who stand up straight present a more confident appearance while those who slouch over tend to appear disinterested. How would appearing disinterested affect a company’s view of a potential employee? When someone sends in an application with their resume and cover letter attached explaining why they are fit for the position and how much they desire an interview, you would expect them to have tremendous enthusiasm. I can only imagine the disappointment when the interviewer greets a man or woman who stands with their shoulders slouched and sits as if they are hunched over a computer. Now picture someone who stands up straight, shoulders back, head forward, and their chest out. Not in an overly confident manner, but someone who you would imagine that radiates confidence. This presents a much greater image to the interviewer and would increase their likelihood of receiving a job offer. Now we can’t simply rely on posture to earn us the job, we must also make appropriate eye contact.

We tend to avoid eye contact with others because human interaction makes us nervous and vulnerable. Technology draws our eyes away from the person sitting across the table from us. That beeping, buzzing, vibrating cell phone that you allow to sit on the table ruins the conversation you are minimally engaged in. In Turkle’s book, she describes how teenagers these days have created the “rule of three” in which we ensure that at least three heads are looking up from our phones before another person can look down (Turkle 19-20). For example, we are sitting at dinner, rotating who may check their phone, and refusing to collectively put our phones down so we may all engage in conversation at once. Now picture our example of an interview from earlier. Say the person who is sitting hunched over also places their cell phone on the table. Since Turkle explained that “even the silent phone disconnects us,” will that person be more likely to receive the job offer than the confident person who keeps their cell phone turned off and in their pocket? Arguably, no, because whether it is on the table or in their lap, their eyes and focus will not be on the interviewer. Communication Theory suggests, “In an oral communication context, the speaker and listener should not only face each other, but also maintain correct eye contact” (Body Language). Correct eye contact doesn’t necessarily mean engaging in a staring contest with the interviewer, but maintaining eye contact, nodding, blinking every so often, and only glancing down or away occasionally. Improper eye contact will be mindlessly staring, interrupted by glances down at the cell phone or apple watch to check notifications. This improper use clearly communicates to the company that you would much rather be somewhere else. Although they improve our sociability, we can’t just sit up straight and make eye contact, we must also present ourselves as good listeners and use appropriate gestures.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Just be yourself”? In the interview setting, this is the most important piece of advice someone can give you. The employers aren’t interested in who you are online or what fake persona you put on for your friends. They want the completely vulnerable, uncomfortably honest, you. This is difficult for us, as Millennials, because we aren’t entirely sure of what it means to “just be ourselves.” Our search for who we are is evident in our social media accounts, google searches, and other sites we use that are available to us. We must take steps, offline, to search for who we are as people. The first step to accomplish this task of providing them the real you is to put away your cell phone and engage in what Turkle calls, “vulnerable face-to-face conversation.” It may sound intimidating to many people these days who find it much more relieving to have a text conversation. Turkle writes, “in person, we have access to the messages carried in the face, the voice, and the body” (Turkle 23). This means that interviewers will be able to see each different facial expression, the confidence or shakiness in your voice, and the relaxed or anxious reactions of your body throughout the interview.

A large part of our body language is composed of our gestures. Communication Theory says that movements of the hands and fingers enhance conversation, but this can be in both good and bad ways. Overuse or exaggeration of hand motions may be too distracting from conversation and the act of rubbing your hands together signals that you are nervous. Appropriate use of the hands and fingers, such as small gestures, enhances conversation. Another important tip is to control your facial expressions. What I mean is to not overreact or under-react to good news. If the employer says, “you’ve got the job”, don’t jump out of your seat, but also don’t sit there as if they just told you the weather report. Stand up, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and thank them for the opportunity. Communication Theory suggests that “Paralanguage” is also a key aspect in conversation (Body Language). Paralanguage consists of the sounds and gestures that maintain unbroken communication. For example, when you’re speaking and use “hmm” or a slight chuckle to maintain the flow of the conversation. Another example is when you’re listening and you nod your head, say “yes”, or “mhm”. This communicates to the speaker that you are actively listening to the conversation. These small gestures and acts of body language have been lost with the development of technology. An emoji or “haha” through text is not nearly as meaningful as a smile or short chuckle during a face-to-face conversation.

Technology has impacted the way we communicate with one another. Texts, emails, and tweets have all created a divide in our everyday conversation. It is difficult to sit down somewhere with another person and have a face-to-face conversation. The use of technology leads us to sit hunched over and with improper posture. The constant bombardment of notifications on our cell phones creates a generation of people who cannot maintain eye contact because it feels uncomfortable. Social media and online forms of communication take away the personal aspect of conversation. We, who are currently searching for jobs, should learn to avoid these habits. It is in our best interest to sit or stand up straight with our shoulders back, chest up, and head looking forward. Interviewers will be impressed to hold a conversation when we maintain good quality eye contact and show that we are actively listening to them. Also, engage in the use of gestures, present a positive attitude, and use appropriate body language throughout the interview. These suggestions will not only improve how interviews are conducted, but will allow us to reconnect and overcome our fear of face-to-face conversation. Although technology is helpful, social interaction is the most important aspect of human nature.

Bibliography
“Body Language.” Communication Theory, communicationtheory.org/body-language/. Accessed
13 Sept. 2017.

Economy, Peter. “These 3 Body Language Mistakes Make Millennials Look Really
Unprofessional.” Inc.com, Inc, 11 May 2017, www.inc.com/peter-economy/these-3
body-language-mistakes-make-millennials-look-really-unprofessional.html. Accessed 13
Sept. 2017.

Turkle, Sherry. Reclaiming conversation: the power of talk in a digital age. NY, NY, Penguin
Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2016.

Research-Informed Essay

Technology has changed the way that we, as Millennials, communicate. Dinner conversations, tea time, and therapy sessions have been bombarded by technology. Children, teens, and young adults struggle to sit quietly for an extended period of time without glancing at their cell phone, tablet, or laptop. Sherry Turkle describes it in this way, “It all adds up to a flight from conversation – at least from conversation that is open-ended and spontaneous… These are the conversations in which the creative collaborations of education and business thrive” (Turkle, p.4). In this generation, people are afraid to allow themselves to be vulnerable and converse face-to-face. They would much rather text, email, snapchat, or tweet their way through a conversation. The reality that they cannot “edit” what they say once they say it scares some people, like in Turkle’s book Reclaiming Conversation, “It takes place in real time and you can’t control what you’re going to say!” (Turkle, p.22). This vulnerability and fragility allows people to “read” you and get to know who you really are.

An organization that developed the “Communication Theory” emphasized the importance of body language when it comes to communication. Compared to spoken language, most of our communication comes from the body and the reactions that people have to a certain situation. One may blink his eyes in confusion, smirk when being deceitful or sly, and cross their arms when they are upset by something that was said. Now that technology has such an impact on everyday life, it is hard to see these gestures and examples of body language because everyone has their face stuffed in their phone. It is nearly impossible to have a direct conversation with someone without an interruption by technology. There are a few problems that we must overcome due to this reliance on technology. An interview will serve as an example to demonstrate where we are lacking and how we can improve our communication skills.

Interviewers would prefer to spend their time on someone who has the social development to sit up straight, look them in the eye, and hold an intelligible conversation. As college students searching for careers, these tips will prove helpful in interviews and will allow us to make a strong first impression. Millennials may look great on paper, but without the ability to sit with good posture, make eye contact, and use appropriate body language, we will continue to wonder why we struggle to find a career for work.

Technology has caused us to adopt a hunched over posture since we are always looking down at our phones. Our necks, shoulders, and backs seem to be sucked into the cell phone, tablet, or laptop. We lean forward and try to block the conversation we are having from those who are passing by. Since this position is normal now, with such an increased reliance on technology, our posture suffers. Communication Theory says, “It is good to adopt a flexible, erect posture rather than a stiff or slouching posture”. Those who stand up straight present a more confident appearance while those who slouch over tend to appear disinterested. How would appearing disinterested affect a company’s view of a potential employee? When someone sends in an application with their resume and cover letter attached explaining why they are fit for the position and how much they desire an interview, you would expect them to have tremendous enthusiasm. I can only imagine the disappointment when the interviewer greets a man or woman who stands with their shoulders slouched and sits as if they are hunched over a computer. Now picture someone who stands up straight, shoulders back, head forward, and their chest out. Not in an overly confident manner, but someone who you would imagine that radiates confidence. This presents a much greater image to the interviewer and would increase their likelihood of receiving a job offer. Now we can’t simply rely on posture to earn us the job, we must also make appropriate eye contact.

We tend to avoid eye contact with others because human interaction makes us nervous and vulnerable. Technology draws our eyes away from the person sitting across the table from us. That beeping, buzzing, vibrating cell phone that you allow to sit on the table ruins the conversation you are minimally engaged in. In Turkle’s book, she describes how teenagers these days have created the “rule of three” in which we ensure that at least three heads are looking up from our phones before another person can look down (Turkle, p. 19-20). For example, we are sitting at dinner, rotating who may check their phone, and refusing to collectively put our phones down so we may all engage in conversation at once. Now picture our example of an interview from earlier. Say the person who is sitting hunched over also places their cell phone on the table. Since Turkle explained that “even the silent phone disconnects us”, will that person be more likely to receive the job offer than the confident person who keeps their cell phone turned off and in their pocket? Arguably, no, because whether it is on the table or in their lap, their eyes and focus will not be on the interviewer. Communication Theory suggests, “In an oral communication context, the speaker and listener should not only face each other, but also maintain correct eye contact”. Correct eye contact doesn’t necessarily mean engaging in a staring contest with the interviewer, but maintaining eye contact, nodding, blinking every so often, and only glancing down or away occasionally. Improper eye contact will be mindlessly staring, interrupted by glances down at the cell phone or apple watch to check notifications. This improper use clearly communicates to the company that you would much rather be somewhere else. Although they improve our sociability, we can’t just sit up straight and make eye contact, we must also present ourselves as good listeners and use appropriate gestures.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “just be yourself”? In the interview setting, this is the most important piece of advice someone can give you. The employers aren’t interested in who you are online or what fake persona you put on for your friends. They want the completely vulnerable, uncomfortably honest, you. This is difficult for us, as Millennials, because we aren’t entirely sure of what it means to “just be ourselves”. Our search for who we are is evident in our social media accounts, google searches, and other sites we use that are available to us. We must take steps, offline, to search for who we are as people. The first step to accomplish this task of providing them the real you is to put away your phone and engage in what Turkle calls, “vulnerable face-to-face conversation”. It may sound intimidating to many people these days who find it much more relieving to have a text conversation. Turkle writes, “in person, we have access to the messages carried in the face, the voice, and the body” (Turkle, p.23). This means that interviewers will be able to see each different facial expression, the confidence or shakiness in your voice, and the relaxed or anxious reactions of your body throughout the interview. Communication Theory says that movements of the hands and fingers enhance conversation, but this can be in both good and bad ways. Overuse or exaggeration of hand motions may be too distracting for conversation and the act of rubbing your hands together signals that you are nervous. Appropriate use of the hands and fingers, such as small gestures, enhances conversation. Another important tip is to control your facial expressions. What I mean is to not overreact or under-react to good news. If the employer says, “you’ve got the job”, don’t jump out of your seat, but also don’t sit there as if they just told you the weather report. Stand up, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and thank them for the opportunity. Communication Theory suggests that “Paralanguage” is also a key aspect in conversation. Paralanguage consists of the sounds and gestures that maintain unbroken communication. For example, when you’re speaking and use “hmm” or a slight chuckle to maintain the flow of the conversation. Another example is when you’re listening and you nod your head, say “yes”, or “mhm”. This communicates to the speaker that you are actively listening to the conversation. These small gestures and acts of body language have been lost with the development of technology. An emoji or “haha” through text is not nearly as meaningful as a smile or short chuckle during a face-to-face conversation.

Technology has impacted the way we communicate with one another. Texts, emails, and tweets have all created a divide in conversation. It is difficult to sit down somewhere with another person and have a face-to-face conversation. The use of technology leads us to sit hunched over and with improper posture. The constant bombardment of notifications on our cell phones creates a generation of people who cannot maintain eye contact because it feels uncomfortable. Social media and online forms of communication take away the personal aspect of conversation. We, who are currently searching for jobs, should learn to avoid these habits. It is in our best interest to sit or stand up straight with our shoulders back, chest up, and head looking forward. Interviewers will be impressed to hold a conversation when we maintain good quality eye contact and show that we are actively listening to them. Also, engage in the use of gestures, present a positive attitude, and use appropriate body language throughout the interview. These suggestions will not only improve how interviews are conducted, but will allow us to reconnect and overcome our fear of face-to-face conversation. Although technology is helpful, social interaction is the most important aspect of human nature.

Bibliography
“Body Language.” Communication Theory, communicationtheory.org/body-language/. Accessed
13 Sept. 2017.

Economy, Peter. “These 3 Body Language Mistakes Make Millennials Look Really
Unprofessional.” Inc.com, Inc, 11 May 2017, www.inc.com/peter-economy/these-3
body-language-mistakes-make-millennials-look-really-unprofessional.html. Accessed 13
Sept. 2017.

Turkle, Sherry. Reclaiming conversation: the power of talk in a digital age. NY, NY, Penguin
Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2016.

Why is Plato concerned about the difference between mere belief and true knowledge?

Plato is concerned that people who only hold mere beliefs about subjects, while being skilled in rhetoric, will persuade the ignorant public in a negative way.  What I mean is that the rhetor, who doesn’t have true knowledge, operates based on mere belief that some topic is fact.  Since they possess the skill to speak well and believe something to be true when it is not, they will be convincing the audience of something that isn’t true.  This concerns Plato because rhetors who aren’t “just” will use their power of persuasion for personal motives and lead society to ruin.  Plato believes that the “just” will have true knowledge and use this knowledge in a positive way.  For example, if rhetors had true knowledge, the ability to speak well, and a “just” soul, then this would benefit society greatly and many people could learn from this teacher.

Research-Informed Essay

            Technology has changed the way that Millennials communicate.  Dinner conversations, tea time, and therapy sessions have been bombarded by technology.  Children, teens, and young adults struggle to sit quietly for an extended period of time without glancing at their cell phone, tablet, or laptop.  Sherry Turkle describes it in this way, “It all adds up to a flight from conversation – at least from conversation that is open-ended and spontaneous… These are the conversations in which the creative collaborations of education and business thrive” (Turkle, p.4).  In this generation, people are afraid to allow themselves to be vulnerable and converse face-to-face.  They would much rather text, email, snapchat, or tweet their way through a conversation.  The reality that they cannot “edit” what they say once they say it scares some people, like in Turkle’s book Reclaiming Conversation, “It takes place in real time and you can’t control what you’re going to say!” (Turkle, p.22).  This vulnerability and fragility allows people to “read” you and get to know who you really are.  An organization that developed the “Communication Theory” emphasized the importance of body language when it comes to communication.  Compared to spoken language, most of our communication comes from the body and the reactions that people have to the situation.  One may blink his eyes in confusion, smirk when being deceitful or sly, and cross their arms when they are upset by something that was said.  Now that technology has such an impact on everyday life, it is hard to see these gestures and examples of body language because everyone has their face stuffed in their phone.  It is nearly impossible to have a direct conversation with someone without an interruption by technology.  Interviewers would prefer to spend their time on someone who has the social development to sit up straight, look them in the eye, and hold an intelligible conversation.  As college students searching for careers, these tips will prove helpful in interviews and will allow Millennials to make a strong first impression.  Millennials may look great on paper, but without the ability to sit with good posture, make eye contact, and use appropriate body language, they will continue to wonder why they struggle to find a career for work.

The issue with technology is that people are always looking down at their phones.  Their necks, shoulders, and backs seem to be sucked into the cell phone, tablet, or laptop.  They lean forward and try to block the conversation they are having from those who are passing by.  Since this position is normal now with such an increased reliance on technology, the person’s posture suffers.  Communication Theory says, “It is good to adopt a flexible, erect posture rather than a stiff or slouching posture”.  Those who stand up straight present a more confident appearance while those who slouch over tend to appear disinterested.  How would appearing disinterested affect a company’s view of a potential employee?  When someone sends in an application with their resume and cover letter attached explaining why they are fit for the position and how much they desire an interview, you would expect them to have tremendous enthusiasm.  I can only imagine the disappointment when the interviewer greets a man or woman who stands with their shoulders slouched and sits as if they are hunched over a computer.  Now picture someone who stands up straight, shoulders back, head forward, and their chest out.  Not in an overly confident manner, but someone who you would imagine that radiates confidence.  Would you be more likely to hire this person rather than the former?

Another issue with technology is that is draws your eyes away from the person sitting across the table from you.  That beeping, buzzing, vibrating cell phone that you allow to sit on the table ruins the conversation you are minimally engaged in.  In Turkle’s book, she describes how teenagers these days have created the “rule of three” in which they ensure that at least three heads are looking up from their phones before another person can look down (Turkle, p. 19-20).  They are sitting at dinner, rotating who may check their phone, and refusing to collectively put their phones down so all of them may engage in conversation at once.  Now picture our example of an interview from earlier.  Say the person who is sitting hunched over also places their cell phone on the table.  Since Turkle explained that “even the silent phone disconnects us”, will that person be more likely to receive the job offer than the confident person who keeps their cell phone turned off and in their pocket?  Arguably, no, because whether it is on the table or in their lap, their eyes and focus will not be on the interviewer.  Communication Theory suggests, “In an oral communication context, the speaker and listener should not only face each other, but also maintain correct eye contact”.  Correct eye contact doesn’t necessarily mean engaging in a staring contest with the interviewer, but maintaining eye contact, nodding, blinking every so often, and only glancing down or away occasionally.  Improper eye contact will be mindlessly staring, interrupted by glances down at the cell phone or apple watch to check notifications.  This improper use clearly communicates to the company that you would much rather be somewhere else.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “just be yourself”?  In the interview setting, this is the most important piece of advice someone can give you.  The employers aren’t interested in who you are online or what fake persona you put on for your friends.  They want the completely vulnerable, uncomfortably honest, you.  In order to accomplish this task of providing them the real you, you first must put away your phone and engage in what Turkle calls, “vulnerable face-to-face conversation”.  It may sound intimidating to many people these days who find it much more relieving to have a text conversation.  Turkle writes, “in person, we have access to the messages carried in the face, the voice, and the body” (Turkle, p.23).  This means that interviewers will be able to see each different facial expression, the confidence or shakiness in your voice, and the relaxed or anxious reactions of your body throughout the interview.  Communication Theory says that movements of the hands and fingers enhance conversation, but this can be in both good and bad ways.  Overuse or exaggeration of hand motions may be too distracting for conversation and the act of rubbing your hands together signals that you are nervous.  Appropriate use of the hands and fingers, such as small gestures, enhances conversation.  Another important tip is to control your facial expressions.  What I mean is to not overreact or under-react to good news.  If the employer says, “you’ve got the job”, don’t jump out of your seat, but also don’t sit there as if they just told you the weather report.  Stand up, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and thank them for the opportunity.  Communication Theory suggests that “Paralanguage” is also a key aspect in conversation.  Paralanguage consists of the sounds and gestures that maintain unbroken communication.  For example, when you’re speaking and use “hmm” or a slight chuckle to maintain the flow of the conversation.  Another example is when you’re listening and you nod your head, say “yes”, or “mhm”.  This communicates to the speaker that you are actively listening to the conversation.  These small gestures and acts of body language have been lost with the development of technology.  An emoji or “haha” through text is not nearly as meaningful as a smile or short chuckle during a face-to-face conversation.

Technology has impacted the way we communicate with one another.  Texts, emails, and tweets have all created a divide in conversation.  It is difficult to sit down somewhere with another person and have a face-to-face conversation.  The use of technology leads some people to sit hunched over and with improper posture.  The constant bombardment of notifications on their cell phones creates a generation of people who cannot maintain eye contact because it feels uncomfortable.  Social media and online forms of communication take away the personal aspect of conversation.  College aged students and recent graduates who are searching for jobs should learn to avoid these habits.  It is in their best interest to sit or stand up straight with their shoulders back, chest up, and head looking forward.  Interviewers will be impressed to hold a conversation with someone who maintains good quality eye contact and shows that they are actively listening to them.  Also, engage in the use of gestures, present a positive attitude, and use appropriate body language throughout the interview.  These suggestions will not only improve how interviews are conducted, but will allow people to reconnect and overcome their fear of face-to-face conversation.  Although technology is helpful, social interaction is the most important aspect of human nature.

Bibliography

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Economy, Peter. “These 3 Body Language Mistakes Make Millennials Look Really

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body-language-mistakes-make-millennials-look-really-unprofessional.html. Accessed 13

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Turkle, Sherry. Reclaiming conversation: the power of talk in a digital age. NY, NY, Penguin

Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2016.