A "Plunge" From Conversation

A teenager in contemporary American society can surly be found with their cell phone glued to their hand; anxiously awaiting a "ding" as a symbol of engagement in conversation. We are in a time when this is the norm, and because of the comfort in knowing virtual conversation is always available, we fail to pursue face-to-face interactions. I find myself just as guilty of this as the next person; when I am walking around campus, to escape from the awkwardness of the being alone, I absentmindedly pull out my phone and text my friends, opposed to striking up a conversation with someone new. In failing to introduce myself to another person in the same awkward conundrum, I potentially lose the opportunity to begin a long lasting relationship. Losing the chance to make connections is just one of the downfalls of today's technology based world.
Think way back to the beginning of the semester when we had just begun to delve into "Rhetoric and Civic Life." We were met with terms such as shared enterprise and civic infrastructure, neither of which seemed particularly interesting to me personally. However, in chapter two one sentence in particular stuck out to me with a hint of relevance: "our flight from conversation can mean diminished chances to learn skills of self-reflection." From this sentence I began to recognize that the contemporary reliance on virtual communication is not only lazy, but essentially self-destructive. Being raised in a time when communication via the internet or phone is constantly available, I failed to accept the repercussions of primarily non face-to-face contact.
Conversation with another person, in a sense, also requires dialogue with oneself. In-person communication requires investment in what the other person has to say while simultaneously self-checking and developing responses: a complexity that virtual communication lacks. Without this extra level of complexity, conversations can only be so deep. In a society in which conversations remain and the surface level and do not require self reflection, I believe what the texts refers to as a "flight from conversation" is more of a "plunge."

oklaHOMEa

Where you come from is the foundation of who you are as a person; the people and surroundings blend to mold your character. From the southern charm, to the sweeping diversity offered by a college town, Stillwater, Oklahoma has allowed me to develop to whom I am meant to be. Here in State College, I have the unique opportunity to foster two occasionally contrasting cultures and further mold myself as I grow and learn in a new setting.

I plan to use my RCL blog to invite others to join me as I reflect on my eighteen years in Oklahoma. It seems that everyone I meet is from "just outside of Philly," or a similar location. I can promise that their preconceived idea of what Oklahoma is like is not reflected in most of my experiences, although I have to admit that I have encountered my share of stereotypical Oklahomans, including a kid who drove his giant tractor to school. In the short time that I have been here I have already been overwhelmed with the cultural variances and I am thrilled to delve into them and share what I have observed from an interesting point of view while I attempt to make Happy Valley my home.

Throughout the time that I am constructing my blog I plan to address numerous topics, primarily based off of the conversations that I have had since arriving in State College. I have noticed dramatic cultural differences, which I plan to discuss. Also, the simple, and occasionally surprising questions that people ask me, beginning with the most basic question: "where is Oklahoma?" which I believed I am asked far too frequently. Obviously, if people are unfamiliar with Oklahoma's location, then they certainly do not know what it has to offer. Being born and raised in Oklahoma has given me the opportunity to discover the eclectic hidden gems around the state. We do not have any big name tourist attractions to bring in floods of people, but through exploration I am familiar with many unique attractions back home, which I cannot wait to write about.

 The difference that 1223.85 miles can make is incredible, read my Passion Blog to find out how.