Speech Comm

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

301--family and the sanctity of the sperm

OK, gang. We've talked about our biological families, and we've talked about families in general, along with the problems that face them. I would like you to be aware that where I'm from, people sometimes shun the sanctity of the sperm and the egg...they cast off all biological ties and create their own family. People latch on to others, that's human nature.

Life can be very hard. Without some kind of family structure, people do not thrive.

Why do we need other people? Why are we not solitary creatures? What does it say about this drive that we will dismiss our bloodlines and pick up on people who offer something we need? And most importantly, how do we communicate this? Is it verbal? Physical? Textual or understood, or perhaps chemical?

Discuss.

Comments

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Explain to the class ego-focused E, for those who didn't do the reading.

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Ego comes from the Greek, meaning "I"

Ego-focused is used to describe a kindred, meaning that each individual is in the center of his or her own set of relatives.

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Relatives implies blood family. How does it work in socially created families...chosen groups?

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

It depends on the type of group. A large group, for example, the Democratic party, is focused predominantly around the presidential candidate. Obviously, he doesn't know everyone involved personally, but the reason that this group has gathered together, or even just perephally involved, is to get him elected.

But then you have a smaller scale, like, say, my dorm-mates and me. We all know one another, and the relationship isn't all based on solely one person.

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Right. The candidate is the dominant force in that particular example...and extrapolating, most large groups have a central figure.

And in the dorm group you mention...is someone dominant?

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

*thinks*

Jack tries to be, but it doesn't really work so well because it doesn't say Colonel on his uniform anymore. I wouldn't say any of us our particularly dominant

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

[Looks over at O'Neill] Why am I not surprised? So do you feel that you'r a more communal family group, rather than one with a dominant patriarch or matriarch figure?

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

We're a very incestous family group

*nods* Definitely more communal; we'll defer to each other on his or hers particular expertise, like if Janet told us to go to the clinc we'd probably listen to her.

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

I see. Often, that relationship is common when people come together as an ethnos [points to the board], everyone has a special talent the others value, and in given situations, each has their turn at dominance. It's quite Utopian, do you agree?

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Yes, ma'am. It doesn't always work, but we do try.