Interpersonal Communication

When examining the importance of interpersonal communication and what makes interpersonal communication work, the authors point out the main aspect that needs to be remembered and stressed. They state, "[t]he key to interpersonal communication ethics lies within the answer to this question: 'Do given persons work to honor a relationship, whatever the consequences?'" (131). This is an important question as sometimes conversations get too intense or heated and people lose sight of the fact that there needs to be a mutual respect to have any sort of meaningful and/or productive dialogue. We have discussed in class how when a dialogue takes place different people bring different backgrounds, and therefore different goods to the table. This relates directly to the quote above as the emphasis is on the ethics of the conversation, not necessarily the content.

I know that sometimes I have discussions with my family and we have differing views on certain issues. I very much enjoy having conversations about these topics and sometimes they get pretty intense. However lively and heated these dialogues get, I know that I always come to the table with respect for their opinions and they do the same. If we lacked that respect, the conversations would stray from being productive and learning about other views, and would creep into the territory of being too harsh and in the end, pointless. I know that my relationship with each member of my family is so important that it would not be worth using poor interpersonal ethics to disrespect our relationships.

Also within the realm of my own family discussions and the different views we hold is the notion of distance. the authors assert that distance within interpersonal communication "is the ontological home of a particular relationship that is nurtured and permitted to change naturally" (124). They argue with the idea of distance that people are allowed to change naturally, as stated, but also that with distance, one does not try and change the other. While having conversations with my family my aim is not to change who my dad is or who my sister is. They may express their views in a way that changes how I believe but they do not attempt to change who I am as a person and within our relationship. That illustrates the importance of distance in this context. With the respect we all hold for each other we can allow one another to be who we are.