speech

Regularly, I am reminded of my socioeconomic status, often through subtle cues in conversation with people much wealthier than myself. However, I am aware that I am not alone in this phenomenon, as there is a dedicated theory behind this type of conversation exchange. The muted group theory, which claims that society’s dominant and privileged ones develop language. According to Wretch in his book Interpersonal Communication A Mindful Approach to Communication (2020) the muted group theory changes the perception of reality on the dominant group, while the muted group sees things more clearly. Being mindful of the stress between the two groups is essential for communication. The muted group theory is a severe issue in communication because it changes the perception of one's reality, creating tension between people as exemplified by its appearance in society through the Black Lives Matter Movement and the movie Legally Blonde, as well as its evidence in my own life.

The muted group theory states that marginalized factions are more constrained in conversation since they must speak the language of the dominant group. As Wretch (2020) explains this theory was initially established to clarify the way people, especially women and men, communicate. The theory reveals that man-made communication is literally “man”-made. This theory claims that it is harder for the marginalized groups, like women, to express themselves, and in turn, this plays a role in the perception in the reality of those involved. The dominant group has a perception of reality that is accepted as truth. In contrast, the subservient group is believed to have a fanciful perception of reality. Yet Wretch (2020) explains it is genuinely the muted group who has an accurate view on reality, while the governing group cannot or chooses not to comprehend the real world based on their contrasting positions. An example of the muted group theory does not have to be gender focused. For instance, this theory can also apply to different socioeconomic groups. In an economic stance, the dominant group would be the wealthy of society, and the muted group would be the less privileged. A wealthy person cannot comprehend the oppressed group’s reality, as they can easily afford needs and wants, and are cushioned from the financial devastation of emergencies. Meanwhile, someone who has struggled financially for any period has an entirely different perspective. These opposing viewpoints and mindsets cause an issue in communication, resulting in a distorted view; thus, communication tension arises. We see this theory in action in the real world today.

The issues in muted group theory are prevalent in the real world as shown through the tensions with the Black Lives Matter Movement, and popular movies such as Legally Blonde. The Black lives Matter movement is a demand for acknowledgement of the racial inequality facing our nation today, and a plea for action for the lives lost due to police brutality. In this example the Movement is the muted group and the dominant group is the oppressive police force as well as those who are against Black Lives Matter. The opposing forces are not hearing the Movement because those in dominance, such as police officers and non-minority groups, do not believe nor see the racial inequality in our judicial system. The reason for this is because they never have experienced racially charged police brutality first hand, which causes an issue of miscommunication and misunderstandings. Tension arises between both parties as the dominant force continues to misunderstand and nothing is resolved. Another example of problems arising with the muted group theory in our lives is through media such as the movie Legally Blonde. Legally Blonde is a movie where a young blonde sorority woman, Elle Woods, decides to go to law school. Conflicts arise when she arrives at Harvard and is not taken seriously because of her preppy demeanor. To gain acceptance into the dominant group, and therefore the society of Harvard, she is forced to adapt how she communicates and presents herself to others. In this scenario, Elle represents the muted group. Meanwhile, her peers illustrate the dominant group because they set and enforce communication standards, forcing Elle to adapt to survive. Thus, the Black Lives Matter Movement and Legally Blonde reflect the struggle and strain amongst the dominant and muted group within the real world in their own ways.

Through my personal experiences with my peers, the muted group theory has been evident in my own life. I recall as a teenager getting my license and having no car. My friends at the time would frequently ask “Why can’t your parents get you a car? Why haven’t you gotten one yet?” They could not understand why I was car-less. The reality was that a vehicle and all the associated costs of fuel, maintenance, and insurance were beyond my family’s means. My friends came from wealthier families than I did, and could take being handed a car for granted. In this example I am the muted group, and my friends were the dominant group. They set up the language in our conversation and I had to adapt to it. They could not comprehend my reality. Another example of muted theory in my own life is whenever I meet new people at social gatherings, traveling invariably comes up. Once I reveal I cannot afford a getaway, I get responses such as “You must go here- it’s amazing why can’t you afford it? Ask your parents for the money it will be worth it” These people mean well, but they would be considered the dominant group and I the muted group in this example. The reason for this is because I would feel subservient to my peer as I could not afford the vacations they could, and in turn, they were unable to see the reality of life for a minimum wage employee. Examples of interactions with my peers shows how evident the muted group theory is within my own life.

Through examples in everything from mainstream films like Legally Blonde, to more serious issues like the Black Lives Matter Movement, there is ample evidence of how the muted group theory reveals blind spots in one’s perspective. Studying this theory has allowed me to see evidence of how it affects me as well. Becoming mindful of this theory in our lives is imperative to our communication, so we can check our personal privileges to be respectful of others’ perspectives and experiences.

Reference:

Wretch. J.S, Punyanunt- Carter. N.M., Thweatt, K.S (2020) Interpersonal Communication: A

Mindful Approach