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Language-games
Language is a way to communicate thoughts, feelings, emotions and convictions, so that exchange with others can be realised more accurate. This process can lead to
funny moments if you succeed in recognizing underlying motives.
For example, a few years ago I was talking to a friend who told me that I was in denial about something sensitive. My reaction was rather
rigorous because I said in a loud manner: "I am not denying anything!". A second later we both had a burst of laughter, because I had just made the biggest denial possible. It was also a denial that temporarily made it
possible for me not to discuss anything with respect to the content.
An other example is a situation that happened at work. The chief of my department made a decision, but after some time this decision turned out to
be wrong. He than changed the decision, while the situation was the same (structurally). As language-game he said smilingly: "Well, this change of course was just a matter of advanced insight". This was a funny way
to phrase the change as 'Right, I have revised my decision, but I have also acquired more knowledge', without emphasizing the fact the first decision was not so smart. Of course real advance could be a possibility.
These examples show that communication always reveals the content of the conversation as well as the way two people are related to each other. Suppose that a woman says to her husband: "I want you to take me
seriously". The content of this phrase is clear. But the manner of her speaking reveals much more. Check the way you think how they are related to each other when she phrases this sentence:
Smilingly and softly
Irrated and yelling, while clenching her fists
This example show how human communication always reveals, besides the content, at least one of following aspects: the way in which the speaker approaches oneself,
the other or their relation. I just want to make you aware of your own communication and the feedback you receive. It is possible arguing hours, while the argue isn't what it is about. First, the relation must be
defined.
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