The Argument Culture Deborah Tannen Summary
Jessica Warren
Professor Holly Foster
English 111-09H
June 13, 2014
Arguing: An Always Present Force
Dr. Tannen is a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. Her study of language and how it is utilized has led her to have many books on the “Best-Selling” List. In her book, “The Argument Culture”, Deborah Tannen takes a closer look at how we as a society have come to view arguing/debating as a normal form of communication. Our inability to look at more than two views at a time, has led us to limit the potential conversations that could easily take place. In this essay, Professor Tannen takes a shot at making us believe that being in an “Argument-culture” is not the best thing for us as a whole. She wants us to see that it is truly a problem but that it can be fixed by following her advice. Tannen feels that everything …show more content…
Debate. Listening to both sides. Who could question these noble American traditions?” (Reid, 2014) The following example support how she would come up with that “reasoning” we feel as to why we argue. A few examples to help clarify what I mean by things being instrumental are as follows. My first example is of that our founding fathers argued about the Declaration of Independence for over a month before the final draft was written and signed. Second would be how Lincoln and Douglas argued over slavery and whether or not slaves should have the same freedoms as the white man. One example that never seems to dissipate would be that of the argument of how the world was made (religion vs. science) has been going on for years. Without these many arguments that have taken place over the years, the world in which we live would be extremely different. Tanner points out that being in this argument culture helps to mold us in to who we will be and who we are. She stated that “the argument culture shapes who we are”. (Reid, 2014) Who knows what type of world we would be living in had those arguments not taken
Professor Holly Foster
English 111-09H
June 13, 2014
Arguing: An Always Present Force
Dr. Tannen is a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. Her study of language and how it is utilized has led her to have many books on the “Best-Selling” List. In her book, “The Argument Culture”, Deborah Tannen takes a closer look at how we as a society have come to view arguing/debating as a normal form of communication. Our inability to look at more than two views at a time, has led us to limit the potential conversations that could easily take place. In this essay, Professor Tannen takes a shot at making us believe that being in an “Argument-culture” is not the best thing for us as a whole. She wants us to see that it is truly a problem but that it can be fixed by following her advice. Tannen feels that everything …show more content…
Debate. Listening to both sides. Who could question these noble American traditions?” (Reid, 2014) The following example support how she would come up with that “reasoning” we feel as to why we argue. A few examples to help clarify what I mean by things being instrumental are as follows. My first example is of that our founding fathers argued about the Declaration of Independence for over a month before the final draft was written and signed. Second would be how Lincoln and Douglas argued over slavery and whether or not slaves should have the same freedoms as the white man. One example that never seems to dissipate would be that of the argument of how the world was made (religion vs. science) has been going on for years. Without these many arguments that have taken place over the years, the world in which we live would be extremely different. Tanner points out that being in this argument culture helps to mold us in to who we will be and who we are. She stated that “the argument culture shapes who we are”. (Reid, 2014) Who knows what type of world we would be living in had those arguments not taken