To
underline the significance of communication, it is said very often that
‘Communication is the first fatality in any conflict’. The idea behind this
statement brings about the positive role communication plays in resolving
conflicts very efficiently. The statement presents a clear observation which is
evident in many if not all the conflicts. Very often, Parties in conflict do
stop communicating. The positive force behind communication is considered so
pious that absence of communication is often related to the existence of a
dormant conflict. Thus, ‘communication is treated as a utilitarian device
employed in pursuit of resolution.’
However,
what is often glossed over is the part communication plays in introducing a
conflict. Communication is indeed an irreplaceable tool when it comes to
resolving a conflict but it would be naïve to believe that all communication
leads to resolution. As a matter of fact, communication not only resolves
conflicts but also acts a divisive force which may break relationships, ideas,
and institutions. Just as communication can act as a force for reconciliation,
it can also mislead people into believing in lies and falling for propaganda.
Which communication leads to what is very much dependent upon what and how
something has been communicated.
The
ubiquitous importance of communication in the conduct of human affairs is best
represented by the idea that “You cannot not communicate”. Interestingly, Communication is needed for a
conflict to become apparent. Innumerable conflicts may exist in the hearts and
minds of people. If it were not for communication, how is one supposed to know
about the existence of a conflict? It takes someone to communicate for someone
else to know about a conflict. Thus, communication
plays as important a role in causing a conflict as it does in its resolution.
To better
understand communication; it may be defined as the exchange of meaning.
Communication is not a one-time but an ongoing process. Symbols play a crucial
role in communication. All symbols denote something, they stand for something.
The existence of a conflict can be sensed because there are symbols that
indicate so. Symbols themselves are part of the larger culture of a society.
For example, if two individuals were to shout and scream at each other, they
will be interpreted as fighting with each other in most cultures. It is because
shouting and screaming as symbols are associated with animosity. All of us use
symbols and those symbols represent one or another meaning.
Evidently,
all symbols represent something but interestingly, all symbols also stand for innumerable
things that they do not represent. Humans are the ‘inventor of the negative’
(Burke). Furthermore, from the power of negative originated the capacity to
classify things. Classification has assisted humans to organize and arrange the
world around them in a ‘meaningful’ pattern. Often, classification is used to
separate one group from other. Mammals and Amphibians are two different groups
with their own definitive characteristics.
While classifying,
humans intend to handle large amounts of data and put certain tags on them. However,
this classification itself is not always accurate. Moreover, the propensity to introduce
classification brings in a certain degree of plasticity. Thus, while
classification organizes large data and information into groups, resulting into
easing up the process of handling such data, the problem of inaccuracy looms
large. Classification does leave a gap. The intermittent gaps in classification
are the result of generalization.
The manner
in which something or somebody is perceived is of much significance when it
comes to communication. Perception is not independent of the person receiving
it. Irrespective of what has been conveyed or said, the way a message has been
received depends a lot on the way it has been perceived. Thus, understanding
how perception affects communication can come handy in resolving a conflict.
Perception has a profound effect on communication which goes beyond mere
communication and affects decision-making process as well.
More
importantly, perceptions are not constructed in isolation. Everybody with a perception
about something has been affected by those around him/her. The collective force of the group surrounding
a person constantly affects the process of making of the perceptions. On one
hand, perception differentiates one group from another while on the other hand
it also helps tie bonds in interesting ways.
People
often resort to heuristics in order to compensate for the lack of information. With the lack of information, uncertainty
arises. Especially when a situation involves complex decision-making,
uncertainty pulls strings. In such circumstances, although, heuristics simplify
the situation and make the process of decision-making simpler, they do result
in to bad decisions sometimes. Often, Heuristics provide quick and correct
insights to make decisions, but there is always a possibility of being misled
looming around. Thus, bad decision-making yet again affect the process of
resolution adversely. ‘What people perceive is not necessarily objectively so,
nor is it even necessarily rational.’
A rather ‘negative’
and yet significant aspect of communication is ‘Propaganda’. There is rarely a
conflict in which one or both parties do not want to influence an audience and
peddle a favorable opinion. It is a mistake to believe that propaganda as a
tool is only used by states and other large entities. There is propaganda of
some sort around us all the time. Propaganda is a part of human life. ‘Publics
are created, in part, out of language and the process of classification.’
However,
Propaganda also has a positive side to it, which is often glossed over. For
example, a group of marginalized workers can use it to voice their concerns to
the management. In doing so, they can add larger numbers to their groups in
order to gain an upper hand on the negotiating table. Propagandists yet again
work on the principle of forming groups that may have not existed in the past.
Burton argued;
the origin of conflict lies in the needs that were not fulfilled. However,
language is the tool through which it may be conveyed whether those needs can
be catered to. Communication and language are at the centre of any negotiation,
reconciliation, or dispute resolution effort. Thus, the positive role
communication plays in resolving a conflict cannot be undermined. However, the
larger role that communication plays including acting as the origin of a
conflict cannot be diminished either. To conclude, ‘there can be no societal
conflict without communication, just as there can be no conflict societal
resolution of that conflict without communication.’
Comments