Communication is not always straightforward, EDUC 6165-6

For this assignment, again consider what you have been learning about communication skills and styles. Then record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off.

I chose to watch a show called "The Big Bang Theory."  My in laws love this show and talk about it a lot.  Frankly my life commitments right now do not luxury the capabilities of watching much television and I've never watched this so I thought I would double duo this project and see if I could connect with them along the journey.

I was so confused on what was happening throughout the entire episode.  I felt more lost than when I travel to other countries and don't speak their language because at least live in person I can hear the tone of their voice and laughter or hurt or pain.  I gathered that one person left to another location as he called in through video chatting a number of times.  One girl seemed really excited each time a video chat would come in, is this his girlfriend?  Who knows, I have no sound!!!!  I think it's Christmas because they're decorating a Christmas tree.  The person that left, did he go to a distant place?  The others, I think they are his friends as they are all the same age and appear to be similar in style of clothing (nerdy t-shirts and other non-trendy clothing items).  In some phone calls, the friends seem like they are excited and other phone calls the friends seem like they are annoyed.  There is also a lot of flash backs that include everyone except this guy at the hospital. 

NOW AFTER WATCHING THE SHOW WITH THE SOUND ON

Do I ever feel silly!  So it was a guy having to be at his sister's home as she was giving birth and her husband was in a motorcycle accident so he couldn't be there to help so this Sheldon guy has to be there to help deliver the baby.  Does this guy have major social skill problems?  He seems to have no feelings towards others or events that occur.

My assumptions about the characters were half and half.  They were friends and these flashbacks were images of them if this guy "Sheldon" were not in their lives.  I guess evaluating how much love and joy he has brought into their lives despite his crazy behaviors.  If I was able to watch a show I knew well without the sound, of course I would have made better assumptions as to the dialogue and the context behind each scene.  Anytime we know a person or group of people (or in this case know the characters) we make a better judgment on what their conversations might be about.  Although I'm sure we've all been wrong a time or two thinking we knew what another was saying or thinking!

Attempting to make an assumption as to what a person is saying, feeling, or thinking is really a hard task to make, especially when you don't know anything about them.  Within my professional life, I don't ever make these assumptions.  It is far better to not know sometimes what others are thinking than to desire to know and make an attempt in finding out or worse going off of body language. 

Within my personal life, of course I think I always know what my husband is thinking, wanting to do, or etc.  It's always funny when we talk about it and if I'm wrong, I would blame him on lying in an attempt to make me look like I don't know him.  (I truly hope this isn't just in my marriage).

(Adapted from O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 154)

The Big Bang Theory, "The Cooper Extraction" 7th season 11th episode