How to Reform our Language? Meaning Behind our Communication, Power of Language, Awareness around Inappropriate Jokes By: Poran Poregbal

Sigmund Freud Freud in “Jokes and their Relations to the Unconscious” (1963): “A jokes is a judgment which produces a comic contrast” “Relation to the object of the joke is the concealed ugliness of the world of thoughts:

Purpose of the Jokes Tendentious: amdi, gerayesh dar Tendentious: amdi, gerayesh dar Non-tendentious: baraye khandeh Non-tendentious: baraye khandeh Jokes as a social process Jokes as a social process Jokes as a neurotic illness Jokes as a neurotic illness The relation of jokes to dream and to the unconscious The relation of jokes to dream and to the unconscious Social context Social context

Jokes according to Freud A contrast of ideas A contrast of ideas Sense of nonsense Sense of nonsense Meaninglessness of the words Meaninglessness of the words Look at the differences rather than similarities Look at the differences rather than similarities Playing with ideas Playing with ideas Insulting and wounding purposes Insulting and wounding purposes

Hidden Meanings Need for Awareness around the Power of Language, Inappropriate Jokes, and our Way of Communicating; Away from bias, disrespect, and bullying Need for Awareness around the Power of Language, Inappropriate Jokes, and our Way of Communicating; Away from bias, disrespect, and bullying Words to be explored: Words to be explored: Power, Language, Joke, Communication, Bias, Disrespect, Bullying

Language to unite us We should reform the language to include everyone We should reform the language to include everyone We have a choice of using the language respectful We have a choice of using the language respectful

Loss of Power What kind of power do we have when joking about serious things What kind of power do we have when joking about serious things Power comes from: Power comes from: Status, social class, gender, religion, language use, way of conveying message to others, …… What do we say in that situation? What do we say in that situation?

Language Communication Communication Showing emotions Showing emotions Describing incidents Describing incidents Telling things Telling things Facts- behaviors-thoughts Facts- behaviors-thoughts Ideological and political meaning Ideological and political meaning Connecting people Connecting people Physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional discourses Physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional discourses

What do we Talk about? Ethical issues in language use : Offensive, defensive, submissive, demanding, threatening, & responsive Use of empathy, use of taaroof, use of labels, use of names…… Use of empathy, use of taaroof, use of labels, use of names…… Greetings, how are you doing? Greetings, how are you doing?

Joke Should be fun, yet respectful Should be fun, yet respectful Should bring laughter, not pain Should bring laughter, not pain Should create connection not disconnection Should create connection not disconnection Should be general, not specific Should be general, not specific No specific ethnicity No specific ethnicity Someone from …… Someone from ……

Communication Styles Assertive : I messages….. self-confident, self-confident, clear message, clear message, eye contact, eye contact, good tone, good tone, respectful, respectful, fluent talk, fluent talk, firm gestures firm gestures

Communication Styles Passive Style: Non-assertive, Non-assertive, Denying or giving away our own rights Denying or giving away our own rights Avoiding conflicts by accommodating others Avoiding conflicts by accommodating others Being submissive or timid Being submissive or timid Down cast eyes Down cast eyes Soft voice Soft voice Hesitation in words Hesitation in words Helpless gestures Helpless gestures

Communication Styles Aggressive Style Defending self Defending self Violating other’s rights Violating other’s rights Ignoring other’s feelings Ignoring other’s feelings Demanding Demanding Loud, yelling voice Loud, yelling voice Emphasizing “you” Emphasizing “you” Pointing finger at partner Pointing finger at partner

Bias; Taasoob My point of view only My point of view only I know the truth I know the truth My group of people are better My group of people are better Rich people can decide Rich people can decide Only our home country Only our home country My language only My language only One political party One political party No one else but me and my ideology No one else but me and my ideology

Disrespect Not respecting: not accepting Not respecting: not accepting What is respect then? Accepting others Accepting others Trusting others Trusting others Valuing others Valuing others Doing things collaboratively Doing things collaboratively Asking opinion Asking opinion

Bullying= Tamaskor, azyat kardan The act of harming others by making fun of them, assaulting them, or harassing others The act of harming others by making fun of them, assaulting them, or harassing others Harassment can be verbal, physical, and emotional Harassment can be verbal, physical, and emotional Abuser who posses more physical or social power dominance the victim Abuser who posses more physical or social power dominance the victim Dehumanizing and belittling others Dehumanizing and belittling others In schools, workplaces, between nations, around the word issue In schools, workplaces, between nations, around the word issue

What can we do? Raise awareness Raise awareness Talk to your community Talk to your community Think of your own way of communication Think of your own way of communication What do we really want to say with jokes? What do we really want to say with jokes? We can have fun with proper use of language We can have fun with proper use of language

A joke! Patient: I am healed, I am cured, l have written a book about horse Patient: I am healed, I am cured, l have written a book about horse Doctor: oh, that is nice, what book is that? Doctor: oh, that is nice, what book is that? Patient: here it is Patient: here it is Doctor opens the book to see 400 pages of piticu, piticu, piticu………. Doctor opens the book to see 400 pages of piticu, piticu, piticu……….