Purpose
I've never been confronted with the marginalization of my voice. I am a white, cisgender man from a middle class family attending a private university. Based on these privileges, writing on race makes me anxious at times when I have not experienced forms of voicelessness. I will never come close to understanding the nuances and complexities of the experiences of those who have experienced voicelessness or marginalization in some capacity.
One of the purposes of this project is to take ourselves out of our privilege and empathetically and critically understand the lives of others. I'd argue that in my position of privilege I have an ample voice to speak to those who share my privileges on issues we both equally have not experienced. Having an awareness of this privilege means I should recognize the space I occupy as well as those who rarely have the same platforms I do.
I write this because during my time at Elon I have been viscerally confronted with the ideas of marginalization and privilege. Through my class on African American Literature and my involvement with the Whitewashing discussions on campus, I have been challenged to step back and really acknowledge the privileges. This is not to say that the website will be speaking for those who have had their voices marginalized, but I hope to write as an ally and someone who wants to challenge those skeptical to really consider their privileges.
Process
CChristian Kowalski is a Junior majoring in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. His hobbies include exceeding the expectations of his professors and enjoying bagels after a long semester.
About the Author
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One of the distinctions that can be made of what separates rhetoric from communication is adaptability. Rhetorical discourse is different than traditional communication. During my invention and thought process, the one major consideration I consistently keep aware of is audience. We’ve discussed in class the significance of rhetorical velocity but it’s equally important to consider the audience at face value beyond assumed reactions. Based on the works we’ve explored in class, one argument I find important in my creative process is that “rhetoric is adapted to an audience” (Herrick 8).
What that section of rhetoric teaches me is the importance of awareness. The subject material I’ve decided to write about requires a very fine balance so as to not come across as preachy. “Whitesplaining” is another cultural term that comes up when white men or women write about race. Based on this cultural context, I have to navigate a fine line between my privilege and the narratives of the people I’m writing about. The position I’m in, as someone who hasn’t shared in these experiences, requires me to report more as a journalist than anything else. Lacking the pathos to really register with my audience on these issues, I must depend on my ability to adapt to the audience.
Understanding an audience requires patience and thorough reflection. One has to take into consideration many variables based on the form and content chosen for the product. In the context of my work, the audience shouldn’t be as broad as “Elon students”. Rather, I need to break down this body of students more in terms of race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc. Having considered the audience in every possible way can I feel equipped to produce a project that meets expectations.
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This project has also challenged me to consider the importance of rhetorical velocity. Privilege is a very controversial subject right now making my website an attractive hub for parties on either side of the spectrum. What this understanding of velocity does is better prepare myself for audience responses. Not only was I taking in the present issues of the writing in the context of the project but also the future ones. It provides an effective plan of action against behavior that aims to shut down your creativity or behavior.