- Everyone has a certain identity which defines who they are. James Paul Gee describes these certain identities as a Discourse, he states, ““Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities and well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes,” (Gee 7). I agree with Gee’s definition of a Discourse, because in my sociology class we had learned about social groups and the different aspects of them and they relate to a Discourse.
- Gee thinks that it is nearly impossible to join a Discourse if you have not already at a young age. He states, ““you can’t be let into the game after missing the apprenticeship and be expected to have a fair shot at playing it,” (10). I disagree with Gee’s view that you can only join a Discourse early on in life because everyday, people leave and join different Discourses at all different ages.
- Cuddy has an opposite view than Gee, she believes that it is not that hard to get into something such as a Discourse. In her Ted Talk she states, “So when you feel more powerful, you’re more likely to do this, but it’s also possible that when you pretend to be powerful, you are more likely to actually feel powerful”. Cuddy is right that when you fake feeling powerful you do actually become more powerful, but she claims that you can just fake it until you make it, regarding you already inhibit part of the Discourse you are trying to enter and you are just lacking the confidence needed to fully be a part.
- One of Gee’s views actually is very similar to Cuddy’s, his view on ‘mushfake’ extends the same concept of ‘faking it until you make it’. Gee states that, “mushfake Discourse is possible” (13) and “Mushfake discourse means partial acquisition coupled with meta-knowledge and strategies to ‘make do,’” (13). I’m not really sure how I feel about Gee’s mushfaking claim because he is contradicting himself. Earlier in his article he states that it is nearly impossible to enter a Discourse later in life, but now he is saying that it is indeed possible.
