Barry Brummett, in his essay “Some Implications of ‘Process’
or ‘Intersubjectivity’: Postmodern Rhetoric,” brings up the idea of
contradictory truths. According to Brummett, “Conflicting truths arise when two
or more validating contexts have opposed meanings” (35). In other words, it is
possible for a person to believe in two contradicting ideas at the same time,
and both ideas can be considered to be true.
An example of contradictory truths that can be found in
recent popular culture exists on the television show Parks and Recreation. One of the main characters, Ron Swanson, is a
vocal libertarian, someone who supports the minimization of government, who also
happens to work for the local government. In fact, he’s the chief of the Parks
and Recreation department.
So how can Swanson be a staunch libertarian who doesn’t
believe government should even exist, yet still take pleasure in his job as a
government employee? As Brummett states, “This conflict is possible because the meanings
assigned to either pattern are generated by different validating contexts”
(35). In this case, while Swanson believes that he benefits from
small government, he also believes that helping out his fellow citizens is in the best interests of the greater good. Although
it can’t be seen in the clip I provided, in past episodes he has filled in
potholes and given money to a friend to go to college, along with various other
good deeds. This matches Brummett’s example of contradictory truths where people
are “torn between the desire to further the common welfare and the desire to
protect self-interests” (35).
Swanson’s contradictory truths are, according to Brummett,
brought about by different motivating factors: “Motivations for one context or
another are in a rhetorical opposition that presents the individual with a
choice” (35). Like with Swanson, people every day are confronted with different
motivations to make choices through rhetorical devices that, though in
opposition to each other, are both considered to be truths.
Awesome application of Brummett's conflicting truths! Despite Ron Swanson's claim that he is in local government so that he can ruin it from within, he is the epitome of someone that loves helping people, an ultimate goal of government entities.
ReplyDeleteThanks for an interesting (and humorous) connection, Alyssa! This reading makes more sense to me having read your application. Love this show!
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