“Just waiting for you to talk so that
I can” – John Grant
Discussion, so it is said, is of key
importance to the academic life. The debate, the flow of ideas, comparison and
critique, amongst your peers, is the primary signifier of academia’s
importance. Why then do so many academics sit through seminars with the single
goal of waiting until they can talk themselves? Comments, less than the
constructive development of ideas, are packing crates on which to stand and air
one’s own agenda, ideas or approaches. This steering of discussion is not
always done with malice: Often people are blinded by the narrative of their own
publications and institutional years in defence of arguments. The ability to
accept new approaches, or even opinions on old subjects, has been whittled down
by the pugilistic stance that they themselves continue in seminars. Others are
simply too tied up with their own egotistically driven focus to tear their
minds away. At times such focus becomes so blinkered it is as if any divergence
of thought away from their own interests would lead to feelings of insecurity that
they normally equate to those who remain quiet.
All is not lost for the discussant.
With careful balance of whit and respectful play to ego, the speaker can gain
valuable reassurance that they have either covered the ground for critical
responses, or at least have had their work reflected in the eye of someone else’s
agenda: these can lead to valuable changes in perspective. The speaker’s
expectation regarding the listeners is unlikely one of engagement with their
topic, unless it suitably matches the schedule of those present: in which case
the seminar is mere campaigning to those who are already signed-up. Rarely do
you find the academic who sits and wonders ‘what is the speaker trying to say?’
- Instead they insist on focusing on correction: ‘What should they be saying?’. The performance of presenting amongst your
peers requires skill in story telling: make sure that they sit comfortably,
buff their ego cushions and speak softly; grasp their attention with something
agreeable and lead them down the road of acceptability towards your slightly
shocking, but now obvious, conclusion. Engagement is the key, will they ask
questions that imply they have listened, will they want to clarify some aspects
that appear vague or will their steel hard cage of academic institutional life
keep the speakers own approach from truly being heard?
In this industry of knowledge manufacture
and understanding there needs to be a greater focus on the power of iteration
and failure. Standardised events for the display of framed arguments are
illusions, hiding the real process that leads to the development of ideas. Within
such power centred arenas the loudest voice is often the status quo and the new
challenging developments can often be silenced with effort. Ideas, theories, approaches
and methods all require a driving force to take them from inception to
development and application. All great work requires commitment and defence for
‘there is no such thing as an immaculate conception’[1];
but when this industry is driven by the systemic defence of such
psychologically embedded projects, how do you remain committed to one idea,
without being in some way closed to new ones.
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