Group #4 Collab: Conner, Raegan, Austin, and Jake

A major concept in our class is how writing influences our life in different ways. We've always knows that writing can teach us through books and articles, but we've learned of the other ways that we were oblivious to realizing. We see writing all over the place in the form of social media, texting, and songs. They are unexpected ways that have influenced us without us really knowing that it was writing that did it. We see posts on social media that help us come up with ideas and ways we think we think writing is supposed to look. The way we text our friends no stop has developed a form of slang that we use to communicate faster. In songs we hear all these meaningful lyrics that can either make us feel good about our self, or influence us to go out and do bad things that the song makes us see as cool. We are all writers in the world today even if we aren't famous, without knowing it sometimes we all write our thoughts and ideas and that will in term let them be seen. 

A question we’ve been hearing a lot in class is “What is writing?”  Going into ENC 1101 the idea of writing was very black and white, but class has added another grey area to the mix.  The question what is writing was not just the question, but also the answer.  Writing is unique and up to the individual to understand and decipher.  Writing is not just a way of communication or vocalization, but it is also a way of self-understanding.   The answer to the question what is writing is the only thing in writing class I actually do not know how to put in words, I’ve been taught that the question and the passion put into writing deserves so much more than just a simple written answer.

Not only does writing give us the basic tools of the trade to communicate with each other. It binds us to a community and gives us an underlying purpose. Community deeply affects the way we interact with other human beings. Yes, your parents raise you, but I think we all know that our experiences and community is what really contributes to our upbringing the most. Writing is affected by this. We can see the differences in community in text sent from person to person now, from ancient times, and everything in between. If you look at writing in the correct way, and read between the lines if you will, you can get an insight on some astonishing things, and gain a gateway to what these people’s lives are like, and the community that they belong to.

Discourse was one of the first major concepts we talked about in class. The term has carried over into every lesson and story we have learned and now plays a vital role in how we understand writing. Discourse is what we use to identify ourselves, it is very similar to a community. A discourse is divided into two categories, primary and secondary. Primary is everything you have learned, all of the knowledge you gain from teachers giving lessons and studying for their exams. Secondary discourse is everything we acquire. This is what we learn subconsciously, like song lyrics for example. You are not trying to memorize them but after listening to it for a while you are able to sing along. You have acquired the lyrics.  Discourses can be created based on your beliefs, location, age and many other things. These discourses also affect how you see and relate to other things and people.