The Formula
Both Cuddy and Gee have perspectives on Discourse and its challenges of entry. I believe that one can can get into another Discourse without being in the primary Discourse through will itself. Gee believes that one can only be In the primary discourse but have secondary discourses that mimic the primary or resemble the primary Discourse, “one can fall back on one’s primary”(Gee 9). “Or one can use a simplified or stereotyped version of the required secondary Discourse,” Gee makes it clear that one can not go into another Discourse without still having their primary or in his case use a Discourse as a secondary over the underlying primary Discourse (Gee 9). Gee claims that primary Discourse is set in stone rest on the assumption that one will fall back on there primary Discourse. Where as Cuddy illustrates different view, “And so I want to say to you, don’t fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize,” meaning that one can get into a Discourse with largely by sheer will (15:36). I share Cuddy’s view that one can continue into a Discourse through sheer will where, but disagree with Gee view on Primary discourse. Cuddy makes it clear that will power is all one needs to move forward into a new Discourse.
I know will power can be used to overcome oneself and join into a Discourse therefore being a part of the discourse and its affiliations. Cuddy’s speech illustrates this well as Cuddy had to make herself into a Discourse through, “Faking it.” Cuddy says, “ One was that I realized, oh my gosh, I don’t feel like that anymore. I don’t feel that anymore, but she does, and I get that feeling,” making Cuddy known in her current Discourse(17:56). Cuddy illustrates that even though her current Discourse was not her primary through Cuddy’s will she created her own Discourse. Gee point to this a “mushfake,” or using one thing and elevating its use to something else (Gee 13). I believe in Cuddy’s will to enter a Discourse where Gee understands it as “mushfake.” I believe one characteristic of getting into a discourse is to having mushfake meaning that people are able to put there will together to move forward into the Discourse.
