The dialectics of Chat: Privilege, power and institutional racism

Abstract

The online Large Group promoted by the Group Analytic Society International in response to the Covid 19 lockdown, presented participants with the ‘Chat’ facility alongside the standard verbal communication. Chat rapidly became an alternative channel of communication and a forum for commentary, criticism and challenge to the primary spoken discourse of the group and became a home and a vehicle for disaffected and dissident voices, particularly those marginalized according to race, class and gender. Controversy has developed as various objections have been raised against Chat being allowed in GASi online Large Groups. In so far as Chat has become a place for marginalized and subaltern voices to speak and be ‘heard’, then closing it becomes a praxis of silencing and further institutionalizing racism, patriarchy and class oppression.

Commentary on Dick Blackwell’s paper on ‘The dialectics of Chat in online large groups’

“…A large group can sometimes feel like a stormy sea, too, and group members are also not on the same level. Instead, ‘differentials of power, entitlement, and influence’ need considering (Blackwell, 2023).…”

“…The effects of colonialism, class conflict, oppression, and negation are still palpable and real, also in the group analytic world today. Blackwell clearly spells it out that ‘our discourse should reflect aspects of the social unconscious in which we all participate in mainstream society’ and that our culture determines ‘the way we see the world’ (Blackwell, 2023).…”

“…The central argument of Dick Blackwell’s article is that ‘Chat is an arena for marginalized or subaltern voices’ (Blackwell, 2023) and he continues with illuminating the importance of finding one’s voice in large groups:To have a voice is to have a vote . .…”

“…I am delighted to see Dick Blackwell’s article (Blackwell, 2023) materialize after three years of experimenting with and arguing about the Chat facility in online large groups. The group analytic community has been tremendously challenged by the COVID 19 pandemic.…”

“…Chat can be seen as part of the social unconscious , as counter-culture or opposing party, as anti-thesis and element of the dialectic of thesis, anti-thesis, and synthesis, as a liberated zone or free press, as a transitional or play space . I also embrace ‘Chat as an exciting new development that raises a variety of new possibilities’ (Blackwell, 2023). Me being in the category of ‘radicals’ or pro-Chat possibly makes it easier to comment on this article, but I would like to hear and understand the ‘conservative’ view, the wish to protect tradition, boundaries, to prevent splitting, and possibly more.…”