Communication is an essential human activity allowing individuals to exchange information and express feelings and their physical, social, and personality needs. Moreover, people need to communicate to react to different problematic situations, participate in decision-making, and address conflicts. In this regard, persons should be aware of communication competence principles and possess specific interpersonal skills to lead successful negotiations and resolve various clashes and tangles. This paper aims at discussing how the song “Just Give Me A Reason” by Pink and Nate Ruess relates to interpersonal communication and its characteristics.
The song narrates a complicated relationship between two individuals who experience conflict and attempt to find a solution. Based on the voice and plot, the couple is acquainted closely and even desperately loves each other. The singer clearly shows that she is willing to negotiate, listen to, and forgive. Moreover, she firmly believes that this deterioration in intimate relationships is temporary and can be easily resolved via simple explanation and step from another side. The singer asks for help by saying, “Just give me a reason, just a little bit’s enough,” thereby indicating that she strives to reunite and forget all previous enmities and misunderstandings (P!NK, 2013, 0:50-0:54). Thus, interpersonal communication in the song is highly problematic, but some hope for recovery glimmers.
The song concerns several characteristics of communication competence, including self-awareness, empathy, ethics, and listening skills. In this respect, the author reveals strong self-monitoring since she observes her communication behavior and adjusts it to the situation, trying to resolve conflict calmly, without excessive tension and quarrels (McWorthy, 2016). The songstress confesses that she is a “willing victim” and that her beloved has remedied some of her weak features (P!NK, 2013, 0:15-0:28). She is also apparently empathetic to her intimate partner, putting herself in his place, seeing his sufferings, and trying to speak with understanding. In addition, the singer feels that the individual she talks to is also vulnerable and does not want to take advantage of him, which is ethical. Finally, she is open to listening to her intimate partner attentively and responsively.
It is also worth discussing conflict management styles, such as accommodating, avoiding, compromising, competing, collaborating. Based on the tone of voice and words, it is clear that the couple has chosen collaborating manner because they strive to listen, discuss, and make a collaborative effort to resolve their intimate conflict (Benoliel, 2017). They even do not try to achieve some compromise since firm alacrity to give their relationship a second chance is evident in their words. In this respect, the songstress states that “we’re not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again” (P!NK, 2013, 0:58-01:01). In this phrase, she also manifests a fervent hope for reconciliation and reunion. Finally, it is worth noting that singers do not display any sign of blaming each other, which points to the high skill of leading interpersonal communication. They do not quarrel, scold, or reproach one another, making listeners think that their tangle will have a successful outcome.
In conclusion, the paper has discussed how the song “Just Give Me A Reason” by Pink and Nate Ruess is connected with interpersonal communication and its characteristics. In particular, the song narrates a couple that experiences a complicated relationship tries to find a solution. The singer concerns the several principles of communication competence, including self-awareness, empathy, ethics, and listening skills. For example, she is empathetic to the intimate partner, trying to speak with understanding and respect. The collaborative style was adopted by the author because she strives to cooperate to address their misunderstanding and reach a new, higher quality level of relationships.
References
Benoliel, B. (2017). What’s Your Conflict Management Style? Web.
McWorthy, E. (2016). Communication Competence. Web.
P!NK. (2013). P!nk – Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess [Video file]. Web.