(Zuckerman, 2011)
The first chapter of the textbook introduces us to the elements of interpersonal communication as well as debunking a few common myths about it. The first season of American Horror Story features an unfaithful husband and a wife in mourning after a miscarriage. It's inevitable that interpersonal communication would come into play.
One of the myths debunked in the chapter has to do with the fact that more communication is not always better. "When people have genuine disagreements, more talk doesn't always help. In some cases, increasing communication can just lead to frustration and anger" (Floyd, 2011, p. 21). This is very much the case with Vivien and Ben Harmon.
In the first episode of the first season, it is revealed early on that Vivien has recently had a miscarriage. Ben, in his own way of mourning, has started (and been caught in) an affair with one of his students. As a result of the loss of her unborn child and the discovery of her cheating husband, Vivien finds herself unable to be intimate with Ben. In one of the scenes, Vivien again resists Ben's sexual advances, and Ben is upset. He reminds her that he lost a child too and argues that Vivien got a dog instead of relying on him. Vivien doesn't see their grief as equal and finds it ridiculous that Ben seems to be jealous of a dog (Murphy & Falchuk, 2011).
One of the myths debunked in the chapter has to do with the fact that more communication is not always better. "When people have genuine disagreements, more talk doesn't always help. In some cases, increasing communication can just lead to frustration and anger" (Floyd, 2011, p. 21). This is very much the case with Vivien and Ben Harmon.
In the first episode of the first season, it is revealed early on that Vivien has recently had a miscarriage. Ben, in his own way of mourning, has started (and been caught in) an affair with one of his students. As a result of the loss of her unborn child and the discovery of her cheating husband, Vivien finds herself unable to be intimate with Ben. In one of the scenes, Vivien again resists Ben's sexual advances, and Ben is upset. He reminds her that he lost a child too and argues that Vivien got a dog instead of relying on him. Vivien doesn't see their grief as equal and finds it ridiculous that Ben seems to be jealous of a dog (Murphy & Falchuk, 2011).
Once Ben reveals this side of his logic, Vivien simply becomes more frustrated. Increasing his communication doesn't help his case in any way. In fact, it likely makes it worse because it's such a ridiculous excuse for seeking affection from someone else.
Another myth debunked in the chapter has to do with the fact that communication does not have the ability to solve every single problem. "It's easy to blame a lack of communication when things go wrong. The fact is, however, that poor communication isn't the cause of every problem" (Floyd, 2011, p. 19).
In the same scene, both characters express their sides of the story, but talking about it is just not enough. It doesn't matter how Ben explains why he did it; it will not change the fact that he cheated. Regardless of how justified Ben thinks his actions were, Vivien will not excuse them based solely on what he has communicated to her.
Another myth debunked in the chapter has to do with the fact that communication does not have the ability to solve every single problem. "It's easy to blame a lack of communication when things go wrong. The fact is, however, that poor communication isn't the cause of every problem" (Floyd, 2011, p. 19).
In the same scene, both characters express their sides of the story, but talking about it is just not enough. It doesn't matter how Ben explains why he did it; it will not change the fact that he cheated. Regardless of how justified Ben thinks his actions were, Vivien will not excuse them based solely on what he has communicated to her.