Analysis of the Concept of Discourse Community: Reflection on My Discourse Community

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Suits and Ties

Studying the habits of human beings, theorists have proposed different ways in which humans interact with one another. Humans associate with people through similar passions, interests, backgrounds, or beliefs. I currently want to pursue a career as a financial analyst. A financial analyst is someone that helps prevent financial risks for large enterprises and companies. So in this essay, I will explain why I want to become a financial analyst.

But what is a discourse community? A discourse community is a group of individuals who cluster together based on a common interest, passion, or ideology. John set forth a model diagram in “The Concept of Discourse Community” that outlined six characteriscs required of a discourse community. The six characters are: there must be a set of common goals, use mechanisms for intercommunication among members, have information and feedback engagement, utilize different genres of communication, specific jargon unique to the community, and there must be a flow of new members with relevant expertise into the community (472-473). The first characteristic is essentially the purpose of the group. Since a band of individuals are coming together, they must have common interests and a sort of goal they all work towards. This does not mean that they have to work on it the same way or together, but they share the same end goal. The second and fourth points are intertwined, since communication among members of a group paves the way for genres to form. A genre is a method of communication within a discourse community. The third point is essential for keeping the group updated and performing at its best. When there is communication, the clashing of opinions is inevitable, and this is encouraged in discourse communities as feedback engagement. Moreover, the jargon unique to the community make up the shared language that is indecipherable outsiders, which require new members to possess background knowledge of the field. Lastly, the flow of new members must surpass a certain threshold that is needed to keep the group active. This is the case for families, clubs, and classrooms; all circles that people encounter in their lifetime. A career is arguably one of the biggest and most important discourse communities. On average, people in America spend over half their life working. With jobs taking up such a huge portion of everyone’s lives, it is important to diagnose and reflect on a career choice.

My discourse community is a subcategory within the business and corporate field; my personal role within this community is being a financial analyst. This specific community has many overlapping qualities with the business and professional industry. Specifically, my focus specializes with analyze large sums of data and provide suggestions for businesses or individuals. This field is accurately depictive of a discourse community because it meets the six characteristics. Like all discourse communities, this community has a set of common goals and aims, the main one being to. Analysts have one job to do: organize and assess data. Whether they work at a bank or for a large corporate office, analysts will be working with numbers on finance. My discourse community inter communicates with each other and other larger communities to effectively do their job through email, presentations, legal documents, telephone calls, and meetings. Communication is critical to for keeping an organization running. Mistakes can cause catastrophic effects, ranging from loss of large sums of potential money to bankruptcy. It is essential to be able to communicate effectively so businesses or individuals can take in more opportunities. Through the many genres, the analysts receive information on the status of the business, which then is processed and evaluated in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Analysts also communicate with one another, exchanging ideas on the optimal method of approaching situations. Further, they give and receive constructive feedback to one another through constructive criticism and professional advice. It may come off as rude, but it’s simply because people in this industry are more blunt. As the business field is always fast-paced and cutthroat, it is crucial for analysts to stay up to date on data by researching and sorting through papers. Communication is filled with jargons that are widely known to the public. Such lexis include equity, balance, debt, interest, credit, loans, investments, and more. the professionals in the business field are the ones who truly understand the concepts and apply them the most effectively. Lastly, the business field includes experienced analysts, with much higher ranking positions, along with newer members in training such as interns. Since it is usually based off hierarchical structure, the older someone is they will usually be a lot more experienced; thus, they will be up higher on the chain. The business field is often structured so with time, people from lower ranks climb the ladder and gain a better position in the corporate world. This mixture of new and experienced members helps the business community keep a constant flow of progressing generations. This community appealed to me in many ways that can be explained through a series of events in my life.

To be a successful financial analyst, it is critical to embody the traits of determination and diligence. Being hardworking and going above and beyond is the only way to survive the rigorous and brutal environment. To get through this obstacle, one must put in the time and effort to master the tactics in becoming a skillful analyst who can make the best judgements for clients. I am fully committed to make it through the demands of this onerous career. Financial analysts need to remain vigilant about gathering information on the macroeconomy, as well as information about specific companies and the fundamental microeconomics of their balance sheets. Analysts will be given new data sheets to analyze every day or so. To do well, you must stay on top of the work. Analysts also frequently attend conferences with colleagues who share the same specialty as they do. When in the office, analysts learn to be proficient with spreadsheets, relational databases, and statistical and graphics packages in order to develop recommendations for senior management and to produce detailed presentations and financial reports that include forecasting, cost-benefit analysis, trending,results, and analysis. Analysts also interpret financial transactions and must verify documents for their compliance with government regulations.

One artifact that is essential in my field is Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel is a core software program in any professional work environment. This software program allows the user to sort and manage data in a concise and organized manner.The data that is put into this program can generate trends, track trends, find anomalies and other parts of the business. An artifact that works perfectly in hand with Excel is PowerPoint. THese two programs are by far the most important. Powerpoint is needed for all meetings.. Powerpoitns deliver the message an analyst wants to get across. In these meetings, the analysts will present data and this could affect consequential actions afterwards.

Conflict in my discourse community can be because of a fight for a higher status. Since it is largely in a corporate setting, many individuals are seeking to advance themselves in the structure. The higher you go, the more money and benefits you gain. This means that everyone is in for themselves; thus, it creates a cut throat environment that does not allow for mistakes or slip ups.

I originally sought out to be a dentist. Dentists were well respected, decently paid, and was pushed for by my parents. Currently, I am taking Chemistry 1A. It’s a living hell for me. I am stuck in class for over 4 hours. At the end of the first week of class, I was exhausted and found myself hating the class. But I didn’t give up the dream just yet. I was looking into opportunities to discover and learn more about the path to becoming a dentist. So I joined a USC Dental Hygiene Programs Tour. It was only then a bomb was dropped on me. The tour specialist, who also is a representative for the Dental Hygiene department at USC, gave a list of classes that were required for us to take. I would have to take Chem 1B, Organic Chemistry, Biology 1A, Micro-Biology, Physics, and Multivariable Calculus. After returning home, I didn’t know if I could continue down this path. I would have to be cooped up in courses that required huge amounts of hours spent in a lab and an additional large sum of hours mastering the contents. I tried imagining myself pushing through these courses and I could see myself breaking down and regretting life. The only thing that didn’t have me completely giving up being a dentist was the salary amount. Desperate to see where my path in life would go, I extensively researched the costs and benefits of this profession. I was hit with the reality that to make the salary I wanted, I would have to work hard for 10 or more years paying off college debt before getting a decent income.

That was the last straw; I was determined to drop this goal. But, I was confused as to what I would be. And for a good couple of weeks, I never had an answer. While scrolling through YouTube, I found a video that caught my eye, “Top Best Paid Undergraduate Majors”. So I watched the video and found that the Finance major was often well off and did not have much college debt. I was impressed by the statistics behind finance majors and the jobs surrounding the industry. For days, I set off to feed my curiosity and discover all there is to know about this field. I scoured through websites and bought books on stories surrounding the industry. I discovered that the stereotypes surrounding jobs in business or finance fit my own personal description: analytical, calculative, straightforward, and cunning. Jobs were professional with meetings and supervisors. I could imagine myself working in this environment. Jobs surrounding finance suggested to me financial stability. I read a lot on the job descriptions of the jobs. I am still not completely set on which career path I would like to take. A large portion of what keeps me motivated to do the work is the money. I want the money and fast. I don’t think that this is necessarily bad. Growing up in a lower middle class family, I am very grateful for the opportunities I was offered. However, I want to make sure my children live in a much more prosperous environment where money is not exactly an issue. I project that my career will still always be in the business or finance industry even if I don’t choose to be a financial analysts. Jobs in these fields typically don’t have a large sum of college debts and loans weighing over individuals. Additionally, their pay starts off better than most careers and still gets better over time. It may sound greedy, but I am perfectly okay with that. The world is going crazy with debts, loans, and financial irresponsibility; the economy constantly fluctuates and the prices on everything is rising. I think having a bit more money than happiness is more important because it will help me and my family get by.

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