Kinesics and Proxemics is yet another Beauty

                With my notebook on top of my desk opened on the page of our lesson in communication class last week, i am overwhelmed with the information i am reading, not because the lesson is complicated or because it is too much, but mainly because i cannot decide on which topic to write about. I want to write about body language, the theory of cognitive dissonance also appeals to me, and i also want to share the things i have to say and share regarding proxemics and how space is used in communication. As confused as i am with what to write about as of the moment, i want to start off by showing the music video of Rihanna's song entitled california king bed. More than watching the video, i want you to listen and reflect on the lyrics of the song as you watch. Dont get too emotional about it :)))) because every time i listen to this song, it brings forth the soft side found inside me. hahaha!

         The song is just so nice to listen to isn't it? It's melody makes you relax and it sounds like a perfect song to make you pause and reflect about anything under the sun. It would be really nice to put yourself in the persona's shoes, but for me, doing so tightens my heart a little, just a little :))).  Also, the lyrics of the song allows the listener to sympathize and empathize to whatever situation it may bring to his or her thoughts. But more than the beauty of the song's melody and lyrics is how the song clearly shows the importance of body language it our lives. It shows that body language really has meaning to us humans, and that meaning depends on whatever goes through a person's head, or simply a meaning most people perceive it to be. With some isolated cases set aside, most body languages have a universal meaning, which means it is more or less the same for everyone.


"Chest to chest
Nose to nose
Palm to palm
We were always just that close
Wrist to wrist
Toe to toe"


      The lines above come from the song and i think that it has a universal meaning, and after hearing these words, i believe that it would bring about the same thoughts running on the minds of the different people listening to the song. It would allow the listener to infer that the song is probably about a couple very intimate with each other. If you try and think of two complete strangers being as close as chest to chest or nose to nose with each other, it would be weird because usually only people who are intimate enough get that close to each other. This kind of thought or idea of how it is that only people who are intimate, get that physically close to each other portrays how important the meaning of certain body languages are to us. It is important because these movements convey messages to people around us. If you are not aware of the meaning of body language then you would not be able to live a normal smooth flowing life. If someone is that naive about body language, imagine that person just blatantly kissing someone else walking on the street. How do you think the other person would react? Things like this are a far cry from happening on a normal basis because kinesics has been a part of our lives since the day we were born. We have been learning the different meanings of the different body languages we encounter on a daily basis since birth, and for this reason, we are aware that kissing a random stranger is insane!! 


"Lips that felt just like the inside of a rose
So, how come when I reach out my finger
It feels like more than distance between us"


     This part of the song shows how kinesics and proxemics connect in our lives. Kinesics being body language and the latter being the use of space in communication. In a typical intimate relationship just as a boyfriend and girlfriend would share, it is normal that they show their affection for each other by being physically close to each other just as the first part of the song depicts. Just as being physically close to each other would normally mean that a couple is happy, having space in between a couple on the other hand would mean that they are probably not in good terms. This shows the connection between kinesics and proxemics. Both body languages and spaces between/among people have certain meanings connected to them. We do not share the same roof as our neighbors because this is how we people deal with space when it comes to building houses. We like to keep some things private from others as to respect the distance we would like to keep from people we are not as comfortable with. 


      Another thing i would like to share is how body language is not always universal. It may mean different things depending on the culture or location of a person. Smiling at strangers for example is normal for most Filipinos. Some times, when we see people familiar to us outside or homes, we tend to smile at them even if we are not very sure if we know them or not. Doing such a thing like smiling in Germany would freak out the germans. They are not comfortable with people smiling at each other. In fact, they find it weird when someone smiles at them. Maybe this also shows that filipinos show much respect for anyone who passes their way and how nice it is that we filipinos are known for being very hospitable. 


      Weird as it may be for someone to smile at another, kinesics and proxemics is yet another aspect of life we can appreciate-- how people have been able to convey a message by simply smiling at another, by how a couple can show their affection towards each other by being chest to chest or nose to nose, or by filipinos are known to be respectful people. This is just another gift from God, and yet another reason to say that life no matter how complicated, is indeed, a beauty.