Forget everything you know about dialogue

Bakhtin's revolutionary theory

Photo by Etienne Boulanger on Unsplash

Everything you think you know about dialogue is probably wrong - or at least drastically incomplete. While most see dialogue as a tool for communication, Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin saw it as something far more fundamental: the very essence of human existence. "To be means to communicate," he declared, turning traditional understanding of dialogue on its head.

Most theories treat dialogue as something humans do - a skill to be learned, a technique to be mastered, a process to be managed. Even David Bohm, whose theory of dialogue is widely celebrated, sees it primarily as a method for accessing collective intelligence and suspending assumptions. But Bakhtin's revolutionary insight turns this conventional wisdom inside out. Dialogue isn't something external to us that we choose to engage in; it's the fundamental reality of human consciousness itself. Every thought we have, every internal monologue, every moment of self-reflection is actually dialogue in disguise.

This radical reconceptualization demolishes the traditional view of consciousness as a private, internal phenomenon. When we think we're alone with our thoughts, we're actually engaging in dialogue with internalized voices of others, with cultural perspectives we've absorbed, with potential responses we anticipate. The very structure of consciousness, Bakhtin argues, is inherently dialogical.

The revolutionary nature of dialogic consciousness

The conventional view, exemplified by Bohm's approach, sees dialogue as a carefully structured process where participants suspend judgments and explore meaning together. While valuable, this view still treats dialogue as something we do rather than something we are. Bakhtin's theory shatters this illusion. We don't enter into dialogue; we emerge from it. Our very sense of self is constructed through dialogic interaction with others.

Bakhtin's most revolutionary claim strikes at the heart of traditional epistemology: individual knowledge, as traditionally conceived, is impossible. When he states that "Truth is not born nor is it to be found inside the head of an individual person," he's not just making a point about collective wisdom. He's arguing that consciousness itself is inherently social and dialogical.

Where Bohm sees dialogue as a way to access collective intelligence by suspending individual assumptions, Bakhtin goes further. He suggests that individual consciousness itself is impossible without dialogue. Every thought we have is already a response to or anticipation of other thoughts, other voices, other perspectives. This demolishes the Cartesian model of the isolated thinking subject that has dominated Western philosophy for centuries. We don't first think and then enter into dialogue; our very ability to think is constituted through dialogic interaction.

Bohm’s and Bakhtin’s approaches—in contrast

The implications are profound. If dialogue isn't just an exchange between fixed entities but the very process through which we become ourselves, then everything we think we know about human interaction needs to be reconsidered. Training in communication skills, while valuable, addresses only the surface of what dialogue really is.

Identity and truth through dialogue

Perhaps Bakhtin's most radical insight concerns the nature of human identity itself. While Bohm focuses on how dialogue can help us transcend individual limitations, Bakhtin suggests something more fundamental: identity isn't something we possess but something we create through dialogue. "I achieve self-consciousness," he writes, "I become myself only by revealing myself to another person."

This transforms our understanding of human development. We don't first develop an identity and then engage in dialogue; our very sense of self emerges through dialogic interaction. Every conversation, every interaction, every response to others shapes who we are. There is no pre-dialogic self waiting to be expressed.

Bakhtin introduces the concept of "polyphony" - the simultaneous sounding of multiple, independent voices. Unlike Bohm's emphasis on moving beyond individual perspectives to access collective wisdom, Bakhtin celebrates the productive tension between different voices. Truth emerges not from transcending differences but from their ongoing interaction.

This polyphonic understanding transforms how we view conflict and disagreement. Instead of seeing them as obstacles to be overcome, they become essential elements of meaning-making. The clash of different perspectives, the tension between opposing viewpoints, the interplay of diverse voices - all contribute to a richer, more complex understanding of reality.

The revolutionary future of human understanding

This revolutionary theory demands a fundamental rethinking of how we approach human interaction. Unlike Bohm's structured approach to dialogue, Bakhtin suggests that dialogue is happening constantly, whether we recognize it or not. The challenge isn't to create special conditions for dialogue but to become more aware of its ever-present reality.

In a world increasingly dominated by monologic certainties and echo chambers, Bakhtin's theory offers a revolutionary alternative. Instead of seeing dialogue as a tool for problem-solving or decision-making, as Bohm does, we can recognize it as the fundamental reality of human existence. This recognition transforms how we approach difference and diversity. Instead of seeing other perspectives as obstacles to be overcome or transcended, we can appreciate them as essential elements in the ongoing dialogue through which meaning emerges.

Adopting Bakhtin's view doesn't just change how we think about dialogue - it transforms our understanding of human existence itself. While Bohm offers valuable insights about structured dialogue, Bakhtin reveals dialogue as the very essence of human consciousness and identity. As we face increasingly complex challenges in our interconnected world, this revolutionary understanding becomes more crucial than ever. The path forward lies not in better techniques for dialogue but in a deeper recognition of dialogue's fundamental role in human existence.

When Bakhtin says "When dialogue ends, everything ends," he's not just making a point about communication - he's revealing a fundamental truth about what it means to be human. In this light, every interaction becomes an opportunity not just for communication but for the ongoing creation of meaning, identity, and human consciousness itself. This isn't just a new theory of dialogue; it's a revolutionary understanding of human existence that could transform how we approach every aspect of human interaction and development.

Reference

Nikulin, D. (1998). MIKHAIL BAKHTIN: A THEORY OF DIALOGUE. Constellations: An International Journal of Critical & Democratic Theory, 5(3).

Note: I use LLMs to augment my work. Email me at naquin.rod@gmail.com for more.