Is communication a ranged weapon or melee?

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 Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM)


Is communication like a projectile weapon, or better yet, a ranged weapon battle, where one character slings firebolts and arrows at each other? The Transmission Model of communication thinking about the process just like that. Pearce & Cronen would call that a failed save. Nay, they say.  Insead, communication is thought of as a process that we enter into simply by being in the presence of others. It’s a world-building force that helps to tailor our ideas, relationships, and fantasy worlds. It’s rather like Symbolic Interactionism, in this regard. Communication builds worlds...just like your DM does. The language and the socialization with others creates the world around us, both at the game table and not. 

We coordinate with others meanings for people, events, and words. We use those definitions to make meaning of our interactions, and thereby manage our social (and internal) lives. Firstly, CMM claims our communication makes our worlds. When I introduce my character, I compose words I think we’ll share a meaning of: gnome necromancer wizard. Usually I do this to paint in your mind a picture I want you to see. You do the same.  Sometimes, we try to paint for others the clearest picture possible. Other times we create a dim, shadowy, dishonest image intentionally. 

For players to have a satisfying experience, they must agree to a neigh constant series of story elements as they define themselves (by their actions and words) to NPCs, organizations, and the world of their campaign. It should be no surprise that CMM uses the word “story” a lot. What we say (whether verbally or nonverbally) to others about what we think of the world. And just like in D&D, the stories we tell are infinitely complex. Eventually, the momentum of our actions, can carry us forward as our adventuring party may begin to feel a moral pressure (hopefully in accord with their Alignment) and an urgency to act in accord with their characters and the reputation of the party. Think, “We’re The League of Lore, we can’t let __________ happen!” 

For Dungeonmasters, CMM simply makes clear that in our games, we’ll get what we make. If you and your party want a horror, sea, or dystopian campaign, we do best to help create that by the choices we make when it comes to theme. Pearce would have us ask:

  1. How did other worlds like the ones I want to build get made? 

  2. What kind of campaign are we making?

  3. What can we each do to make a better fantasy world at the table?


For all players, DMs, and people everywhere, the simple truth that CMM offers is that if we are mindful creators of our worlds (D&D and IRL), we will have a lot more fun and be a lot more engaged, connected, aware, and in a position to offer the best of ourselves. The adventuring party is a great place to express connection, shared purpose, praise, friendship and support. The DMs, grace. 

It’s what the ethicist Martin Buber focused on with Dialogic Ethics. It’s super cool. In a bag-of-holding, it’s the idea that our ethics should be based on our fundamental shared humanity. DMs should treat players like people, and not like game tokens to be moved about. Players, your DMs world is as sacrosanct as your agency and consent. That’s what it means to treat someone as a “Thou” and not an “It”. (These are Buber’s two types of relationships.) Dialogue is synonymous with ethical communication. In sum, because we co-create reality with others, we have an ethical duty to speak with those others respectfully. Platinum Rule.

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