Alright, so this is the first blog. Well, I read the intro to the textbook, which I will be studying for the next 3 months, Rereading America: Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths. This section talked about how it was going to challenge the views of people who would read this text on many different subjects by looking at issues from different perspectives. It's stated purpose is to bring about critical thinking and spark controversy and conversation.
After reading this I have been asked What does it mean to you to be an American Citizen? As stated in the book a lot of people when asked this question only think of "America" as the U.S. This thinking reminds me of an experiance I had crossing back into the U.S. after visiting Mexico with my family. We pulled up to the boarder patrol and the gaurd asked, "What country are you from." my sister replied, "America" The gaurd asked her again, and again until finally she realized that she was from the United States. To be American to me means that we live in a land that has been perserved for a special purpose, to be free from tyrany and oppression. To live a life where we can live how we want under organized rules to keep order. We can freely express our own opinion and not suffer for it.
Another question, how might this text challenge or complicate your opinions? I feel this text will probably have different outlooks on some of the ideas I have grown up believing. I imagine it will have a lot of things that might shed light on some idea while others I will probably find in my own life to be false and absolutely wrong. I realize that I have a lot of preconcived notions that can change, for example, before I served a mission for my church I thought that all people who smoked were bad people because they were destroying their bodies and causeing harm to others. After I got to Oregon on my mission I had to go into many houses that people smoked. After the first one of these I realized that these people are good and want to do good but have made some wrong choices in their lives that left them under addictive control. Other ideas and preconceived notions that might come up I will keep my own opinion, most likely if the text says being gay is ok, I won't believe it.
After reading this I have been asked What does it mean to you to be an American Citizen? As stated in the book a lot of people when asked this question only think of "America" as the U.S. This thinking reminds me of an experiance I had crossing back into the U.S. after visiting Mexico with my family. We pulled up to the boarder patrol and the gaurd asked, "What country are you from." my sister replied, "America" The gaurd asked her again, and again until finally she realized that she was from the United States. To be American to me means that we live in a land that has been perserved for a special purpose, to be free from tyrany and oppression. To live a life where we can live how we want under organized rules to keep order. We can freely express our own opinion and not suffer for it.
Another question, how might this text challenge or complicate your opinions? I feel this text will probably have different outlooks on some of the ideas I have grown up believing. I imagine it will have a lot of things that might shed light on some idea while others I will probably find in my own life to be false and absolutely wrong. I realize that I have a lot of preconcived notions that can change, for example, before I served a mission for my church I thought that all people who smoked were bad people because they were destroying their bodies and causeing harm to others. After I got to Oregon on my mission I had to go into many houses that people smoked. After the first one of these I realized that these people are good and want to do good but have made some wrong choices in their lives that left them under addictive control. Other ideas and preconceived notions that might come up I will keep my own opinion, most likely if the text says being gay is ok, I won't believe it.
As I was reading this, It never really occurred to me that America and the United States could be different. But the next time I am crossing over from Mexico to the U.S. I will be sure to say the United States and not America, thanks to your sisters tip.
ReplyDeleteI think you wrote this post very well. I like the story you gave about your sister thinking America is the United States. I also enjoyed your example of how this English book might challenge you. I agree the perspectives can change with one single experience or eventually over time, but it won't ever change unless we open our eyes, our minds, and sometimes our hearts to others around us.
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