Blog 8

Wallace, This is Water

If I met and conversed with the author of this article in real life, I really can't tell if I would like them or not. I believe the author's intentions are good, and in many respects I like the end point that he is making about being generally more aware and conscious of the world around us. Yet, throughout the article, I found myself going back and forth many times, sometimes agreeing and thinking he was making an important argument, while other times thinking that the tone of the article and some of the sections were a little too pompous for my tastes.

In general, what bothered me most about the article were some of the more specific claims the author was making. I think in some parts, he over-generalized a bit and made some statements and assumptions that are actually a little more open-ended than he made them out to be.

What I liked most was the main point that the author was trying to make. I've several times in my life taken to trying to be more observant of and understanding of the world around me, and to avoiding looking at things through my own personal lens all the time. I've found it both very difficult and very beneficial, much like the author suggests. It was interesting for me to hear the arguments and validations the author made regarding why individuals need to do this. I'm not sure if I would associate the real value of college education with simple awareness, but I think it was a noble and well thought out commencement address.