So, away from my country, and my patriotism higher than ever before, it became essential to watch this year competition. Marisa and I bought cable just for the games and began to enjoy watching the events. Day after day, we watched as Europeans sealed their victories and took home their medals. We began to ask ourselves about the quality of this years crop of olympic talent from home. Where were all the American Gold-medal athletes that we have sent in years past to dominate the pool or crush the competition around the track?
Only after a call to home did we learn just what an effect our media has on our perceptions. Ben (Marisa's boyfriend in America) let us know that America was indeed doing well and had taken home many medals! We began our analyzation...
We realized that our cable company offered only EuroSport and an Italian broadcasting company for games viewing. It became so clear! Of course Europeans were bringin' home all the golds! That was what this audience wanted to see!
My lesson learned. We all must be diligent in collecting our information, news, history, and stories, from multiple sources to make sure that we are getting a well rounded perspective on the truth. So many times since I have been here, I have been given contradictory information to what I have known to be true my whole life. Whether about historical facts, cultural norms, political practices, or religious beliefs, it is only in these times of questing what you have always know for certain, that we are forced to seek facts around what we believe to be truth.
"When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow." - Anais Nin
Grow!!!
1 comment:
I gave a speech to CPCU in February. I said, "This generation of students wants meaning in their lives... they are not content to just work and make money." After it was over I talked to D. Richardson, who told me YOU had gone away to the peace corp...because you wanted something meaningful to do! thanks for proving me right. :-)
If you have an e-mail list or something, please put me on it. msprof68@hotmail.com Would love to hear about your travels and what you're up to.
And yes... you are right on th emoney about gathering facts and questioning sources. I discovered in the last 2 presidential elections just how ignorant most people are about FACTS. It is really nauseating. Take care girl!
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