The idea of multiform stories introduced to us in chapter 2 of the Hamlet on Holodek is a very interesting concept to me. I have always felt the importance of a single decision and the effects that can come as a result of that decision. Murray looks at several interesting scenes from different movies that explore the importance on one single mistake or decision. These movies that she listed tended to fantasize the possibilities of what might happen as a result of decisions but there are many decisions that we make everyday that change our paths in lives tremendously.
As a woman, I recognize this more that I think males would. As I pondered my career path and options in life, I have had to make decisions (sacrifices) to try and control what my future might look like. Deciding to quit working and go back to school full-time is always a clencher. I often wonder what life would be like had I decided to continue working and go to school part-time. I know I wouldn't be as broke as I am now but other than that who knows. One thing that is more specific to being female is the choice to have children. (Uh Oh, I'm showing just how pro-choice I am.) I made the decision only 1 year ago to never have another child. My decision was made for medical reasons and a surgery accompanied but, I had already consciously decided that a career was more important for me. I am fortunate enough to have one child and as much as I love him, I knew I didn't want to have another. However, for many women, the decision to say that I don't want to raise 3, 4 or even 5 children but instead I want a career is very troubling. Many women have been accused of being selfish, self-centered and even heartless for the paths that they have chosen. They are constantly plagued with the what if's. I can imagine that in their minds a reel of different scenarios constantly play just as a multiform story.
One of the multiform stories that wasn't mentioned in this essay was the movie "The Family Man." This is one of my favorite movies. However, I'm not sure that I would have chosen the life he chose. To go from being a rich, powerful, sought after man to the family guy is a very difficult decision to make but he actually got the opportunity to see both sides. The downfall to real life is that we will never know what our lives would be like if we had chosen other options. However, maybe it's for the best.
Monday, February 10, 2003
Over the past couple weeks, I have been extremely stressed out. I've been trying to keep up with the pace of my current life along with the many hurdles that are inadvertently thrown at me at the absolute worse time. I've learned to accept the fact that hurdles will come and that sometimes they will trip me up but my biggest problem comes as a result of the pace that our new computer generated lives has created.
Most of my classes this semester integrate the computer with the regular scheduled class period and other materials. This means for me that along with attending classes, reading necessary materials, I also have to consistently check the computer. Emails, discussion groups, posting, etc. are all about to drive me up the wall. I have so many places to check for class that it seems that I spend a large percentage of time sitting in front of a monitor. I hate it!! I always spoke out against the ideas of our social lives or how we relate to each other being limited to mear interactions between CPU's. Yet, I find myself more and more in the solitude of my room, sitting at my desk and hacking things away at the computer.
I must admit though, that there is a level of convenience to doing things this way. I can access needed information at anytime, assignments are no longer due during the class period; now, as long as they are postmarked by the computer for the specified date, they are considered to be on time. : ) The downfall to all this is that I probably spend more time on my classes than I have in my whole entire college career and I'm a senior. I've heard of a theory that suggest that the rate of information produced is growing at exponential rates. This means more websites to visit, more emails to be read and sent and more discussion groups to join. How will we keep up with things at this pace. Will the hurdles that come into the lives of each and every one of us knock us completely out of the game? How will we catch up?
Most of my classes this semester integrate the computer with the regular scheduled class period and other materials. This means for me that along with attending classes, reading necessary materials, I also have to consistently check the computer. Emails, discussion groups, posting, etc. are all about to drive me up the wall. I have so many places to check for class that it seems that I spend a large percentage of time sitting in front of a monitor. I hate it!! I always spoke out against the ideas of our social lives or how we relate to each other being limited to mear interactions between CPU's. Yet, I find myself more and more in the solitude of my room, sitting at my desk and hacking things away at the computer.
I must admit though, that there is a level of convenience to doing things this way. I can access needed information at anytime, assignments are no longer due during the class period; now, as long as they are postmarked by the computer for the specified date, they are considered to be on time. : ) The downfall to all this is that I probably spend more time on my classes than I have in my whole entire college career and I'm a senior. I've heard of a theory that suggest that the rate of information produced is growing at exponential rates. This means more websites to visit, more emails to be read and sent and more discussion groups to join. How will we keep up with things at this pace. Will the hurdles that come into the lives of each and every one of us knock us completely out of the game? How will we catch up?
