I think over the course of this class in the reading response area. I have started to read more closely, and have more thoughts of my own concise, and deep thoughts. I think that being able to read other peoples work and our own critically and come to our own conclusions are very important, because if we didn’t think for ourselves then where would we get as a society. Writing a reading response also helps me learn what I am writing about and to think it through by summarizing what I thought about it and how I can utilize it in my writing. Like when I was reading responses for my second essay in my English composition 110 course.
I had to analyze two articles written about empathy, one by David Foster-Wallace who gave a commencement speech called “This is Water ” about awareness and even though he does not name it, but empathy. The other reading is called “Is Empathy Overrated?” and it is by Paul Bloom, a psychiatrist from Connecticut. He talks about how empathy isn’t good and that it has possible dangers that are harmful to the public. Honestly, if I hadn’t written out what I thought in a reading response; my high school self would have had a lot of issues introducing those two articles and what it was about to you (the reader). But some real physical evidence of critical reading and writing in a response would be from one of the reading response questions for DFW assignment.
“ 1. Find one DFW quote that evoked a strong response. Paste the direct quote from his piece, then write a few sentences in which you challenge or support his statement.?
“It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:
“This is water.”
“This is water.”
It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive in the adult world day in and day out. Which means yet another grand cliché turns out to be true: your education really IS the job of a lifetime. And it commences: now.”( This is Water, David Foster Wallace). He’s saying that it’s hard to notice what people could be going through around you because you are focused on you. I agree with this and I think it’s really insightful and intelligent the way he explains it because everyone can relate to looking out for ourselves since day one. Some of us aren’t aware of everything in easy terms; it’s not on our radar yet or it won’t ever be.
2. How do DFW’s main points interact with those of Paul Bloom (from our last reading)??
I think that they interact in the way of that spotlight or choosing to see something or even think about others and how they are feeling and what they could be going through. “ (Carrona).
In this previous quote from my homework I’ve shown that I have put aside the time and mental and critical effort to think of my own ideas that wouldn’t have become my own analysis if I hadn’t deeply read the articles presented. The reading responses helped me organize my own thoughts that I had started while reading. Making sure I wouldn’t lose them in my line of thought.
