Activity 6.4


I like Kegan's assertion in his chapter about Jackie, a woman featured in Kathleen Taylor's study of adults reentering schools. Jackie, who professed new found confidence and self-assurance after returning to school, developed what Kegan termed as "self-authorship, of becoming the definer of one's acceptability," (301). I would very much like to become the definer of my own acceptability - to be perfectly happy with my own existence separate from any other individual. However, I'm having a hard time believing that this state of "self-authorship" is a permanent position; it would seem to me that some people would feel more confident or self-assured in some situations or years of their life than others. 


I can't imagine that once achieved, self-authorship is unchangeable. It is not a permanent characteristic, like the color of your eyes, but an active choice of world perception. Certain issues will appear, as issues always do, but it will be an active choice to remain confident and stable in my own shoes. But no matter how self-accepting I wish to be, I want to allow those around me (if they choose ) to lend a helping hand in my life. After all, being self-accepting and owning self-authorship doesn't mean advocating self-isolation. 


As for Power's chapter, it reminded me strongly of Rosen's article from Week 4, The Myth of Multitasking. All of the busy, busy, busy modern day problems (and modern day solutions: multitasking) can be eased by simply relaxing. Chilling. Taking a walk out doors without the cell phone. My boyfriend is an RA at a state sponsored camp that requires that all campers give up their cell phones during the entire day. The campers may use them at night and only in their rooms. I thought that the rule was oppressive and was happy that my boyfriend was still allowed to use his cell phone whenever he wants. But, when I said that to him, he merely shrugged and said, "It's not really a big deal. By the third day, the campers never even miss them." 


I was slightly shocked. Not because of the fact that their cell phones weren't missed, but because the opportunity to call anyone at anytime was not missed. The connectivity to everyone in their contact lists was not missed. Whoa. What? 


"Wouldn't they want to be able to call the people they miss at anytime?"


My boyfriend replied, "We are trying to teach them to experience what is happening right now."


And apparently, after three days, the campers love it.