I believe that both models of narratives are true. I do think that in some way we control the direction of our lives. The choices we face and the opportunities we either embrace or pass by play a very big role in our destination. However, I do understand the second model which says that our narrative or story controls us by the factors in our lives that we cannot control. I do see how what nation we are born in, what gender we are, what race we are...we have no control over and therefore control our destination to a degree. Sometimes the religion and cultures we are brought up to follow or believe can often times define us when we are young but can change as we develop our own personal beliefs.
I have embraced many narratives both active and passive that empower me. Some active narratives that I have embraced are ones that involve my independence and my personal choice to become further educated. I feel as though college is a big part of what will determine the rest of my life, and that choice to go to college was mine. I will ultimately be the one who controls a part of my destiny because of my choice to attend and graduate from college. An example of a passive narrative that I have empraced and that empowers me is my gender. Being a girl was the way I was born and I could never change it but I would never want to. I absolutely love being a girl and I believe that I can do anything a man can do and I hope to prove that in the business world. Though my gender is a part of my narrative that I cannot control and though it is a part of my story that writes me (a passive narrative), I don't believe it controls me, it empowers me.
There are "deconstructive" narratives that have been disempowering in my life as well, both in an active and passive sense. In an active sense, where I have have controlled my narrative, I found that drinking (although normal in this college town) is deconstructive and disempowering to me. Although it is college and it is to some a very "normal" behavior, I have realized just recently that my behaviors are really shaping my future and that focusing on school, my internship, eating right, working out, and not being hung over all the time is so much more rewarding and empowering than the lifestyle I have been living in my past college years. I am going to college to control what kind of future I will have and I will have no future if partying is a priority. In a passive sense, I believe that the nation or culture we are brought up in can be disempowering. In many countries people can be completely disempowered due to poverty and lack of options. In some countries individuals are born in a place where they can hardly eat, let alone make choices to control their destiny. There are no choices. Though I cannot control where I was born and raised, I do feel blessed. Still, I hope that I will not always live in the U.S. and that my active narrative will take me to other parts of the world.
3 comments on Narratives bonus blog...I don't know if I understood this completely...
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Yeah, you've understood it perfectly. Good answer.
The interplay of 'active' and 'passive' narratives, which you have very impressively put down, seems to be very complex sometimes. What if you have to create a narrative with only the constructed realities, with no choices offered to you? What if your communicative ability is ruined due to so many reasons you have no control on? You have taken up these interesting questions for your discussion. It's really admirable. Keep it up.
really great narrative. you are right. it's really important for students to know how they can build their future. in other words, they should know their priorities which are mostly school and health, not partying. at the same time, there should be always time for fun, however, that should not affect students' priorities.