Reading Response #5: Selfe's Essay

Gurjot Ram
February 21, 2010
English 100A- Reading Response #6

In the chapter, “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution: Images of Technology and the Nature of Change,” in Cynthia Selfe’s book, “Passions, Pedagogies, and 21st Century Technologies,” Selfe discusses the impact of technology in the 21st century. Selfe exemplifies her ideas in three narratives in the chapter. In the second narrative, Selfe states, “Our cultural experience, indeed, tells us something very different- that America is the land of opportunity only for some people.” What Selfe means in this narrative is that we want to see what we want. Most of us would like to see a middle income family rather than a family living in poverty. Most Americans would want to see that we are living as a successful country and we have no problems. As many as other countries, this is not true because we are faced with problems just like every other country out there. America, like any other country, wants to be a perfect country with minimal problems and an equal chance at success for everyone. Selfe explains that, “If citizens of all kinds are to have access to technology and the opportunities it provides, we do not see such a narrative imagined in the Land of Difference narrative; if technology is to improve the lives of all Americans regardless of race and class and other differences, our collective ability to envision such a world is no evident in these changes.” Selfe means that if everyone is able to have access to technology it does no incorporate into the Land of Difference. Technology will be available to Americans regardless of race and class. There is no classification who can have technology and who cannot.
In my opinion, I believe that Selfe’s statement is partially wrong because America is the Land of Opportunity for those who know how to achieve it. It is equal for all people to earn that opportunity. If people are willing know how to achieve they will have a chance at opportunity. America allows equal opportunity because they that everyone has a chance at earning it. Otherwise it would be only fair for some people. I, personally, think that not everyone has a fair chance at earning the opportunity, but there is an equal chance for opportunity. America is the land of opportunity for all people because everyone has a equal chance on getting the opportunity to achieve. In America everyone has a chance for opportunity, but it is within them to grab it for their success.