Week 9 entry
"do we have to be on the stage all the time?"
I found this question, which Michael suggested as a source of inspiration for our week 9 blogs, to be rather thought provoking in the sense that I was left feeling curious as to whether Shakespeare was right in saying that the world is indeed a stage and yes “we are all merely players”. I am unsure as to whether or not there is a time in my life when I can simply be myself, other than when I am entirely alone, and even then I am uncertain as to whether or not I am being true to myself. I find this whole concept of life being a stage and individuals being actors in a play, perhaps unknowingly, rather intriguing as it seems justifiable on so many levels, mainly in that I myself am aware of the way I change my mannerisms, mood or persona in order to suit those around me. These specific changes take place in different areas of my life such as when I am around my family - who I feel know the real me, when I am around friends in a social environment, when I am in a professional working environment and lastly when I am in a learning environment. In each of these different situations I consciously, and at times subconsciously, change certain aspects of my character. Why you ask? I’m not quite sure, perhaps I make these alterations in order to be better understood, or maybe I am a victim of conformity. I can only assume that in order to be true to myself I must be fully aware of the changes I make and continue to ask myself as to why these changes are necessary. I would like to believe that it is possible to get off the stage -if only temporarily- in order to switch off from the outside world and focus on being myself, the real self.
Cristina Lopez
I found this question, which Michael suggested as a source of inspiration for our week 9 blogs, to be rather thought provoking in the sense that I was left feeling curious as to whether Shakespeare was right in saying that the world is indeed a stage and yes “we are all merely players”. I am unsure as to whether or not there is a time in my life when I can simply be myself, other than when I am entirely alone, and even then I am uncertain as to whether or not I am being true to myself. I find this whole concept of life being a stage and individuals being actors in a play, perhaps unknowingly, rather intriguing as it seems justifiable on so many levels, mainly in that I myself am aware of the way I change my mannerisms, mood or persona in order to suit those around me. These specific changes take place in different areas of my life such as when I am around my family - who I feel know the real me, when I am around friends in a social environment, when I am in a professional working environment and lastly when I am in a learning environment. In each of these different situations I consciously, and at times subconsciously, change certain aspects of my character. Why you ask? I’m not quite sure, perhaps I make these alterations in order to be better understood, or maybe I am a victim of conformity. I can only assume that in order to be true to myself I must be fully aware of the changes I make and continue to ask myself as to why these changes are necessary. I would like to believe that it is possible to get off the stage -if only temporarily- in order to switch off from the outside world and focus on being myself, the real self.
Cristina Lopez