Frustrated Writer

When I first set out to write my paper on reenactments I was excited about how I could connect cosmetic and plastic surgery to reenactments and thought I had it all worked out in terms of how I was going to structure my paper and the ideas I was going to present.  Now that I’ve completed my paper I feel very insecure. I don’t feel confident about what I’ve written.  I know I’ve done enough research to understand the different arguments that exist about cosmetic and plastic surgery and the different meanings it has in different communities, but I feel insecure about how I’ve tied it with the concept of reenactments. 

This has been THE most frustrating writing experience I have ever had.  I think my difficulty is a result of not REALLY understanding how broadly I can use the concept of reenactments.  I’m so stuck in my normal understanding of the term that I’m having difficulty allowing myself to apply the concept as liberally as I have in my paper. 

 Hopefully, it’ll work out. 

New Approaches to History

So there’s a debate about whether or not living histories are conducive to learning.  Some believe they portray history incorrectly, because of modern influences.  Others believe they give a more appealing, memorable, and sometimes interactive presentation of what past histories were like. 

Some believe first person interpretations of history are more entertainment than education, so shouldn’t be taken seriously. 

So this debate had me thinking about textbooks.  Granted these books are filled with letters and words not humans acting as if they’re really a part of colonial times, but still aren’t textbooks creations and interpretations as well?  What makes a text book a better medium for learning than living histories?

This reminded me of what Steven Johnson talked about in his book “Everything Bad Is Good For You.”  He said there are a lot of objections to video games, virtual realities, and multi-media advancements because they detract people, especially children from “real” learning material such as books.  Granted books are very important and I’m not advocating for the abandonment of reading, but what’s wrong with computers, games, tv shows, and living histories?  Why can’t we take lessons from all of these different mediums? 

 Our society is so stuck on the value of books we are missing the many opportunities and learning experiences that can be extracted from other sources as well. 

 I just thought the whole topic of living histories and the ongoing debate about the validity of these interpretations were ironic.  No one ever questions the validity of a book.  Some books give false information and quite frankly no medium is without its biases. 

Colonial Williamsburg

You know I never really thought about how Colonial Williamsburg was constructed.  I never really thought about who made the decisions to portray what life was like back then the way it is now.  It’s interesting to see how living histories are played out. 

 Museums play a huge role on how we shape our thoughts and ideas.  The idea of a culture war between “new” history and old history is interesting.  The fact that there is a “new” history is interesting in itself, because it doesn’t seem to make sense to have a “new” past.  But these living histories shape the way people view the past by manipulating present available resources. 

 It was also interesting to learn about how “outsiders” the audience members and visitors to these museums participate in the creation of the museums.  As an audience member, I never considered the power I had in determining what things I would see in a museum, but it makes absolute sense now that I do play a role. 

The “insiders” of the museum world, those “professionals” and “experts” are in constant communication with their audience when they consider what would and would not appeal to the public.  They take into consideration the wants and needs of the consumer.  So these reenactments are a result of individuals and the interactions between these individuals. 

 Reading about Colonial Williamsburg and visiting the Hall of Mammals has helped me to realize how knowledge is created and passed on all around us.  Our daily actions and interactions are part of a process that constantly create “new” and recycled ideas.