Blog #7- Identity
I decided to read and blog about Chapter 11: Identity in the Bedford Book of Genres. Usually, the chapters we blog about are related to our projects and what we are doing in ENC 2135. I wanted to change it up and read about something that peaks my interest. In this chapter, the BBG explores how people judge others based on their stuff.
The chapter started off quite interesting, as Dr. Gosling got a mysterious package and was supposed to call this mysterious number scribbled on the package (sketchy). He did as he was told, and as he was talking to this “Gary,” he was told to open the package that had things collected from someones bathroom. While going through this person’s stuff, Dr. Gosling was supposed to conclude different things about the person. For example, a big hair brush was included in the package, so he assumed it was a males and therefore the rest of the things were the same males. We then found out that Gary, the man on the phone and sender of the package, was with a reality TV company that is testing out what people conclude from the belongings of others. This little experiment got Dr. Gosling’s mind moving, and he decided to do some of his own research on this topic, which is what most of the chapter is about.
Dr. Gosling described his research as trying to figure out what clues people leave in their space. He first experimented this by going into college kids rooms and observing their decorations, which are common especially with us kids trying to make this new place our home. The chapter then goes into detail about different things that give clues away about people, such as tattoos, music, t-shirts, and basically anything.
The chapter then shifts, for example, talking about how now-a-days sex doesn’t define what you like, gender does. There are several article pieces that may leave you to believe certain things about the author, and then the author contradicts what you first believed. I’m glad I chose this chapter because it was extremely engaging and insightful, proving that although it is interesting to "judge a book by it’s cover,” your assumptions may not always be right.