Hi there!
Today's blog includes a segment from my Reflective Writing homework assignment. I enjoy these assignments because you can learn so much more about yourself than just the material! I guarantee it. After all, that's the core goal of these assignments. As Socrates said, "To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom."
If you're curious about the title, please allow me to warmly invite you to continue reading. Grab yourself a nice cup of tea, and let's turn it into a tea party, just like in Alice in Wonderland (in case you didn't figure that out, haha). Let me begin. I've made some minor changes compared to my submitted homework, mostly because I prefer to use a lot of informal language.
So, welcome:
The quote that caught my attention the most is: "Everyone is challenged by the speed of change in this knowledge society” (Merriam & Bierema, 2013, p.4). That being said, we should acknowledge that everyone is confronted with navigating through fast-paced changes in our society.
I'm reflecting on my feelings after reading this quote, which is part of the book’s section called The Knowledge Society. The text following this quote discusses some examples of change in our daily routines. Namely, we "may have to figure out how to” purchase items online, order books from our public library without going there, and buy airplane tickets online (Merriam & Bierema, 2013, p.5). This book was published in 2013, which means more than a decade ago, and I believe that at this moment, most of us “have figured out” how to do these things, including myself.
Well, I needed headphones that were not available at the closest Best Buy, and I couldn't resist the rush about the new Britney Spears book, so I placed an order for the Britney Spears book at the Vancouver Public Library (me and the other 800 Vancouverites since I was 800th on the waiting list). Now, you might wonder what the trigger here is.
When I was younger, the technologies described were usually part of what I refer to as the default setting of the world. Yes, the TV is in color: yes, you can pay by swiping a credit card, but no, there is no self-checkout, and no, you cannot just press a search button to get the wanted information. I feel a bit old and outdated since the mentioned technological perks were not part of my default-setting world.
I remember when printed fashion magazines dictated the trends and the commercials on where to buy some of the clothes from the image, with the store name and locations in various cities.
It seems like I started the sentence with: "I remember…," would it be better if I started with: “Back in my days.”? I didn’t expect that realization to happen while reading a book on adult education!
I feel a bit fooled by the new times, new knowledge, and new technologies. I had some presumption that I would always be new; that my understanding of the world will always be the new; but I was probably just inexperienced (not to use the stronger word naive) that times are changing, and as the quote says, the times are changing very fast. I feel deceived and misled by nobody else but myself, believing that the new, the trendy, and the future will always be in my possession. What will be in the future book in ten years? Well, don't ask me. My perception of being the freshest mind is definitely leaving the scene. Welcome to the new Marijana, who is catching up at the best. If the author says, "Everyone is challenged," let me jump on that wagon shouting: "Not just challenging in a technical sense but in an emotional sense as well.
Now, am I late? Yes!
Are you late? Yes!
Like the silly white rabbit in Alice, we are all late, and we will never be able to catch up with the technological changes and updates.
Is it challenging? Yes!
Will it be less challenging? No!
But are we together in this never-ending quest for better, newer, faster? Yes! And that's the most important thing. We can all share our ups and downs, be empathetic, and be there for one another.
Bonus talk: 😁
Now, while I was writing the newer, better thingy, I realized something. If you are familiar with the Eurovision Song Contest - the pride of the European countries, you might realize the same. The Serbian representative, Konstrakta, who participated in 2022 with the song "In Corpore Sano," once again participated in this year's 2024 national Serbian final. She performed a song, or rather, she presented a performance titled "Novo, Bolje," which translates to "Newer and Better." The entire text is sarcastic, and by singing this, she brings attention to the need for something better and newer. In my opinion, she did a great job in 2022, and now, in my understanding, she is calling for an even better performance, like she is translating into a performance what has been expected from her. What an excellent blend of sarcasm and messaging. We all want better and newer, but maybe we can slow down from time to time to take some deep breaths and relax.
Thank you so much for reading this blog, and make sure that you offer a hand of help for someone who didn't catch up with the self-checkout thing :)
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult learning : Linking theory and practice.
Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Brand.
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