Ted talks are known to present powerful and informational ideals that provoke thought and can be inspiring. In this TedX talk, Dominic Colenso discusses the importance of stories. He references social media and the ways in which we use it to present the happiest parts of our life, not telling our full story. He even tells stories of his own throughout this talk, which is ironic in that he is discussing the importance of telling stories. He addresses how he, at one point in his life, stopped telling his own story saying it was not relevant. He discusses how when he stopped telling his story pushed him to lose his identity. He pushes the idea throughout this video that stories make us who we are and help us connect with each other.
Richard Kearney addresses in his text the idea of stories. Kearney right off the bat makes the claim that “stories are what make our lives worth living. They are what make our condition human.” (Kearney, 3) This claim is one that largely is exemplified throughout his writing about stories in this chapter. He delves into the ideas of myths, personal stories and the ways that “narrative provides us with one of our most viable forms of identity- individual and communal.” (Kearney, 4) He discusses the history of storytelling and references ancient Greek times and philosophers such as Aristotle. Kearney discusses both stories that have full truth, that are based off of personal encounters, as well as the ideas of myths, which are stories that have truth but have made their way to now from history. Myths often come from some sort of “narrative fantasy” as mentioned by Kearney. (Kearney, 7) The point of these narratives or myths was to “retell a story that had been told many times before.” (Kearney, 8) Kearney goes on to discuss myths in a way that allow us to understand the true purpose of stories and how we continue to tell not only myths, but our own stories today.
In the Tedx talk, mentioned in the first paragraph, Colenso addresses the importance of telling your own story. In the Kearney chapter, Kearney discusses the importance of stories in general and gives us a reference for history and meaning of stories through our developed language as well as the way we connect with each other. Kearney mentions in his chapter that the words “once upon a time” have opened up the doors to us telling a great story. I found it ironic that in the Ted talk, Colenso begins his talk with just those words exactly. Colenso really pushes the narrative that stories are essential to our being and that “when you share your stories you create connection.” This is represented throughout the Kearney chapter as well, as Kearney presents the idea that “who I am is a story.” These two texts, while different, complement each other and support overarching ideas of stories throughout each. Kearney says in the last line of this chapter, references Socrates “that the un narrated life is not worth living.” While Colenso does not make a claim that large, he does agree that stories form us, make us, and create us, and without them we lose our self-identity.
With this course being one of my last communication classes to take (sad), I am embracing the wonderful atmosphere of the comm. department and excited to learn the last bit of what Baylor Comm. will offer me before graduation in May. For this course, I have a few goals, some personal and some academic. First, of course, I want to do well and earn an “A” in the course. While this may seem like a basic goal, it is one that is important to me as I have approached all my other communication classes with high expectations of myself to learn and do well. Which leads into my next goal. I want to push myself to learn something new, engage in each reading as if it has gold to offer me. Finishing up this semester, I want to ensure I am well equip with information learned through my classes to take on the real world with confidence. Lastly, I want to find practical information through this class that I hold onto to apply it to my future endeavors. This certainly has not been hard to do with my other communication courses, but in order to not push my courses behind me, I want to ensure I am engaged and use this goal as a tool to push myself to learn and accomplish my other two goals mentioned.
As a second semester senior, things have really seemed to become a whirlwind. Emotions rising, anticipation building, and a sense of the unknown has surfaced. While all of these things are happening, I’ve found myself remembering that even though I am approaching a new season of life, I am still in the season of college. This semester is going to be a mix of academics and work life, so I have a few goals that include both of those. Academically, I want to finish out this semester strong. I want to walk off of the Baylor campus knowing I left everything on the table and did the best that I could. I want to put my last efforts of academic excellence into each one of my courses. I want to push myself to increase my GPA. In regards to my journey towards my future occupation, this semester, my BIG goal is to find a job. I hope to spend a lot of time searching and applying to find a job that fits me and that I feel will fulfill me. The challenge I believe for this semester is going to be balancing both my school work and my job search and accomplishing the goals for each of those categories.
As for myself as a whole, the goals I have could possibly make an endless list. But, to talk short term, I hope that I can be authentic this semester in everything that I do. I want to push myself to jump outside of my comfort zone with friendships, my job search, and even in the classroom. I want to aim to come out of this semester, and my four years at Baylor, as a better student, friend, daughter, citizen and person overall. While that might sound like a hefty goal, what’s a goal if it’s not intended to push you, right? I hope to find a job that I’m excited about and to make my family proud of me as I walk across the stage in May. I’m aiming to be kinder to myself and to take moments to be proud of myself. I hope to practice being present and intentional. Overall, my goals are meant to remind me that the path from where I am, great or not so great, can always take to me becoming a better me.
