Book 1: Post 2
"My Life on the Road" by Gloria Steinem was a story of how Steinem further developed as a person and built her own ideals after traveling the world and meeting people of different backgrounds. Not all her experiences were psoitive ones, as what is life if not for both the good and bad experiences. "Suffering builds character" as people in the army like to say. Her experiences throughout her travels has shaped her understanding and own feminist views and sense of social justice. This book stresses on the importance of traveling and what we miss out on by not interacting with others outside our native bubbles.
Something that was revealing later in the book was the fact that Steinem does not actually own a driving license. She traveled either with various friends or by taxi, and this was essential to her travels as going by taxi meant that she was sharing the same vehicle as a complete stranger. Astranger that she would be able to learn from based on their own personal story. And while those whose names are not remembered, we still remember the interactions and impressions that would linger throughout our life. During her travels, she would come to a revelation of sorts that her journey must have been one that many have treaded down before. The benaches that she sat down to rest on, the views that she would see, the grafitti that she pondered at; just how many others shared the same experience as her?
Even though people share the same experiences throughout their travels, it doesn't mean that people come to the same conclusion. Our personal views on the same subject, and the stories and conclusions we come to are different than those around us, yet that isn't a bad thing if Steinem's book is anything to go by. By talking with people of different view points, we can build on our own ideals, whether we agree of disagree. This book was full of Steinem's thoughts during her travels, and her monoloauges were often insightful.
Hey Damien, this was a fun read. For the reasons your outlined is exactly the reason I'd like to travel more! As of now I've only been in and around the United States, a large chunk of the US at that, but only the US. The point about interacting with strangers at every step of the journey creating new ideas is fun to think about, and something I'll certainly consider if I ever do make those future travels.
ReplyDeleteHi Damien, the overall message you shared about the book makes it seem like a beneficial book to read. I think it is important to realize that people can come to their own conclusions/opinions in anything and it is important to respect that.
ReplyDeleteHey Damien, this was a great post! So interesting that Steinem did not have a drivers license and had to use friends and taxis. And therefore ended up meeting those people who the interactions with stayed with her. Neat fun fact.
ReplyDeleteHey Damien, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree that exposing ourselves to different people and cultures really helps us compose our perspectives. It’s fascinating how Steinem highlights the importance of travel in shaping her views. I’ll definitely check it out as someone who enjoys traveling.
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