Response: Rodriguez

Rosie Caldwell
Professor M. Boland
English 329

Response: Rodriguez, Richard. “The Achievement of Desire.” Hunger of Memory.

The idea of creativity and creating something unique and never-before-thought-of is a little ridiculous, but likewise can be said by the idea of being "hindered by the constraints of their attempts at originality." By simply applying your own views and your own words, you are creating something different. Ideas are built upon each other and ideas are shared, expanded upon and often evolve or shift with the introduction of other ideas or outside sources. The discomfort that Rodriguez expressed....I thought.....was misplaced. Like him, people can be so insecure about not creating something original... but as long as they add a different element or see a different facet, they are creating something different and interesting.

The issue with the separation from family seemed a little odd to me as well. Although I come from a very well educated family, I have friends who are not formally educated beyond high school. I feel no discomfort or a need to distinguish between them and myself- there is no uneasiness or hyper-sensitivity to the fact that they might not know what I am talking about, or might be confused by some of my references... because I see that they know things that I do not. I realize that they have different knowledge that is not inferior or superior to mine. I did not really see his disconnect.... and thought it was interesting that I have heard these sentiments before from other people. People mention how they have to become a different person in order to avoid discomfort - they have to dumb down or try to impress with excess information and academic references....I'm glad to say that I don't feel this need :)